List of incomplete or partially lost films

The following is a list of notable films that are incomplete or partially lost. For films for which no footage (including trailers) is known to have survived, see List of lost films. For films that were never completed in the first place, see List of abandoned and unfinished films.

Theda Bara in a surviving scene from the partially lost 1917 film Cleopatra

Films restored from different sources

Sometimes a film can be re-patched from different source to present the movie as intended.[citation needed]

In the case of horror films made in the 1980s, much of the gore was removed from films negatives and would only be retained on VHS tapes that chose to retain it. When restoring these films as intended, the VHS source mixed with 4K Ultra HD doesn't match well, and can never be re-watched in their optimal form. On this matter David Gregory founder of the distribution company Severin Films said "When we find that an original camera negative has been cut for censorship, it’s gutting, because rarely are those cuts saved. If they’re cutting the [negative], then for whatever reason the producers decided that this was the version they wanted to survive into the future. With ’80s movies, it was often because the censorship climate changed, favouring less violence and gore as the decade went on."[1]

Surviving footage from Corbett and Courtney Before the Kinetograph, a short film of an 1894 boxing match

Silent films

1890s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1894Leonard-Cushing FightW. K. L. DicksonMike Leonard, Jack CushingA 37 second long piece of fragment remains of a round.[2]
Corbett and Courtney Before the KinetographW. K. L. Dickson, William HeiseJames J. Corbett, Peter CourtneyAn exhibition fight filmed in the Edison Black Maria studio in 1894. Originally six one-minute rounds were filmed and shown on individual Kinetoscopes. Only two rounds survive.[3]
1896Le Coucher de la MariéeLéar (Albert Kirchner)One of the first erotic films (or "stag party films") made. Only two minutes of the film have survived.
1897The Corbett-Fitzsimmons FightEnoch J. RectorJames J. Corbett, Bob FitzsimmonsA fight film shot outdoors in a widescreen process. Originally over 70 minutes, a 20-minute fragment survives.
1899The Jeffries-Sharkey ContestWilliam A. Brady, Tom O'RourkeJim Jeffries, Tom SharkeyAmerican Mutoscope and Biograph film of 25-round heavyweight championship bout, 135 minutes in length. First film shot in artificial light, which was so hot that it singed the boxers' hair. A few minutes of degraded footage exists of this fight.[4]

1900s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1900Soldiers of the CrossJoseph PerryEarly Australian film, produced by the Limelight Department of the Salvation Army.[5] It was a multimedia production which combined 200 lantern slides with 13-20 film reels of about 2 minutes each, a live oration and live orchestra. None of the film reels survive.[5]
1903Alice in WonderlandCecil Hepworth, Percy StowMay ClarkThe first film adaption of Lewis Carroll's book originally ran about 12 minutes, according to the British Film Institute. The Institute's restoration is nine minutes and 35 seconds long.[6]
1905Adventures of Sherlock HolmesJ. Stuart BlacktonH. Kyrle Bellew, J. Barney SherryFirst dramatic Sherlock Holmes adaptation on film and second overall Holmes film, the first one being the 30-second film Sherlock Holmes Baffled (1900). All that exists are short strips of scenes deposited for copyright purposes in the Library of Congress.[7]
1906The Story of the Kelly GangCharles TaitFrank MillsOnly 17 minutes of this 70-minute feature survive; it is often considered to be the world's first feature-length motion picture. It was thought to be a lost film until fragments were found in 1976, with further fragments in 1978, 1980 and 2006.[8]
1908A Grandmother's StoryGeorges MélièsAndré Méliès (Georges' seven-year-old son)Fragments of this short film are known to survive;[9] some scenes in the middle of the film are presumed lost.[10]

1910s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1911At a Quarter of TwoThomas H. Ince?Mary Pickford, King BaggotFragments in the Library of Congress have been identified as being from this film.[11][12]
Their First MisunderstandingThomas H. Ince, George Loane TuckerMary Pickford, Owen MooreA one-reel short. The majority of the film was recovered in 2006, but the first minute or so remains missing.[13][14]
A Victim of the MormonsAugust BlomValdemar Psilander, Clara PontoppidanDanish film that initiated a decade of anti-Mormon propaganda films in America. Only about half of the 60-minute feature has been found, a copy of which is preserved at the LDS archive in Salt Lake City.[15]
1912With Our King and Queen Through IndiaBritish documentary depicting celebrations in India for the coronation of George V. With a total running time of around 150 minutes, today only two reels survive, one showing a review of troops after the main ceremony and the other a procession in Calcutta from the end of the royal tour.[16]
1913The Adventures of KathlynFrancis J. GrandonKathlyn WilliamsLa Cineteca del Friuli film archive has the first of 13 episodes of the second American serial ever made. The EYE Film Institute Netherlands also has print fragments.[17]
The Inside of the White Slave TrafficFrank BealEdwin Carewe, Jean ThomasTwo reels of this four-reel drama have survived.[18]
Poor Jake's DemiseAllen CurtisMax Asher, Lon ChaneyA fragment of the film was discovered in England in May 2006 and is in the possession of Lobster Films.[19]
Raja HarishchandraDadasaheb PhalkeD. D. Dabke, Anna SalunkeThe first Indian feature film. The National Film Archive of India has two reels containing the first and last of four parts of the work.[20]
Who Will Marry Mary?Mary Fuller, Ben F. WilsonIncomplete prints of episodes one and five (of six) survive, in the EYE Film Instituut Nederland archive and at Keene State College, respectively.[21]
1914The Active Life of Dolly of the DailiesWalter EdwinMary Fuller, Yale BossChapter five of this 12-part serial was discovered in 2009 in the New Zealand Film Archive. The BFI National Archive has chapter 10.[22][23]
The Battle of the SexesD. W. GriffithLillian Gish, Donald CrispGriffith's second feature, and his first released for Reliance-Majestic. Only a two-minute fragment survives.[24]
The Girl Stage DriverWebster CullisonNorbert A. Myles, Edna Payne, Will E. SheererAn incomplete 35mm positive print was discovered in 2009 in the New Zealand Film Archive.[25][26]
A Good Little DevilEdwin S. PorterMary PickfordOne of five reels survives in the National Film and Television Archive.[27][28]
The Last EgyptianJ. Farrell MacDonaldJ. Farrell MacDonald, Howard Davies, J. Charles Haydon, Vivian ReedThree of the film's five reels are housed in the Museum of Modern Art.[29]
Ireland a NationWalter MacNamaraBarry O'BrienFour of five reels survive.[30]
1914–
1917
The Hazards of HelenJ. P. McGowan, James DavisHelen HolmesThis is believed to be the longest serial ever made, 23.8 hours long with 119 12-minute episodes. Surviving episodes are scattered among various film archives, including the Library of Congress, the National Film and Television Archive and the International Museum of Photography and Film at George Eastman House.[31]
1914The Indian Wars RefoughtTheodore WhartonWilliam F. CodyCody stars as himself in this early movie version of the Indian Wars; also stars Nelson Appleton Miles and Black Elk; released 1917. One minute and 58 seconds of footage is held by the McCracken Research Library or the Buffalo Bill Historical Center, and can be viewed online (see reference).[32]
Lucille Love, Girl of MysteryFrancis FordGrace Cunard, Francis FordFour of 15 episodes survive.[33]
The Master KeyRobert Z. LeonardRobert Z. Leonard, Ella Hall, Harry CarterEpisode five of 15 resides in the Library of Congress.[34]
My Official WifeJames YoungClara Kimball YoungThe story concerns Helen Marie, a woman on the run from the St. Petersburg police, who plots to assassinate the Tsar. Only about 45 seconds of this film exists. These fragments contain an extra mistakenly said to be Leon Trotsky. In fact, Trotsky was not yet in the United States when this was filmed.[35]
Neptune's DaughterHerbert BrenonAnnette KellermanThe Gosfilmofond film archive possesses one reel, which Australia's National Film and Sound Archive copied.[36]
The Perils of PaulineGeorge B. SeitzPearl WhiteOf the original 20-chapter serial running 410 minutes, only a 90-minute version, released in Europe in 1916, is known to exist.[37]
1915The Battle Cry of PeaceJ. Stuart BlacktonCharles Richman, L. Rogers Lytton, Mary MauricePro-armaments epic and the most expensive production undertaken by Vitagraph. One reel reported in Europe; fragments of battle scenes, culled from stock shot libraries, reside at George Eastman House.[38][39]
The Carpet from BagdadColin CampbellKathlyn Williams, Wheeler Oakman, Guy OliverOne reel of five was salvaged from the wreck of the RMS Lusitania with a few feet of recoverable images.[40]
The Millionaire PaupersJoe De GrasseLon ChaneyOnly a fragment of the film survives.[41]
1916La falenaCarmine GalloneLyda BorelliThe Cineteca Italiana film archive possesses a fragmentary print.[42]
The Fall of a NationThomas DixonLorraine HulingA few frames survive of this sequel to The Birth of a Nation (1915).[43]
IntoleranceD. W. GriffithLillian Gish, Mae Marsh, Robert Harron, Constance TalmadgeStill frames from several scenes have survived and were incorporated into the print compiled by the Museum of Modern Art in New York. These scenes were probably part of the original cut of the film, but eliminated by Griffith in subsequent reissues.[44]
The Iron ClawGeorge B. Seitz, Edward JoséPearl White, Creighton HaleThe UCLA Film and Television Archive possesses episode seven of this 20-part serial.[45]
Kiss of DeathVictor SjöströmVictor SjöströmThe Cinémathèque Française film archive has approximately 30 minutes of the film.[46]
The Moment BeforeRobert G. VignolaPauline FrederickA nearly complete print, lacking only the opening scene, is in the possession of the Cineteca Nazionale film archive in Rome.[47][48]
The Place Beyond the WindsJoe De GrasseLon ChaneyFour of the five reels are in the film archive of the Library of Congress.[49]
RamonaDonald CrispAdda Gleason, Mabel Van BurenThe Library of Congress has reel five.[50]
Snow WhiteJ. Searle DawleyMarguerite Clark, Creighton HaleIt was considered a lost film, thought to have been destroyed in a vault fire. A "substantially complete" print with Dutch intertitles, missing a few scenes, was found in Amsterdam in 1992 and restored at George Eastman House.[51]
The WingsMauritz StillerEgil Eide, Lars HansonA copy of the central section surfaced in 1987 and was shown by the Swedish Film Institute.[52]
The Woman in the CaseHugh FordPauline Frederick, Alan Hale Sr.The first four of five reels survive in the Nederlands Filmarchives.[53]
1917CleopatraJ. Gordon EdwardsTheda BaraOnly approximately 20 seconds was originally believed to exist, until around 40 additional seconds were discovered in 2023.[54]
The Devil-StoneCecil B. DeMilleGeraldine FarrarTwo reels of this six-reel feature film, originally with Handschiegl Color Process sequences, are in the AFI Collection of the Library of Congress.[55][56]
The Gulf BetweenWray PhysiocGrace Darmond, Niles WelchOf the first Technicolor film, "very short fragments survive at the Margaret Herrick Library, George Eastman House and the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Photography Dept."[57][58]
The MothEdward JoséNorma Talmadge, Eugene O'Brien, Hassard ShortThe Library of Congress has reels one to four (of six).[59]
Nuts in MayRobin WilliamsonStan LaurelOnly 60 seconds of footage remain of Laurel's first film.[citation needed] Part of the short lives on in scenes inserted into the 1922 extant short Mixed Nuts.[60]
PoppyEdward JoséNorma Talmadge, Eugene O'Brien, Frederick PerryA two-reel condensation of the second half of the film survives in the Library of Congress.[59]
The Red AceJacques JaccardMarie WalcampOriginally a 16-episode serial, only episode seven survives in the film archive of the Library of Congress.[61]
The Secret ManJohn FordHarry CareyTwo of the five reels are in the Library of Congress film archive.[62]
The Seven PearlsLouis J. Gasnier, Donald MacKenzieMollie King, Creighton HaleFragmentary prints of this serial are held by the Library of Congress. (Public Archives of Canada/Dawson City collection).[63]
The Sin WomanIrene FenwickA trailer survives in the National Film and Sound Archive and the Academy Film Archive.[64]
TriumphJoe De GrasseLon ChaneyThree of the five reels survive.[65]
1918The CookRoscoe ArbuckleRoscoe Arbuckle, Buster KeatonTwo prints were found of this previously lost comedy short, one in 1998 and one in 2002, and were combined to create a restored version. However, some scenes are still missing.[66]
The Ghost of Slumber MountainWillis O'BrienHerbert M. Dawley, Willis O'BrienOnly 19 minutes survive.
The Ghosts of YesterdayCharles MillerNorma Talmadge, Eugene O'Brien, Stuart HolmesReels one to four (of six) and a fragment of the last reel are in the possession of the Library of Congress.[59]
Hands Up!Louis J. Gasnier, James W. HorneRuth Roland, George LarkinOnly a "promotional short film" of this 15-part serial remains, in the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[67]
He Comes Up SmilingAllan DwanDouglas FairbanksOnly one reel survive from this five reeler. The surviving reel was preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2010.[68][69]
The House of HateGeorge B. SeitzPearl White, Antonio MorenoAn incomplete print of this 20-part serial is in the Gosfilmofond film archive with Russian and/or Ukrainian subtitles.[70]
Oorlog en vredeMaurits BingerOnly a single fragment of this Dutch World War I film survives.[71]
Riddle GawneWilliam S. Hart, Lambert HillyerLon ChaneyOne of the five reels is in the film archive of the Library of Congress.[72]
SaloméJ. Gordon EdwardsTheda BaraA short, two-minute fragment consisting of clips from the film, surfaced in 2021 at the Filmoteca Española (Spanish Film Archive) in Madrid.[73]
The Scarlet DropJohn FordHarry CareyThe Getty Images Archive possesses just over 30 minutes of footage.[74]
1919The Black SecretGeorge B. SeitzPearl White, Walter McGrailWidely thought to be lost. On 9 July 2021, a YouTube channel based in the UK released a two minute clip of the film.[75]
Bound and GaggedGeorge B. SeitzMarguerite Courtot, George B. SeitzFour of the 10 episodes of this spoof serial survive in the Library of Congress film archive.[76]
The Coming of the LawArthur RossonTom Mix, Agnes Vernon, George Nichols1 reel survives at the Library of Congress
The Exquisite ThiefTod BrowningPriscilla Dean, Thurston Hall, Milton Ross, Sam De Grasse, Jean CalhounOne out of six reels of this film exists, which was recovered from the Dawson Film Find.[77][78]
Fighting For GoldEdward LeSaintTom Ford, Teddy Sampson, Sid Jordanincomplete print survives in private collection
A Gun Fightin' GentlemanJohn FordHarry Carey, John FordOnly three reels of originally five or six are believed to have survived.[79]
J'accuseAbel GanceSéverin-MarsThe original film was in four episodes with a film length of 5,250 metres (17,220 ft). The most complete reconstruction is 3,525 metres (11,565 ft) long.[citation needed]
Just SquawGeorge E. MiddletonBeatriz MichelenaThe Library of Congress has four of five reels.[80]
Der Knabe in blau (The Boy in Blue)F. W. MurnauBlandine EbingerMurnau's debut film. The Deutsche Kinemathek film archive possesses 35 small fragments ranging from two to 11 frames in length.[81]
The Masked RiderAubrey M. KennedyBoris Karloff, Ruth StonehouseThe serial was considered to be lost in its entirety. However, most episodes have been found, although many are incomplete. The Masked Rider is considered to be the first film serial about a masked cowboy.[82]
The Miracle ManGeorge Loane TuckerThomas Meighan, Lon ChaneyAbout three minutes survive, including two clips in compilation films released by Paramount: The House That Shadows Built (1931) and Movie Memories (1935).[83]
The New MoonChester WitheyNorma TalmadgeReel six (of six) is missing from the Library of Congress[84]
Ravished ArmeniaOscar ApfelAurora MardiganianA 24-minute segment was restored and edited from a surviving reel in Soviet Armenia. It was released in 2009 by the Armenian Genocide Resource Center of Northern California. Also known as Auction of Souls.[85]
Rough Riding RomanceArthur RossonTom Mix1 reel of excerpts (500 ft) survives
The Tiger's TrailRobert Ellis, Louis J. Gasnier, Paul HurstRuth Roland, George LarkinA "fragmentary print" of the 15-episode serial exists.[86]
The ToilersTom WattsManora Thew, George Dewhurst, Gwynne Herbert, Ronald Colman, Eric BarkerTwo of five reels survive.[87]
Treat 'Em RoughLynn ReynoldsTom Mix, Jane Novak2 reels known to survive at George Eastman House

1920s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1920Daredevil JackW. S. Van DykeJack Dempsey, Josie SedgwickEpisodes one to four and one unidentified one of the 15 episodes of this adventure serial are in the UCLA Film & Television Archive.[88]
La fête espagnoleGermaine DulacÈve Francis, Gaston ModotOnly eight minutes of this 67-minute feature, which Henri Langlois cited "as important as Eisenstein's Strike", survive at the Cinemathèque Française.[89][90]
Robbery Under ArmsKenneth BramptonKenneth Brampton, S. A. FitzgeraldA copy containing about three fourths of this Australian production was found and combined with already known footage to produce a near-complete version. A five-minute sequence is still missing.[91]
She Loves and LiesChester WitheyNorma TalmadgeAn incomplete surviving print is preserved in the Library of Congress collection.[92]
The Third EyeJames W. HorneWarner Oland, Eileen PercyA "fragmentary print" survives.[93]
1921The Adventures of TarzanRobert F. HillElmo Lincoln, Louise LorraineOriginally released as a 15-chapter movie serial, only the 10-chapter 1928 re-release remains.
The Blue FoxDuke WorneAnn LittleThe UCLA Film and Television Archive has chapters 1–12 in its collection; episodes 13–15 are believed to be lost.[94]
Cappy RicksTom FormanThomas Meighan, Agnes Ayres, John St. PolisTwo reels of footage have been preserved by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[95]
The CentaursWinsor McCayNinety seconds of footage of this animated film survives.
A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's CourtEmmett J. Flynn, Pauline StarkeHarry MyersAccording to silentera.com, reels two, four and seven remain of the original eight.[96]
DanielSarah BernhardtA five-minute fragment is housed in the WPA Film Library and the British Pathé film archive. The latter allows a clip of the final scene to be viewed online.[97][98]
Devil Dog DawsonJack HoxieJack Hoxie, Helene Rosson, Evelyn SelbieThirty-eight seconds of footage from this Western, found in a mislabeled tin, were the subject of an investigation in a 2006 episode of the PBS series History Detectives.[99]
DisraeliHenry KolkerGeorge ArlissThe entire film was screened at the Museum of Modern Art in 1947. Reel three is held at George Eastman House. Complete prints are reputedly held at the Gosfilmofond in Moscow and Cinematheque Royale de Belgique in Brussels.[100]
How Kitchener Was BetrayedPercy NashFred Paul, Winifred Evans, Bertram BerleighOnly one of its six reels is known to survive.
The Mechanical ManAndre DeedGabriel Moreau, Valentina Frascaroli, Fernando Vivas-MayOriginally around an hour long, only about 26 minutes remain.
The Queen of ShebaJ. Gordon EdwardsBetty BlytheSeventeen seconds of footage has tentatively been identified as being from this film.[101]
The White HorsemanAlbert RussellArt Acord, Eva ForrestorA "handful of print clippings" remain of this Western serial.[102]
1922Anna AscendsVictor FlemingAlice Brady, Robert EllisA six-minute fragment of the film remains.[103][104]
A Dangerous AdventureSam Warner, Jack WarnerGrace Darmond, Philo McCullough, Derelys Perdue, Mabel StarkThe UCLA Film and Television Archive has all except episode 12 of this 15-chapter serial.[105]
DaydreamsBuster KeatonBuster Keaton, Renée Adorée, Joe RobertsIncomplete prints survive from the Raymond Rohauer Collection, currently scenes featuring Keaton working as a surgeon and a Wall Street stock broker are still missing from extant prints.[106]
The Eternal FlameFrank LloydNorma Talmadge, Adolphe Menjou, Wedgwood NowellReels three and eight (of eight) are missing from the Library of Congress.[59]
The Loves of PharaohErnst LubitschEmil JanningsLong thought lost completely, it has been restored from various sources, but still lacks 10 minutes of the original running time of roughly one hour and 50 minutes.[107]
MarizzaF. W. MurnauTzwetta TzatschewaThe Cineteca Nazionale film archive possesses a fragmentary print of the first reel.[108]
Polly of the FolliesJohn EmersonConstance TalmadgeOnly a trailer is known to have survived.[109][110]
Sherlock HolmesAlbert ParkerJohn BarrymoreOnce thought lost. A jumble of negative takes were rediscovered in the 1970s and the film was reconstructed in 1975 and again in 2001.[111]
The Timber QueenFred JackmanRuth Roland, Bruce GordonThe UCLA Film and Television Archive has episodes one, four, eight and nine of 15, as does a private collection.[112]
The Toll of the SeaChester M. FranklinAnna May Wong, Kenneth HarlanThe UCLA Film and Television Archive, under the supervision of Robert Gitt and Richard Dayton, restored the film from the 35mm, nitrate film original camera negative in 1985. As the final two reels were missing, Gitt and Dayton used "an original two-color Technicolor camera" to shoot a sunset on a California beach, "much as the film's original closing must have looked."[113]
The Village BlacksmithJohn FordWill Walling, Virginia True BoardmanOne of the eight reels survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[114]
The Young RajahPhil RosenRudolph ValentinoAn incomplete 16mm reduction positive, missing the first third, resides in the Library of Moving Images. Turner Classic Movies financed a restoration using surviving footage from the film, and trailers, still photos and title cards to bridge the gaps.[115][116]
1923Always Tell Your WifeHugh Croise, Alfred Hitchcock (uncredited), Seymour Hicks (uncredited)Seymour Hicks, Gertrude McCoyOnly one of the two reels is known to survive.[117]
In the Days of Daniel BooneWilliam James CraftCharles Brinley, Jack MowerThe trailer of this 15-episode Western serial is available on the DVD More Treasures from American Film Archives, 1894–1931: 50 Films.[118]
The Gold DiggersHarry BeaumontHope Hampton, Wyndham Standing,

Louise Fazenda

An incomplete Belgian print was found by a film collector in Mansfield, England in May 2021. The surviving footage includes reels 1, 4, 5, and 6, although some of the extant reels have missing sections at the beginning and end of the reels.[119]
Flaming YouthJohn Francis DillonColleen MooreOnly one reel and a film trailer exist.[120]
MaytimeLouis J. GasnierEthel Shannon, Harrison FordFour of seven reels survive of this rediscovered film. It includes one of Clara Bow's earliest film roles.[121]
La RoueAbel GanceSéverin-MarsThe original version encompassed 32 reels, which ran for either seven and a half or nine hours (sources disagree). In 1924, Gance edited it down to two and a half hours for general distribution. A modern reconstruction from five different versions, available on DVD, is nearly four and a half hours long.[122][123]
The White ShadowGraham CuttsBetty CompsonAlfred Hitchcock received his first screen credit, as a writer and assistant director. Three of the six reels were found in New Zealand in August 2011.[124]
The Darling of New YorkKing BaggotBaby PeggyOne of the popular "Baby Peggy" movies. Only the last reel showing the fire exists. It has been restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[125][126]
The Eternal CityGeorge FitzmauriceLionel Barrymore, Barbara La Marr, Bert LytellThe final two reels out of eight survive.[127]
1924The Dramatic Life of Abraham LincolnPhil RosenGeorge A. BillingsIncomplete prints of the film, including some color-tinted and color-toned footage, exist in various film archives, including the National Film and Sound Archive and the Library of Congress.[128]
Fast and FearlessRichard ThorpeBuffalo Bill, Jr., Jean ArthurReel two (of five) is in the Library of Congress.[129]
The Fast ExpressWilliam DuncanWilliam Duncan, Edith JohnsonA fragmentary print of this 15-episode serial exists.[130]
GreedErich von StroheimInitially running nine and a half hours, the film was cut by von Stroheim to just under four hours, and then trimmed by the studio to 140 minutes of surviving footage. The remaining footage was later accidentally discarded by a janitor while cleaning the vaults. A 240-minute version has been edited in 1999, including slides of the few stills from some of the lost scenes.
ReveilleGeorge PearsonBetty Balfour, Stewart Rome, Ralph ForbesAmong the BFI 75 Most Wanted. At least some sequences are known to survive in private hands.[131]
A Sainted DevilJoseph HenaberyRudolph Valentino, Nita NaldiFragments making up less than one reel have survived.[132]
A Self-Made FailureWilliam BeaudineLloyd Hamilton, Ben Alexander, Matt MooreOne of the longest feature comedies up to that time. Only a trailer survives, at the Library of Congress.
Through the DarkGeorge W. HillForrest Stanley, Colleen MooreThe last two reels, seven and eight, are missing.[133]
The Wife of the CentaurKing VidorEleanor Boardman, John GilbertFour seconds of Boardman can be seen in the MGM promotional short Twenty Years After.
1925The Air MailIrvin WillatWarner Baxter, Billie Dove, Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.Only four of eight reels survive in the Library of Congress.[134][135]
Body and SoulOscar MicheauxPaul RobesonOriginally running nine reels, it was cut to five reels to gain approval from New York censors. The surviving copy is based on the censor-approved, edited version; the original nine-reel version is considered lost.
The Bonehead Age13 seconds were featured in the documentary Dinosaur Movies (1993)[136][137][138][139]
Confessions of a QueenVictor SjöströmAlice Terry, John Bowers, Lewis StoneOriginally running five reels (64 minutes), the last reel has never been found.
GraustarkDimitri BuchowetzkiNorma TalmadgeThe Library of Congress lacks reels one and three (of seven).[59]
The LadyFrank BorzageNorma Talmadge, Wallace MacDonald, Brandon HurstReel two (of eight) is missing from the Library of Congress archive.[140]
The Lost WorldHarry HoytWallace Beery, Bessie Love, Lloyd Hughes, Lewis StoneIt initially had a running time of 106 minutes. Though partially restored, the longest cut runs at approximately 100 minutes. [However, according to silentera.com, the 2017 Flicker Alley Blu-ray edition runs 110 minutes and "includes approximately eight minutes of recently-recovered footage."]
A Lover's OathFerdinand P. EarleRamon Novarro, Kathleen KeyThe Academy Film Archive preserved a short segment (around 30 seconds) in 2009.[141] Another segment (around 2 minutes, 45 seconds), purportedly from the Academy Film Archive, can be viewed on YouTube.[142]
Madame Sans-GêneLéonce PerretGloria SwansonThe theatrical trailer is extant and can be viewed on YouTube.[143][144]
1926The American VenusFrank TuttleEsther Ralston, Louise BrooksTwo trailers and a short color clip are held by the Library of Congress.[118]
Bardelys the MagnificentKing VidorJohn Gilbert, Eleanor BoardmanLong thought to have been lost, a nearly complete print was found. It is missing reel three.[145]
CamilleFred NibloNorma TalmadgeAn incomplete 35mm positive print exists in the Raymond Rohauer collection of the Cohen Media Group.[146]
The Great GatsbyHerbert BrenonWarner Baxter, Lois WilsonA one-minute trailer exists.[147]
Just Another BlondeAlfred SantellDorothy Mackaill, Louise BrooksThe UCLA Film and Television Archive possesses a fragmentary 20 minutes of this film.[148]
Mademoiselle from ArmentieresMaurice ElveyEstelle Brody, John StuartThe BFI National Archive possesses fragments amounting to about a third of the film (2,850 of 7,900 ft).[149]
A Page of MadnessTeinosuke KinugasaMasao Inoue, Yoshie NakagawaFound by the director in his garden shed in 1970; he had buried it during World War II and forgotten it, but a third of the original footage is still missing.[150][151]
The Silent FlyerWilliam James CraftSilver Streak, Malcolm McGregor, Louise LorraineProduced by Samuel Bischoff and Nat Levine. The trailer survives in the UCLA Film and Television Archive and is available on the DVD More Treasures from American Film Archives, 1894–1931: 50 Films.[118]
The Song and Dance ManHerbert BrenonTom Moore, Bessie LoveReels three to seven survive in the Library of Congress.
Stop, Look and ListenLarry SemonLarry SemonFinal reel found in Japan by Toshihiko Sasayama of Waseda University, and identified by film historian Junko Iio.[152]
1927The Battle of the CenturyClyde BruckmanLaurel and HardyFor decades, the excerpt included in the 1957 compilation film The Golden Age of Comedy was thought to be the only remaining footage, until an incomplete print of the first reel (featuring a boxing match) was found in the late 1970s. Scenes featuring Eugene Pallette, and a final, climactic gag showing a cop receiving a pie in the face, were missing until the second reel was discovered in a private collection in June 2015. Two minutes of the film featuring a scene between the duo and Pallette from the end of reel one is still missing.[153][154]
Cradle SnatchersHoward HawksLouise Fazenda, Dorothy Phillips
Ethel Wales
Rediscovered by Peter Bogdanovich in the 1970s at the Fox vault, it is still missing half of reel three and all of reel four.
The DoveRoland WestNorma TalmadgeOf the nine reels, the Library of Congress has reels one, three, four and eight.
Ein Rückblic in die Urwelt48 seconds were featured in the documentary Dinosaur Movies (1993)[155][156]
The EnemyFred NibloLillian GishThe MGM film library is in possession of a print lacking the last reel.[157]
For the Term of His Natural LifeNorman DawnGeorge Fisher, Eva Novak, Dunstan WebbThis Australian film was reconstructed from incomplete Australian and American prints and other sources. The remaining gaps were covered by new titles and montages of stills.[91]
Get Your ManDorothy ArznerClara Bow, Charles "Buddy" Rogers, Josef SwickardReels 2 and 3 (of 6 total) are lost.[158]
Isle of Sunken GoldHarry S. WebbAnita Stewart, Duke KahanamokuChapters four to six and reel one of chapter seven have been found and are held by Collectie Filmcollectief in the Netherlands.[159]
King of the JungleWebster CullisonElmo Lincoln, Sally LongOnly the trailer of this 10-episode serial survives.[160]
MetropolisFritz LangAlfred Abel, Brigitte HelmAbout a quarter of the film was believed to have been lost forever prior to 2008, when an almost-complete print was discovered in Argentina. All but five minutes of the film is now intact and restored. The five minutes comprise two short scenes that were missing from the Argentinian print. Also, a portion of the top and left sides of each frame were missing from the Argentina print.
NapoléonAbel GanceAlbert DieudonnéGance's film was released in a number of versions with a wide range of running times, up to nine hours and 22 minutes for the version définitive. The latest reconstruction by film historian Kevin Brownlow runs five hours and 32 minutes.
Now I'll Tell OneJames ParrottLaurel and HardyThe first reel of this Charley Chase comedy is missing. Both Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy appear, although not yet as a team.
Now We're in the AirFrank R. StrayerWallace Beery, Raymond Hatton, Louise BrooksA complete print was found in 2016 in a Czech archive. It was badly decomposed, however, and only about 23 minutes of the film could be restored.[161][162]
The Private Life of Helen of TroyAlexander KordaMaría CordaOne reel of the Academy Award-nominated film exists in the British Film Institute.
The Return of the Riddle RiderRobert F. HillWilliam Desmond, Lola ToddA trailer remains of this 10-part serial.[163]
Rough House RosieFrank R. StrayerClara Bow, Reed HowesA 54-second trailer survives.[164][165]
The Way of All FleshVictor FlemingEmil JanningsThe only "lost" Academy Award-winning performance (Jannings). Two fragments, totaling about seven minutes, have been recovered, including the only color (early Technicolor) footage of Clara Bow.[166][167]
Whispering Smith RidesRay TaylorWallace MacDonald, Rose BlossomA trailer for this 10-part serial survives.[168]
1928The Adorable OutcastNorman DawnEdith Roberts, Edmund Burns, Walter LongFifteen minutes of the film are in the possession of Australia's National Film and Sound Archive.[169]
The ArcadiansVictor SavilleBen Blue, Jeanne De Casalis, Vesta SylvaPart of the BFI 75 Most Wanted missing films. The British Film Institute has noted, however, that an "incomplete and deteriorating nitrate print ... was apparently viewed prior to July 2008".[170]
Beware of Married MenArchie MayoIrene Rich, Clyde Cook, Myrna LoyOne reel was found in the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[171]
Beau SabreurJohn WatersGary Cooper
Evelyn Brent
It is believed that only a trailer survives. It is included in the DVD More Treasures from American Film Archives, 1894–1931.[118]
The Divine WomanVictor SjöströmGreta GarboOne reel was found in a Russian film archive and has been shown on Turner Classic Movies. Another short excerpt was found in a Swedish newsreel and has been shown at Filmhuset in Sweden.
A Final ReckoningRay TaylorNewton House, Louise LorraineThere is a trailer of this 12-episode serial.[172]
The Garden of EdenLewis MilestoneCorinne GriffithA Technicolor dream sequence has been lost.
Happiness AheadWilliam A. SeiterColleen Moore, Edmund LoweOnly a trailer survives.[173]
How to Handle WomenWilliam James CraftGlenn TryonIncludes a bit part by Bela Lugosi, and the only known screen appearance by George Herriman, the creator of the comic strip Krazy Kat. The Library of Congress has a "digital file containing 300 ft. 16mm fragment from one reel (r1) loaned by collector".[174]
Manhattan CocktailDorothy ArznerNancy CarrollA one-minute montage sequence, "Skyline Dance" by Slavko Vorkapich, was released in October 2005 in the DVD collection Unseen Cinema: Early American Avant Garde Film 1894-1941.[175]
The Man Without a FaceSpencer Gordon BennetAllene Ray, Walter MillerA fragmentary print of this 10-part serial exists.[176]
On TrialArchie MayoPauline Frederick, Bert Lytell, Lois WilsonA trailer[166] and the Vitaphone soundtrack survive.
The PatriotErnst LubitschEmil JanningsA few fragments and a trailer survive at the UCLA Film and Television Archive. A six-minute reel was found in the Portuguese Archive and copied to safety stock.[177]
Red HairClarence G. BadgerClara Bow, Lane ChandlerA part-color silent movie. The UCLA Film and Television Archive has fragments which were shown in the 2004 UCLA Festival of Preservation.[178][179]
Sadie ThompsonRaoul WalshGloria Swanson, Lionel BarrymoreThe final reel (approximately 10 minutes) is missing. Most of the film survives in good condition and has been released on DVD.[180]
Say It with SablesFrank CapraFrancis X. Bushman, Helene Chadwick, Margaret LivingstonA trailer exists.[181]
SpioneFritz LangRudolf Klein-Rogge, Gerda MaurusNo original negatives survive. A 143 minute restoration of the 178 minute original was completed in 2004.[182]
The Terrible PeopleSpencer Gordon BennetAllene Ray, Walter MillerA "fragmentary print" of this serial is said to exist.[183]
Three WeekendsClarence G. BadgerClara BowThe UCLA Film and Television Archive has fragments which were shown in the 2004 UCLA Festival of Preservation.[178]
The Wedding MarchErich von StroheimErich von Stroheim, Fay WrayStroheim's first rough cut was 11 hours long. He intended to turn it into a two-part film, with the second part to be called The Honeymoon. The Honeymoon is presumed lost.[184]
1929The Case of Lena SmithJosef von SternbergEsther RalstonA four-minute segment was shown at the 2003 Pordenone Silent Film Festival.[185]
Strong BoyJohn FordVictor McLaglen, Leatrice JoyThe New Zealand Film Archive has a theatrical trailer, and there may be a print in Australia, according to silentera.com.[186]
ThunderWilliam NighLon ChaneyChaney's last silent film. According to silentera.com, half a reel survives.[187]

Sound films

1920s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1928Melody Of LoveArch HeathWalter Pidgeon, Mildred HarrisUniversal's first all-talkie. According to silentera.com, an incomplete print exists.[188]
My ManArchie MayoFanny BriceReels one, two and 11 of this part-talkie survive, as do an almost complete set of soundtrack discs and the soundtrack of the trailer.[clarification needed][189]
Noah's ArkMichael CurtizDolores Costello, George O'BrienAfter the premiere of this part-talkie, Warner Bros. made extensive revisions, including cutting about half an hour. The original 135-minute version is believed to be lost. A partial restoration is 108 minutes long.
1929The Broadway MelodyHarry BeaumontCharles King, Anita PageThe first talkie to win an Oscar for Best Picture. The scenes also shot in two-strip Technicolor only survive in black and white.
The CocoanutsRobert FloreyThe Marx BrothersThe preview ran 140 minutes, and was edited to 96 minutes for general release. Extant prints run just over 93 minutes, the missing footage is presumed lost.
DisraeliAlfred E. GreenGeorge ArlissThe 1934 re-release remains. About three minutes of the original 1929 footage are believed to be lost.
The Donovan AffairFrank CapraJack HoltThe first all-talkie film released by Columbia Pictures. A mute print of this film survives in the Library of Congress, but the soundtrack, which was recorded on discs, is not known to survive. The sound disc for the trailer exists but the film does not.
Frozen JusticeAllan DwanLenore Ulric, Robert FrazerOne reel of the silent version survives in the Library of Congress. The sound version is missing.
Gold Diggers of BroadwayRoy Del RuthWinnie Lightner, Nick LucasLast two reels and some fragments survive, as well as the Vitaphone sound disks.[190]
The Great GabboJames CruzeErich von StroheimOriginally featured sequences in Multicolor, now believed to be lost.
Happy DaysBenjamin StoloffCharles E. Evans, Marjorie White, Richard KeeneSecond feature film in 70 mm (using the Fox Grandeur system). Widescreen version is believed lost; survives in a 35 mm version.
Married in HollywoodMarcel SilverJ. Harold MurrayThe final reel survives (in Multicolor) at the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
MidstreamJames FloodRicardo Cortez, Claire WindsorOne reel featuring a stage performance of the opera Faust was located in 2003 and included as an extra on the 2 DVD set of The Phantom of the Opera (1925), released by the Milestone Collection.
On With the ShowAlan CroslandBetty CompsonThe first all-Technicolor, all-talking feature, only a black-and-white version remains, although a very brief clip of color footage was found in a toy projector.[191]
Queen of the Night ClubsBryan FoyTexas GuinanOne short clip included in Winner Take All (1932) with James Cagney. Silentera.com states that an incomplete silent trailer also exists.[192]
Red Hot RhythmLeo McCareyAlan Hale Sr.One filmed sequence, the title song ("Red Hot Rhythm"), survives in early Multicolor process.
ParisClarence G. BadgerIrene Bordoni, Jack BuchananA Technicolor fragment survives.
Rio RitaLuther ReedBebe Daniels, John BolesA cut-down 1932 re-release survives.
SallyJohn Francis DillonMarilyn MillerOriginally produced in two-strip Technicolor, today the film survives only in black and white, save for a two-and-a-half-minute sequence from the 'Wild Rose' musical number and a 29 second fragment from the first reel.
Wolf of Wall StreetRowland V. LeeNancy Carroll, George BancroftOnly montage sequences by Slavko Vorkapich survive. One of these has been issued in October 2005 in the DVD collection Unseen Cinema: Early American Avant Garde Film 1894–1941.

1930s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1930Bright LightsMichael CurtizDorothy MackaillNo Technicolor print of this Vitaphone musical has survived.
The Cat CreepsRupert JulianHelen TwelvetreesA short segment of this sound remake of The Cat and the Canary (1927) is included in the short film Boo! (1932), the only footage known to exist.
General CrackAlan CroslandJohn BarrymoreThe silent version of this film exists. The Vitaphone discs for the sound version survive, but matching film elements are lost.
Bride of the RegimentJohn Francis DillonVivienne Segal, Walter PidgeonAll-Technicolor musical drama, a twenty second fragment was located in 2023. The complete soundtrack survives on Vitaphone discs.
Good NewsNick GrindeBessie LoveThe final reel in Multicolor is lost.
Isle of EscapeHoward BrethertonMonte Blue, Betty Compson, Myrna LoyThe barest of fragments survive.[193]
Lilies of the FieldAlexander KordaCorinne Griffith, Ralph ForbesFragments of the "Mechanical Ballet" sequence are preserved in the 1932 Joe E. Brown comedy film The Tenderfoot.[194]
Der Mann, der seinen Mörder suchtRobert SiodmakHeinz Rühmann, Lien Deyers, Hermann Speelmans, Friedrich HolländerOriginally 98 minutes long, only a 52-minute version released in 1933 as Jim, der Mann mit der Narbe remains.[195]
No, No, NanetteClarence G. BadgerBernice Claire, Alexander GrayThe soundtrack discs and the trailer survive.[194][196]
The Rogue SongLionel BarrymoreLawrence Tibbett, Laurel and HardyThe soundtrack, two reels and several clips survive.
Chasing RainbowsCharles ReisnerBessie LoveBlack-and-white portion of the film is extant; color sequences in the middle and end of the film are lost.
1931Annabelle's AffairsAlfred L. WerkerJeanette MacDonaldThe last of Jeanette MacDonald's films for Fox; only one reel is known to survive.
Charlie Chan Carries OnHamilton MacFaddenWarner Oland, Hamilton MacFaddenAn alternate Spanish-language version, featuring a different cast, exists. Also, the trailer for the film survive.[197][198]
Fanny Foley HerselfMelville W. BrownEdna May OliverAll-color film photographed in Technicolor. The University of California, Los Angeles Library's Film & Television Archive has a color 35 mm trailer.[199]
The Ghost TrainWalter FordeJack Hulbert
Cicely Courtneidge
Ann Todd
Cyril Raymond
Partially recovered (five reels, two reels of the soundtrack) as a result of a 1992 British Film Institute campaign to search for lost films.[200]
The RunaroundWilliam James CraftMary BrianOriginally released as a musical as Waiting for the Bride or Waiting at the Church in Technicolor, it was re-released under the new title with the musical parts cut. Only an incomplete black-and-white copy of the cut version seems to have survived.[citation needed]
1932Condemned to DeathWalter FordeArthur Wontner, Gillian Lind, Gordon Harker, Cyril RaymondA "cut version dubbed in French" was found as a result of a 1992 British Film Institute campaign to search for lost films.[200]
Horse FeathersNorman Z. McLeodMarx BrothersThe only existing prints of this film are missing several minutes due to both censorship and damage.
Veiled AristocratsOscar MicheauxLorenzo TuckerAll that remains is the trailer and fragments of two reels.
Walking Down BroadwayErich von StroheimJames Dunn, Boots Mallory, ZaSu PittsWithheld from release and re-edited as Hello, Sister!; the original version remains lost.[201]
1933DelugeFelix E. FeistSidney BlackmerFor many years, Deluge was thought to be a lost film, but a print dubbed in Italian was found in a film archive in Italy in the late 1980s. Before the discovery, the only part of the film known to have survived was the impressive footage of the tidal wave destroying New York City, which was used in the Republic Pictures serials Dick Tracy vs. Crime, Inc. (1941) and King of the Rocket Men (1949). In 2016, a 35mm nitrate dupe negative with the English soundtrack was discovered. A 2K scan restoration was made by Lobster Films, and this restoration was picked up for a limited theatrical re-release by Kino Repertory, and a home media release by Kino Lorber Studio Classics in February 2017.
My Lips BetrayJohn G. BlystoneJohn BolesThe sixth reel is assumed to be lost.
The Monkey's PawWesley RugglesLouise Carter, Ivan SimpsonOnly a version dubbed in French has survived
The Testament of Dr. MabuseFritz LangOtto WernickeThe German premiere ran 124 minutes. The modern restored version is 121 minutes long.
1935The BurgomeisterHarry SouthwellJanet Ramsey JohnsonOnly one sequence remains.[202]
DevdasP.C. BaruaP.C. Barua, Jamuna BaruaOf this classic Bengali film, only 60% still survives.
The Mystery of the Mary CelesteDenison CliftBela Lugosi, Shirley Grey, Arthur Margetson, Edmund WillardEighteen minutes were cut from the film and the only surviving print is the shortened re-release, retitled Phantom Ship.
1936The Man Behind the MaskMichael PowellHugh Williams, Jane Baxter, Maurice SchwartzThe surviving American release, titled Behind the Mask, is a cut version of the U.K. film.[203]
Things to ComeWilliam Cameron MenziesThe most complete existing version of this film runs 96 minutes, compared with its original running time of 117 minutes upon submission to the BBFC. A reconstructed version using extant film, production stills and extracts from the script is available on DVD.
1937Lost HorizonFrank CapraRonald ColmanCapra's initial 210-minute version was cut down to 132 minutes after a preview screening of the film went badly. In his autobiography, Capra claims to have personally destroyed the first two reels. Subsequent re-releases were further edited to downplay allegedly Communist elements, as well as hints of swinging and various scenes which were felt to present the native children in too positive a light. While a complete soundtrack of the original 132-minute release has survived, no complete print is known to exist. A restoration substituted still photos and individual frames for the seven minutes of missing footage. One minute of footage has been found and added to a Blu-ray release of the film.
1938Show BusinessA. R. HarwoodBert MatthewsOnly rushes from a single minor scene are left.[202]
Thank EvansRoy William NeillMax Miller, Hal Walters, Albert WhelanOne hundred feet (just over a minute) of footage was found as a result of a 1992 British Film Institute campaign to search for lost films.[200]
1939Tsuchi (Earth)Tomu UchidaMieshi Bando, Donguriboya, Masako Fujimura, Akiko Fujimura, Mari KoA seriously compromised print of Earth was discovered in Germany in 1968. It suffers from decomposition and is missing the first and last reels and includes German subtitles. The original film was 142 minutes long; this version runs 93 minutes. A 119-minute version of the film, with subtitles in Russian, was discovered in Russia around the turn of the millennium. It, too, is missing the last reel.[204]
1939The Rules of the GameJean RenoirNora Gregor, Paulette Dubost, Mila ParélyThe re-construction is missing one scene from the original cut.[205]

1940s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1940FantasiaVarious DirectorsDeems TaylorFor its 60th anniversary DVD release in 2000, Disney's manager of film restoration, Scott MacQueen, supervised a restoration and reconstruction of the original 125-minute roadshow version of Fantasia. The visual elements from the Deems Taylor segments that had been cut from the film in 1942 and 1946 were restored, as was the intermission. However, the original nitrate audio negatives for the long-unseen Taylor scenes had deteriorated several decades earlier, so Disney brought in voice actor Corey Burton to dub all of Taylor's lines. Although it was advertised as the "original uncut" version, the Sunflower edit in Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 made in 1969 was maintained. In this version, it was accomplished by digitally zooming in on certain frames to avoid showing the black centaurette character.
1941This Man Is DangerousLawrence HuntingtonJames MasonIncluded on the BFI's "75 Most Wanted" list of missing British feature films, a dubbed Italian copy has surfaced.[206][207]
1942The Magnificent AmbersonsOrson WellesJoseph Cotten, Dolores CostelloForty-four minutes were cut by RKO Pictures from Welles' version after an unsuccessful preview, with RKO filming a new ending and destroying the deleted footage. A handful of shots from the original version exist in the film's original trailer, which has survived.
1942BerdjoangRd. AriffienMohamad MochtarA single reel was shown at the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival; the rest remains lost.[208]
1943Sanshiro SugataAkira KurosawaSambasAccording to the Toho Studios introduction to the 1952 re-release of this film, 1,845 feet (17 minutes) were cut in 1944 due to government demands. The missing footage could not be found for the 1952 re-release and is considered lost.
1948Bless 'Em AllRobert Jordan HallHal Monty, Max BygravesPlaced on the BFI 75 Most Wanted list of lost films. A cut-down version titled Be Kind Sergeant was later offered for sale on eBay. A two-and-a-half minute trailer also survives.[209][210]
1948Somewhere in PoliticsJohn E. BlakeleyFrank Randle, Tessie O'Shea, Josef LockeAccording to the British Film Institute, only a print of an "18-minute short from the film, entitled Full House", is known to exist.[211]

1950s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1951The IdiotAkira KurosawaSetsuko Hara, Masayuki Mori, Toshiro Mifune, Yoshiko KugaKurosawa wanted the original 265-minute version to be shown in two parts. When the studio balked, the film was cut to 180 minutes. After the poorly received premiere, the picture was cut, against Kurosawa's wishes, to 166 minutes. No print of the 265-minute version is known to exist; Kurosawa supposedly spent a week looking through the studio archives for the original cut when he returned to Shochiku Studios 40 years later to make Rhapsody in August.
The Red Badge of CourageJohn HustonAudie Murphy, Bill Mauldin, Douglas Dick, Royal DanoHuston had high hopes for the movie, even considering the original two-hour cut of the film as the best he had ever made as a director. After a power struggle at the top of MGM management, the film was cut from a two-hour epic to the 69-minute version released to theaters, in response to its alleged universally disastrous previews. It was never released as an "A" feature but was shown as a second-feature "B" picture. Both Huston and star Audie Murphy tried unsuccessfully to purchase the film so that it could be re-edited to its original length. Huston did not waste any time fighting over it, as he was focused on the pre-production of his next picture, The African Queen. The studio claimed that the cut footage was destroyed, probably in the 1965 MGM vault fire. In 1975, MGM asked Huston whether he had an original cut of the film, which the studio wanted to re-release. He had actually struck a 16mm print, but by that time, it had been lost.
1953Captain ThunderboltCecil HolmesGrant Taylor, Charles TingwellThe Australian National Film and Sound Archive has what it believes is the 53-minute version edited for television, but is still searching for the full 69-minute original.[212]
1954A Star Is BornGeorge CukorJudy Garland, James MasonOriginally premiering at 181 minutes, Warner Bros. cut the film down to 154 minutes for general release. For a 1983 restoration, running 176 minutes, the original multiple track, stereophonic sound was restored, along with some scenes that had been cut; production stills filled in for other missing scenes. A complete print is rumored to exist.[citation needed]
Top BananaAlfred E. GreenPhil SilversShot and edited in 3-D, the film was released in 2-D. The film only survives in a 16mm, 2-D version, although a 3-D trailer has survived.
1956The Burmese HarpKon IchikawaNikkatsu, the studio that commissioned the film, released it in Japan in two parts, three weeks apart. Part one (running 63 minutes) opened on January 21, 1956, and part two (80 minutes) opened on February 12. Both were accompanied by B movies. The total running time of 143 minutes was cut to 116 for later re-release and export, reputedly over Ichikawa's objection. The original 143-minute version is lost.

1960s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1963It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad WorldStanley KramerSpencer TracyPremiering at 192 minutes, the movie was edited to 162 minutes for general release. In the late 1980s, 20 minutes of deleted footage were found in a warehouse which had been slated for demolition and restored to the film in 1991. The remaining lost roadshow footage was tracked down in 2013 as part of a restoration effort to return the film to its original roadshow length. A majority of the scenes found were complete; the remainder were missing either the sound or the visuals, as they were derived from original 70mm roadshow prints that were themselves edited down from Kramer's original cut. The original elements disappeared long ago.
1964Man in the 5th DimensionDick RossBilly GrahamThis short film was originally shot in the 70mm Todd-AO widescreen process. Eleven 70mm prints were created, but none survive. The film exists in a 16mm version only.
1964ThinkCharles and Ray EamesThe film was part of an exhibit at the 1964 New York World's Fair. Around 2016, a home movie held at Indiana University Libraries Moving Image Archives was found to include three minutes of the 1964 version.[213]
1964FirelightSteven SpielbergThe first film directed by Steven Spielberg, then only 17 years old. The 135-minute sci-fi film cost $500. Only 3% of the film survives.[214]
1966The Good, the Bad and the UglySergio LeoneClint Eastwood, Eli Wallach, Lee Van CleefAt least two completed sequences from this film, one in which Blondie foils Tuco with the aid of a Mexican prostitute and another in which Angel Eyes explains to Blondie how he learned of Jackson's gold, were cut from all releases, including the Italian premiere version, and are now believed to be lost. All that remains of the former sequence is a snippet of footage used in a French trailer for the film, while a small number of production photos provide evidence for both scenes' existence.[215][216][217]
1967Four StarsAndy WarholEdie Sedgwick, OndineOne of the longest films ever publicly screened, it ran for close to 25 hours at The Filmmaker's Cinemathèque in New York City on December 15–16, 1967. Based on extant data regarding the order of reels, films that still remain and projection information, a full reconstruction is not possible.[218]
Great Monster YongaryKim Ki-dukThe original negative is thought to be lost and the original Korean-language version only exists in a 48-minute fragment. However, MGM owns a complete 35mm interpositive and textless 35mm elements for the opening and ending titles and was able to reconstruct the AIP-TV English-dubbed U.S. version in CinemaScope.

1970s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1971Bedknobs and BroomsticksRobert StevensonAngela Lansbury, David TomlinsonThe film was shortened after its premiere, from two and a half hours to 119 minutes. In 1996, a restoration effort was mounted, and most of the cut footage was found. However, most of the dialogue tracks for these scenes could not be recovered, so the scenes were dubbed by the original actors whenever possible. Footage of the song "A Step in the Right Direction", which was included on the original soundtrack album, has not been found.
The Big BossLo WeiBruce LeeAfter its Hong Kong run, the film was edited for Western release. Numerous cuts were made, mostly to remove the more graphic violence. Also removed was an explicit brothel scene in which Lee's character makes love to a Thai prostitute (Lee's only implied nude scene in his career). The missing footage has been rumored to still exist.[219]
Duck, You Sucker!Sergio LeoneRod Steiger, James Coburn, Romolo ValliMany versions of this film exist (the best-known and most widely available being the 157-minute version), but several scenes are known to have been cut from every release and possibly survive only through production stills. These include a scene in which John is forced to march across a desert without water (similar to a scene in Leone's previous film, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and one in which Dr. Villega is tortured for information by Colonel Reza.[220][221]
1972The Last House on the LeftWes CravenSandra Cassel, Lucy GranthamThis film was unusually graphic for its time and many cinema machinists made their own cuts. As a result, some scenes are missing from most versions of the film and the sound is missing from other scenes.[222][223][224][225]
1973The Wicker ManRobin HardyChristopher Lee, Edward WoodwardThe original negative and film elements of Robin Hardy's 99-minute director's cut of The Wicker Man are lost and only survive on tape recordings. In 2013, StudioCanal launched a Facebook campaign to find missing material from the film, which resulted in the discovery of a 92-minute 35mm print at the Harvard Film Archive that saw a theatrical and home media release subtitled The Final Cut. This print, previously known as the "Middle Version", was assembled by Hardy for the film's then-U.S. distributor, Abraxas, for its 1979 U.S. theatrical re-release.[226][227]
1974The Corpse EatersDonald R. Passmore, Klaus VetterMichael Hopkins, Ed LeBretonAfter being sold as a tax write-off, the film faded into obscurity for years until Encore Home Video rediscovered it in 1993 and released it on DVD several years later, claiming to have transferred their copy from the only known surviving print. This version runs 57 minutes and is considered incomplete.[228]
1977Last House on Dead End StreetRoger WatkinsRoger WatkinsThe original cut of the film, bearing the title Cuckoo Clocks of Hell, was three hours in length. Although it was screened in 1974, this version has been lost; the original negatives are missing and may have been destroyed.[229]
Star WarsGeorge LucasMark Hamill, Harrison Ford, Carrie FisherFor the 1997 Special Edition release of the original trilogy, a deleted scene featuring Jabba, played by Declan Mulholland, was added to the new cut, with Mulholland being replaced by a computer-generated Jabba, which was updated in the 2004 DVD release. The original version of this scene only survives in low-quality snippets stuck together.
1978Wages of FearWilliam FriedkinRoy Scheider, Bruno Cremer, Francisco Rabal, AmidouRe-cut version of William Friedkin's 1977 film Sorcerer for international release outside USA and France. Unauthorized work by CIC against Friedkin's wish in effort to make the film more appealing to audiences. All opening prologues were removed and reinserted as short flashbacks, reducing the runtime from 121 minutes to 88 minutes. Contains some alternative scenes not seen on the original cut, alternative takes of some scenes, different dubbing and dialogue in some scenes. Tangerine Dream's music is used much more, and the film has a happy ending compared to the original cut's darker ending. So far the original print of this version has not been resurfaced, but some fans have managed to obtain 35mm print from Czech Republic with Czech language subtitles burned to the image, and are restoring this cut.
1979CaligulaTinto BrassMalcolm McDowellMost of the third act and many small scenes in the first two-thirds of the film are missing.[citation needed]

1980s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
1981For Your Height OnlyEddie NicartWeng WengThe original Tagalog language audio track is lost.[230]
1982The Impossible KidEddie NicartWeng WengA sequel to For Your Height Only, it is also missing the original Tagalog language audio track.[230][231]
1987My Best Friend's BirthdayQuentin TarantinoQuentin TarantinoIn the book My Best Friend's Birthday: The Making of a Quentin Tarantino Film, Tarantino admits that some rolls of film were simply discarded by mistake, and Tarantino, unsatisfied with the final product, edited together the scenes he liked, leaving the project unfinished.[232][233]

2010s

YearFilmDirectorCastNotesRef
2010Who Killed Captain Alex?Nabwana I.G.G.The original version of the film, which does not include VJ Emmie as the "Video Joker" was lost when the director erased his computer's hard drive to make his next film Tebaatusasula (see below). Even from the existing cut, all that survives is a low-resolution DVD master.[234]
2010TebaatusasulaNabwana I.G.G.The original film was lost when the director's hard drive containing the original workprint crashed as a result of power outages in his neighborhood. It was later remade as Tebaatusasula: Ebola. A trailer containing footage from the film still exists.[235]

See also

References