Question
Here is the question : WHAT IS THE HIGHEST-GROSSING SILENT FILM IN HISTORY?
Option
Here is the option for the question :
- Gertie the Dinosaur
- The Birth of a Nation
- Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
- The Great Train Robbery
The Answer:
And, the answer for the the question is :
Explanation:
The highest-grossing silent film of all tim e was an anti-war picture featuring the popular actor Rudolph Valentino in his first starring role; he would go on to be a superstar. The novel by the same name written in 1916 by Vicente Blasco Ibáez served as the inspiration for the film of the same name. Domestic ticket sales brought in $9.2 million for the movie back then, which is equivalent to nearly $381.1 million in today’s dollars.
The highest grossing silent film in history was the 1921 epic The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. It was directed by Rex Ingram, produced by Metro Pictures and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The film is an Argentine-American co-production, based on a novel by Vicente Blasco Ibáñez.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse tells a grand, sweeping story of love and loss set against the backdrop of World War I. It follows an Argentine polo player whose three brothers enlist to fight for France in the war. The film focuses on how the war affects the brothers and their lover Mafalda, who is left behind. It explores themes of sacrifice, patriotism, poisoned friendship and redemption.
The film was a massive critical and financial success upon release. It topped the charts for the highest grossing films of 1921 and 1922, earning over $10 million at the worldwide box office. Adjusted for inflation, its earnings would be over $140 million today, far exceeding any other silent film.
The film’s epic scope and themes clearly resonated with audiences during and after World War I. It tapped into desires to understand and perhaps contextualize the great sacrifices of wartime. The film also showcased grand spectacle through massive sets, creative cinematography, and gripping action sequences on horseback – allnovel for the time.
Some see The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as a pivotal moment in cinematic history, pioneernig the Biblical epic genre and paving the way for later blockbusters. Its success demonstrated the commercial potential of motion pictures as a dramatic and visual medium. The film was groundbreaking both for its themes, scale and emotive power on screen. Others argue its historical significance is overstated, viewing it more as a product of its time to capitalize on post-war angst, grief and desire for transcendence through spectacle.
Debates continue over interpreting the film’s meaning, values or influence. Some analyses see it as allegory for tragic futility of war, while others interpret it as rousing call for sacrifice and courage in the face of adversity. There are also feminist perspectives on the complex character of Mafalda, who was a marker of progress in her time but ultimately subjects of the male gaze.
Whatever the analysis, The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse remains a landmark film foropening new frontiers of cinematic scope, spectacle, emotion and metaphor. Its success cemented the medium as a powerful dramatic and narrative form, not just source of delight or marvel. The film has endured in historical and cultural memory as a reminder of World War I’s seismic impact on humanity and the human spirit’s capacity for enduring both loss and transcendence.
The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse is the highest grossing silent film in history. Released in 1921, it was an epic drama set against the backdrop of World War I. The film explored themes of loss, sacrifice, love and redemption through the story o