I am thrilled to see the ongoing restorations of the Colonial Theater in Augusta and Johnson Hall in Gardiner. The work comes with the return of 1920s-era silent film screenings, a time when Augusta was a destination for that period’s most famous actresses and actors. My grandparents were married in the middle of that lively era. My grandfather, having returned from World War I, worked as an extra in the company, founded by the renowned director Edgar Jones.

This Saturday, Oct. 4, the Colonial will screen a previously lost film, “In the River.” The hero of this recovery is Ed Lorusso of Belgrade, who, as a volunteer film researcher, puts his considerable knowledge to work to locate films before they completely degrade.

Shown worldwide, these films were a cultural phenomenon. I appreciated this fact more when I ran across a piece of fan mail among my grandfather’s papers: a tiny postcard from a woman in Cuba said William Peavey was her favorite actor. 

 After seeing some of these films, I can see why they brought people together. Since they were silent, there was no barrier to understanding language. And, not long after a brutal world war, they may have offered a form of respite — a chance to relax, laugh and breathe freely.

“In the River” is scheduled to re-premiere at 2 p.m. this Saturday, Oct. 4, where it first premiered 100 years ago. The films “Cupid, Registered Guide” and “Caught in the Rapids” also will be shown.

Linda Albert
Freeport