Silent Movies on the Porch at Pleasant Home in August

On a warm summer night, anyone strolling through Mills Park in Oak Park, Illinois might be lucky enough to hear the syncopated sounds of ragtime piano coming from the front porch of Historic Pleasant Home. Laughter can be heard as folks gathered on the porch are entertained by the daredevil stunts and slapstick comedy of Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton or Harold Lloyd.

On Friday evenings in August, the Pleasant Home Foundation will host the 2nd Annual ‘Silent Movies on the Porch’ summer film festival. Pleasant Home is an architectural gem that showcases the extraordinary craftsmanship and artistry of another era. It is the perfect setting for audience members to enjoy the classic charm of silent films.

The grounds of Pleasant Home, now Mills Park, have been home to silent movies before. In the spring of 1918, the Diamond Film Company came to Oak Park to produce a film. According to the local paper, one hundred and fifty working men, with clubs in their hands, stormed the gates of Pleasant Home. Oak Park police stood nearby and made no effort to stop the riot. The reason was that it all was staged for the movies. – Oak Leaves, May 4, 1918.

Pleasant Home’s current celebration of silent movies will include live piano accompaniment by Thomas Holmes, an extremely talented, Chicago-area musician and composer. Holmes incorporates ragtime pieces with some of his own original compositions, and even a few moments of improvisation to create a musical score that perfectly complements the actions and emotions depicted on the big screen.

Movie titles and details available at www.pleasanthome.org. $10 suggested donation at the door.