A look at a forgotten comedian of the silent era
Chaplin, Keaton, Lloyd — these were the giants of the silent era. Though all three made talking pictures when sound came to the movies, they are best remembered for their work in silents. But who is Raymond Griffith? Most people — even film enthusiasts — will shrug when asked this question.<br /><br />Griffith was a comedian who achieved popularity in silent pictures but today is virtually forgotten. A new release, “Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian,” contains two of his features.<br /><br />“Paths to Paradise” (1925) stars Griffith as a swell who enters a seedy bar in San Francisco’s Chinatown and is quickly relieved of most of his money for assorted “cover charges.” He’s tricked into thinking he’s killed a man and one of the con artists agrees to take the blame for $100. Assisting in the scam is sassy Molly (Betty Compson). When the swell presents a phony detective badge, Molly attempts to bribe him, not yet realizing that he, too, is a con artist. Later, the two of them join forces to steal an expensive piece of jewelry. As multiple police forces pursue them to the Mexican border, Molly declares that a life of crime is not for her and vows to go straight.<br /><br />The action takes place mostly in indoor locations until the rousing, lengthy  chase sequence late in the movie, featuring an abundance of the mishaps, happy accidents, and sight gags typical of silent comedies. Unfortunately, the film’s final reel is not known to exist, so the conclusion of the picture is filled in by titles describing the scripted action.<br /><br />The film has a decent plot but is slow getting underway, there aren’t a lot of laughs, and most of the humor stems from the clever intertitles. Griffith bases his performance on subtle gestures, facial expression, and quirky mannerisms, but he comes off more as an ensemble player than star. His character in all his movies is impeccably dressed and wears a silk top hat, his primary signifier. There’s little evidence of Chaplin’s graceful comic timing or Keaton’s amazing facility with props. His bland screen persona might account for the fact that he has slipped into obscurity.<br /><br />In the second feature, “You’d Be Surprised” (1926), once again a piece of jewelry gets the plot going. During a party given by District Attorney White (Edward Martindel) on his houseboat, a valuable necklace has been stolen. A grim-faced White claims to know the identity of the thief. He will turn the lights off, and expects the necklace to be returned in the dark. But when the lights are turned on, White has been stabbed to death. One at a time, cops of increasing rank check out the body, each reaching the identical conclusion —“This is a case for the coroner.”<br /><br />The coroner happens to be Griffith, who enters wearing his trademark top hat. His investigation consists of asking the guests, point blank, if they killed Mr. White. Naturally, they all deny it. A young woman (Dorothy Sebastian) is soon found hiding in a clock, grasping the stolen necklace. The coroner politely asks her to sign a confession, but she claims she is innocent. He tries various other ways pinpoint the killer and finally convenes a “coroner’s jury” of assorted workmen he pulls in from the street, including a hot dog vendor. Complications occur when a second murder takes place, but the coroner ultimately succeeds in uncovering the culprit’s identity.<br /><br />The comedy/mystery is in the mold of Agatha Christie stories — a detective (or coroner, in this case) must solve a crime for which there are numerous suspects. Griffith is good but not particularly extraordinary in this comedy. Once again, the jokes are tepid at best, the funniest moments are supplied by the intertitles, and the prime interest is the whodunit plot. Watching the two films, I found that Raymond Griffith lacked the instantly identifiable characteristics that led to great success for his contemporary movie comedians. Director Arthur Rosson isn’t great at creating suspense, nor is he imaginative in exploiting the setting of a houseboat. In fact, apart from an establishing shot, the houseboat location is easily forgotten, since the interior looks like the ballroom of a large estate.<br /><br />Ben Model composed and conducted the musical scores that accompany both films.<br /><br />The only bonus extra on the unrated Blu-ray release is the video essay "Raymond Griffith: The Silent Comedy’s Silk-Hatted Secret."<br /><br />It’s always a delight to discover something new about movies. This release offers contemporary audiences a chance to experience two examples of what remains of Raymond Griffith’s filmography. Despite his fame in the 1920s, time has not been kind to his legacy. Though he doesn’t rank with the giants of silent comedy, he is an adept performer with an eccentric sensibility.
The movie title "Raymond Griffith: The Silk Hat Comedian," available on Movies & TV, has received an average rating of 4.7 from 20 reviewers. 
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 {"MPAA rating": "NR (Not Rated)", "Package Dimensions": "6.73 x 5.35 x 0.51 inches; 1.76 Ounces", "Director": "Arthur Rosson, Clarence Badger", "Release date": "June 13, 2023", "Actors": "Raymond Griffith, Betty Compson", "Studio": "Undercrank Prod", "Number of discs": "1"}

Here is a brief synopsis of the title : Raymond Griffith is one of the best-kept secrets of silent comedy. During a twenty-five year career he not only wrote, directed and produced movies, but was also the star of nine comedy features for Paramount. Because of the disappearance and unavailability of his work he's been forgotten, but now this release of two of his best comedies puts the spotlight on Mr. Griffith and serves as an introduction to his many talents. - PATHS TO PARADISE (1925) is the most overlooked silent comedy classic of the 1920s. A clockwork-timed crook comedy that presents Griffith in all his smarmy elegance, it's expertly written, directed, and acted by a top-notch comedy ensemble. Griffith and co-star Betty Compson play rival jewel thieves who form an alliance to steal a valuable diamond. YOU'd BE SURPRISED (1926) stars the top-hatted bon vivant as a police coroner who's called in to solve the murder of an important district attorney. Dorothy Sebastian is the leading lady who helps Mr. Griffith sort through numerous red herrings to find the killer. Veteran supporting players add comic seasoning to the proceedings of one of the most recent rediscoveries of the lost Griffith films. - Both films are presented in new 2K digital restorations of archival 35mm prints preserved by the Library of Congress, and feature new theatre organ scores by Ben Model. Also included is a video essay about Raymond Griffith that uses film clips and still photos to examine his life and career, as well as to highlight the two featured films. Blu-ray is NTSC, Region-free..