You have come to this website, because you like silent films and silent movie stars. There are many places like this. But unlike other sites, here at Silent Hall of Fame you can make a real difference. You can help us show for the first time many films featuring your favorite silent stars that have not been seen in generations. This will bring their names back into the public discourse. But you can do much more than that: you can help your favorite silent stars receive belated recognition and glory.
Until now there has never been an organization with the purpose to place a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for movie personalities from a century ago. Silent Hall of Fame is this historic organization. Silent Hall of Fame is the only organization of its kind. We will make history and we invite you to become a part of history by sponsoring a silent movie star for the Hollywood Walk of Fame. All contributions are tax deductible.
"The Smart Set" (1928)
Alice Day and William Haines
Directed by Jack Conway Produced by Louis B. Mayer, Irving Thalberg Starring William Haines, Alice Day Cinematography Oliver Marsh Distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Release date March 24, 1928 Running time 80 minutes Country United States Language Silent, English intertitles
We have included this film in our program to illustrate the work and contributions of our star Alice Day.
The film is still under copyright, which prevents us from streaming it on our site. We will be able to show you this nice movie in 2023.
"The Smart Set" is a romantic comedy-drama of the kind that involves a sports game. In this case it is an English game by the name of polo, where horse riders chase a little ball with sticks across the field and score goals in a gate without a goalkeeper.
William Haines plays the role of Tommy, a superficial and conceited young fellow, who is gifted at polo, and gets a place in the team just before an important international competition. William Haines bumps into Alice Day (Polly) at a traffic stop and starts following her around. By a trick of circumstance Alice Day is the daughter of a veteran polo player, whose place William Haines has been chosen to take. Of course, when Alice Day learns this, she is further put off by this guy with strange mannerisms.
William Haines's disregard for fellow team members and reckless riding are the cause for his expulsion from the team. His father decides that William Haines has disgraced the family name, with which generations before have been national team polo players. His horse is put up for an auction, but Alice Day steps in and makes sure that her father makes the winning bid and the horse doesn't go to a stranger. She is moved to see William Haines bid a tearful farewell to his beloved horse.
Later William Haines mans up - he first rescues his horse after a fire breaks out in the stable, and then speaking with Alice Day takes responsibility for his actions. She sees that he is a new kind of guy, and they reconcile. During the final game the captain gets injured, and although William Haines is his bitter rival for Alice Day's affections, the captain convinces the trainer to invite William back into the team for the few final minutes. Being the best player, and now concentrating on team work, William Haines turns a losing game around and brings victory to the US team.
By the way, during this final America beat the British at their own game, at least in this film.
It appears that occasionally William Haines goes a little over the top with his comic antics in this film. On the contrary, Alice Day delivers a very nice measured performance in both the comedic and the dramatic episodes.
