The House That Shadows Built (1932)

An in-house production by Paramount, this promotional film was put together in 1931 in anticipation of publicizing the studio's two years in business (1912-1932). Highlights include footage of various Paramount movies, many of them from the silent era, including the French film Queen Elizabeth (1912), an early feature-length film imported and released by Paramount. It starred stage legend Sarah Bernhardt in the title role. Other stars, both immortal and forgotten, who can be seen in this program include Dustin Farnum, Mary Pickford, George M. Cohan, William S. Hart, Billie Dove, Wallace Reid, Pola Negri, Gary Cooper, Blanche Sweet, Billie Burke, Irene Castle, Douglas Fairbanks, and many more. Highlights include numerous promos for then-forthcoming Paramount movies such as Monkey Business (1931), starring "the Four Marx Brothers," as Groucho, Chico, Harpo, and Zeppo were then billed.