Celebrate this Valentine’s Day with vintage films

Friday, February 3, 2012

Courtesy photo George O'Brien and Margaret Livingston enjoy an illicit encounter in "Sunrise" (1927), part of a festival of silent film tear-jerkers being screened prior to Valentine's Day. "Sunrise" will be shown with live music at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 12, at the Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street.

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MANCHESTER – A festival of classic silent film romances is coming to area communities to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

The films, starring such early Hollywood legends as Rudolph Valentino and Greta Garbo, will be accompanied by live music.

The screenings include:

• Tuesday, Feb. 7, 6 p.m.: “The Kiss” (1929), starring Garbo, at the Carpenter Memorial Auditorium, Manchester Public Library, 405 Pine St. Call 624-6550 for more information. This event is free.

• Sunday, Feb. 12, 4:30 p.m.: “Sunrise” (1927), starring George O’Brien and Janet Gaynor; Wilton Town Hall Theatre, Main Street; For more information, call 654-3456 or visit www.wiltontownhalltheatre.com. This event is free.

“Seeing a silent film in a theater with live music and an audience can rekindle the magic of these early movies,” Jeff Rapsis, a New Hampshire-based composer who will accompany the screenings, said. “So, with Valentine’s Day coming, we’re dusting off classic silent dramas from the days before movies learned to talk, and giving local movie-goers a fun way to get dose of classic Hollywood romance.”