13 Washington Square (1928)

When a prominent but snobbish Manhattan society doyenne (Alice Joyce) finds out her son (George J. Lewis) is about to elope with a grocer's daughter (Helen Foster), she cancels her trip to Europe to stop the marriage. To avoid reporters on her doorstep, she sneaks into the mansion with her maid (Zasu Pitts). Her son and his fiancee also sneak into the house as does a thief (Jean Hersholt) intent on stealing the priceless paintings in the mansion. Hilarity ensues! Based on the play by Leroy Scott and directed by Melville W. Brown (BEHIND OFFICE DOORS). This amusing silent farce involving mistaken identities and running around in confusion may not be Feydeau but but it's still good fun. Its running time is brief (one hour and six minutes) so it doesn't allow for any digression and director Brown keeps up the brisk pace and wraps it up quickly and neatly. I'm not familiar with the work of actress Alice Joyce (who retired at age 40), who was quite prolific in the silent era but I found her quite appealing and hope to see more of her work. With Helen Jerome Eddy and Jack McDonald.