Stage Struck (1925)

A drab waitress (Gloria Swanson) in a factory town has daydreams about being a great actress. But it's not because she has any real desire to be an actress but because the pancake cook (Lawrence Gray) she's in love with is fascinated by actresses. Directed by Allan Dwan, the film is in sepia with the fantasy sequences and the last scene shot in two strip Technicolor. The story is okay if a little overlong but it affords Swanson an opportunity to show what a good physical comedienne she is. Dressed in frumpy clothes for most of the film, she's not dependent on her glamour but comic talents. This was the sixth of the seven films Swanson and director Dwan made together. If you're into silent cinema, you should find much to enjoy here. With Gertrude Astor and Ford Sterling.