silent film

Meaning

A 'silent film' is a movie that has no spoken dialogue, typically from the era before sound technology was introduced in the late 1920s. These films rely on visual acting, title cards for dialogue, and live musical accompaniment to tell the story.

Examples

• Charlie Chaplin is famous for his incredible performances in silent films.

  Charlie Chaplin is famous for his incredible performances in silent films.

• The local museum is hosting a screening of a classic 1920s silent film.

  The local museum is hosting a screening of a classic 1920s silent film.

• Without spoken words, actors in a silent film had to rely heavily on facial expressions.

  Without spoken words, actors in a silent film had to rely heavily on facial expressions.

• I found it difficult to focus on the silent film at first, but the live piano music helped.

  I found it difficult to focus on the silent film at first, but the live piano music helped.

• Many early horror movies were silent films that used shadows to create suspense.

  Many early horror movies were silent films that used shadows to create suspense.

Common Mistakes

• ✗ I watched a mute movie yesterday.

  ✓ I watched a silent film yesterday.

  'Mute' is used for people who cannot speak. The correct, established term for movies without sound is 'silent film'.

• ✗ The film was silenting.

  ✓ The film was a silent film.

  'Silent' is an adjective, and 'silent film' is the standard noun phrase. It cannot be used as a verb.

Related Expressions

Practice

• Before the invention of sound technology, audiences only watched ___.

  💡 Movies with no spoken dialogue.

  Show answer

  silent films

• Metropolis is a famous science-fiction ___ from 1927.

  💡 Singular form.

  Show answer

  silent film