The Headless Horseman (1922)

Starring Will Rogers, Lois Meredith, Ben Hendricks Jr., Charles E. Graham, Mary Foy
Directed by Edward D. Venturini
(actor & director credits courtesy IMDB.com)

New schoolmaster Ichabod Crane vies with the surly Brom Bones for a young heiress' attentions, while destined to eventually encounter Sleepy Hollow's famed spectral figure.

Although I can't say that humorist Will Rogers would have been my first choice to play Washington Irving's Ichabod Crane, to his credit Rogers plays him about as well as he possibly could have in this early silent adaptation of Irving's The Legend Of Sleepy Hollow.  Some of Rogers famed witticisms do make it into the title cards, but for the most part, this is a fairly straight adaptation of the tale, with a memorable final chase between Rogers' Ichabod and the headless horseman.  Be forewarned there is some animal cruelty in the film, notably an onscreen cockfight.  The print I viewed was watchable, although very much in need of restoration, and lacking a music score, so not an ideal presentation, but I thought it was interesting and Rogers showed off his personality well enough while acting a pretty iconic role with fair distinction.  The rest of the cast is able in support, although I can't think of any other standouts.  Despite the fact that Irving's tale leaves it somewhat of a mystery what happens to Ichabod in the end, the film leaves little doubt, probably due to the standards of the time in explaining away the supernatural.