Laugh Out Loud With The Classics: Comedy Gems From The 1920s

By WatchListHQSeptember 8, 2025
The 1920s was a pivotal time for comedy in cinema, with the silent film era giving way to the advent of sound. This transition period saw the rise of some of the most iconic comedians and comedic films that continue to entertain audiences today. From the slapstick humor of Charlie Chaplin to the witty banter of the Marx Brothers, the 1920s was a decade that laid the foundation for the comedy genre as we know it.

One of the defining characteristics of 1920s comedy is its light-hearted and playful nature. Films from this era often featured physical comedy, witty one-liners, and absurd situations that continue to delight viewers. The comedians of the time, such as Buster Keaton and Harold Lloyd, were masters of their craft, using their bodies and faces to convey humor and emotion.

The films of the 1920s also often poked fun at the social norms and conventions of the time. Movies like 'The Cocoanuts' and 'The Freshman' used satire and irony to comment on the excesses of the wealthy and the challenges of navigating modern life. These films not only provided entertainment but also offered a commentary on the world around them.

In this collection of comedy gems from the 1920s, we've curated a selection of films that showcase the best of the era's humor and wit. From the hilarious antics of the Marx Brothers to the charming romance of 'It', these movies are sure to leave you laughing and smiling. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the comedic genius of the 1920s.
The Cocoanuts
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The Cocoanuts

#1

During the Florida land boom, the Marx Brothers run a hotel, auction off some land and thwart a jewel robbery.

192993 min
ComedyMusic
6.4
118 votes
Our Hospitality
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Our Hospitality

#2

A young man falls for a young woman on his trip home; unbeknownst to him, her family has vowed to kill every member of his family.

192373 min
ComedyRomance
7.5
294 votes
The Freshman
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The Freshman

#3

Harold Lamb is so excited about going to college that he has been working to earn spending money, practicing college yells, and learning a special way of introducing himself that he saw in a movie. When he arrives at Tate University, he soon becomes the target of practical jokes and ridicule. With the help of his one real friend Peggy, he resolves to make every possible effort to become popular.

192576 min
ComedyRomance
7.0
121 votes
The Kid
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The Kid

#4

A tramp cares for a boy after he's abandoned as a newborn by his mother. Later the mother has a change of heart and aches to be reunited with her son.

192168 min
ComedyDrama
8.2
2229 votes
Speedy
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Speedy

#5

Speedy loses his job as a soda jerk, then spends the day with his girl at Coney Island. He then becomes a cab driver and delivers Babe Ruth to Yankee Stadium, where he stays to see the game. When the railroad tries to run the last horse-drawn trolley (operated by his girl's grandfather) out of business, Speedy organizes the neighborhood old-timers to thwart their scheme.

192885 min
Comedy
7.3
100 votes
Battling Butler
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Battling Butler

#6

A meek millionaire masquerades as a boxing star to win a girl's heart.

192677 min
ComedyRomance
6.8
95 votes
Three Ages
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Three Ages

#7

The rituals of courtship, romantic rivalry, and love play out three times as a man vies with a villain for the girl. In the Stone Age, the rivalry is set off by dinosaurs, a turtle used as a ouija board, and a round of golf with stones. In ancient Rome, the men display their brawn through a chariot race, using dogs instead of horses. In contemporary times, the man finds himself overcome by modernity, including a very fragile car.

192364 min
Comedy
6.8
128 votes
It
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It

#8

A flapper shopgirl woos her rich boss with animal magnetism -- the captivating personal quality otherwise known as "it."

192772 min
ComedyRomance
6.9
68 votes
Go West
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Go West

#9

With little luck at keeping a job in the city a New Yorker tries work in the country and eventually finds his way leading a herd of cattle to the West Coast.

192569 min
ComedyWestern
6.9
141 votes
Steamboat Bill, Jr.
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Steamboat Bill, Jr.

#10

The just-out-of-college, effete son of a no-nonsense steamboat captain comes to visit his father whom he's not seen since he was a child.

192870 min
ComedyRomance
7.6
363 votes
The Kid Brother
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The Kid Brother

#11

The timid youngest son of the most important family in town must use his wits to win the respect of his strong father and the love of a beautiful new woman in town.

192782 min
ComedyDrama
6.9
95 votes
The Circus
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The Circus

#12

Charlie, a wandering tramp, becomes a circus handyman - soon the star of the show - and falls in love with the circus owner's stepdaughter.

192872 min
ComedyRomanceDrama
7.9
838 votes
Safety Last!
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Safety Last!

#13

When a store clerk organizes a contest to climb the outside of a tall building, circumstances force him to make the perilous climb himself.

192373 min
ComedyRomance
7.7
541 votes
The Cat and the Canary
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The Cat and the Canary

#14

Rich old Cyrus West's relatives are waiting for him to die so they can inherit. But he stipulates that his will be read 20 years after his death. On the appointed day his expectant heirs arrive at his brooding mansion. The will is read and it turns out that Annabelle West, the only heir with his name left, inherits, if she is deemed sane. If she isn't, the money and some diamonds go to someone else, whose name is in a sealed envelope. Before he can reveal the identity of her successor to Annabel

192787 min
ComedyHorrorMystery
6.8
79 votes
College
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College

#15

A bookish college student dismissive of athletics is compelled to try out sports to win the affection of the girl he loves.

192765 min
DramaComedyRomance
6.8
121 votes