ThinkTV: Silent No More — silent film star on screen again
The life and film career of Theda Bara documented by UC and public television
Most people recognize the phrase “kiss me, you fool” as a line attributed to the movies. What they might not know, however, is that a version of the line dates to 1915, when silent film actress Theda Bara, a Cincinnati native and former University of Cincinnati student, starred in “A Fool There Was.”
While the flirty phrase is a mutation of the movie's subtitle, where Bara mouthed “kiss me, my fool”, it remained in our vernacula. Unfortunately, her contribution to the film industry dimmed over time.
That is, until now.
Silent film actress Theda Bara. Photo provided by UC libraries.
Starting May 16, Bara’s life story will be featured on CET and ThinkTV’s “The Art Show” with contributions from UC faculty and staff: Jennifer Glaser, associate professor and head of the Department of English, Chris Harter, head of the Archives and Rare Books Library and Holly Prochaska, preservation librarian and head of the Preservation Lab.
In the documentary, the trio speak to Bara’s time growing up in Cincinnati (a graduate of Walnut Hills High School, who attended UC for a time) and her rise to fame on the big screen from 1914 – 1920 as the classic “vamp” or fem fatale of early 20th century motion pictures.
Although most of Bara’s film archives were destroyed in a 1937 fire, UC purchased Bara’s memoirs in 2008. “It includes the cover page with the title ‘Woman or Vampire,’” Harter tells the viewer.
“It’s a fascinating document,” says Glaser, adding “Bara wasn’t just a studio creation, she was her own creation” when referencing Bera’s youth in Cincinnati and pursuit of the limelight.
Learn more about the documentary on ThinkTV's website. It will also appear on the PBS App and is currently viewable on YouTube.
Read more about Bara in a UC libraries blog.
Feature image at top provided by ThinkTV.
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