Maurice Tourneur was one of silent cinema’s greatest artists, but like huge swaths of history from that period, his filmography remains largely inaccessible. That’s why the West Coast premiere of the new 4K restoration of Tourneur’s The Broken Butterfly is so exciting. Presented by the American Cinematheque, The Film Foundation and Louis XIII Cognac, this rare film will be seen again on the occasion of its 100th anniversary at the historic Egyptian Theatre. The film, which runs just under an hour, concerns a composer (Lew Cody) who falls in love with a young woman (Pauline Stark) in a forest. The French-born Tourneur (father of film noir master Jacques Tourneur) was revered in his time for his delicate lighting effects and exquisite depth of feeling. Thanks to the efforts of The Film Foundation and La Fondation Jérôme Seydoux-Pathé, audiences can appreciate those qualities again in a crystalline DCP. The feature will be presented with live musical accompaniment by the Young Musicians Foundation, followed by a discussion hosted by David O. Russell, of all people.

Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood; Fri., Dec. 13, 7:30 p.m.; $15. (323) 466-3456, americancinemathequecalendar.com.

 

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