Mary Pickford was the first international superstar of the silent film era, and it’s about time that modern audiences discover why by watching this excellent set of films. The set starts with Poor Little Rich Girl, a dramedy (to use the modern term) about a young girl named Gwendolyn who tries anything to get her parents to pay attention to her. It’s only when she accidently dies from an overdose of sleeping syrup given to her by the cook (who wants to go out to the theater with her boyfriend) that the parents wake up to what they would miss of their little girl dies. The film is a bit melodramatic, but the trippy dream sequence that Gwendolyn goes through as she slips away is brilliant. Sparrows is a gothic drama about Mollie (Pickford) leading a band of children in a daring escape from a Louisiana baby farm, and it has to be seen to be appreciated. The Hoodlum repeats the poor little rich girl scenario, this time played for comedy. Put together, it’s a treasure trove of cinema and a welcome introduction to one of the industry's brightest stars.
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