Margaret Mann Movies
According to a 1928 Fox Studios press release, Scottish actress Margaret Mann's own life was as difficult and tragic as those of her screen characters. Reportedly born into a poverty-stricken family, Mann was widowed early on, forced to take whatever jobs she could to keep her family fed. While this may have been mere press-agent puffery, it is certainly true that the characters she portrayed were required to endure more than the usual ration of suffering. In films from 1918, Mann's best showing during the silent era was the much-put-upon Ma Bernle in John Ford's Four Sons (1928). In talkies, she was generally consigned to bit roles as maids, nursing-home residents and comforting mothers. Margaret Mann holds a special place in the hearts of "Our Gang" fans for her portrayal of the frail-looking but iron-willed granny in the 1931 two-reelers Helping Grandma and Fly My Kite. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide- 1921
After spending quite a long while as a leading man, Herbert Rawlinson was upped to star status by Universal. Jack Norman (Rawlinson) is an office clerk who falls in love with co-worker Kate Blair, a stenographer (Lillian Rich). He gets fired from his job but before this can really sink in, he suddenly inherits 80 million dollars from a financier who once loved his mother. The financier, Glyde, was murdered, so Norman also inherits a load of troubles involving the blackmailers who killed him. In his attempt to outwit them, Norman poses as a valet, and has a friend impersonate him. The gang sends one of their female associates, Marion Culbreth (Doris Pawn), to vamp the man they think is Norman. The ploy seemingly works, since the two get married. Norman is able to find out their plans and beat them at their game. With the blackmailers out of the way, he is able to present Kate with an impressive engagement ring. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Herbert Rawlinson, Bert Roach, (more)
- 1921
Vitagraph pumped up the human angle to bring Anna Sewell's immortal story to the screen while still remaining true to the book's spirit. Jack Beckett (George Webb) has stolen 800 pounds from Lord Wynwaring (Leslie T. Peacocks), and the only one who learns of the theft is George Gordon (Colin Kenny). George is killed during a fox hunt and Beckett tells his sister, Jessie (Jean Paige), that her brother took the money. To save her mother from the shock of having this information revealed, Jessie agrees to marry Beckett when she comes of age. Four years later a horse, Black Beauty, is bought by Jessie's father, Squire Gordon (John Steppling). The horse, with its almost human intelligence, saves both its master and his wife (Mollie McConnell). Beckett, meanwhile, is pressing Jessie to marry him, even though she has fallen in love with Harry Blomefield (James Morrison), the son of the vicar (Robert Bolder). Jessie is temporarily rescued from Beckett, and Black Beauty changes owners several times until he comes into possession of the Blomefields. Beckett plots to snatch Jessie from a train and marry her in London, but Harry rides Black Beauty to the station and beats him there. He saves Jenny from the wicked Beckett and Black Beauty has finally found a permanent home. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean Paige, James Morrison, (more)
- 1921
This preachy film, based on the book by John Arthur Nelson, also uses quotes from former president Woodrow Wilson's book, The New Freedom. Wilson's book supported several ideas, including profit-sharing and social equality, which were considered radical -- and perhaps almost communistic -- at the time. Unfortunately, this drama often seems more like a lecture about these concepts instead of entertainment. After World War I, Peter Manning, a mill owner (Alfred Allen), becomes a greedy capitalist and the workers rebel at his harsh treatment of them. Their leader is John McPherson (Pell Trenton), who is in love with Fanning's daughter, Mary (Norris Johnson). When Fanning loses his mill, the workers take it over with the financial help of a group of farmers. In the end, Fanning sees the error of his ways and blesses the union between his daughter and McPherson. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pell Trenton, Alfred Allen, (more)
- 1920
In this Universal programmer, Frank Mayo plays Norman Aldrich, a revenue officer whose beat is the north woods of Maine, near the Canadian border. He runs for legislature and is elected in the last reel. Before that happens, however, he saves townsfolk who are being evicted from their homes, battles smugglers, including saloon keeper Vetal Beaulieu (Jean Hersholt) and saves Beaulieu's daughter Marie (Lillian Rich) from being married off to the villainous David Roi (James Mason). ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1918
Even though World War I had just reached its end, the war films kept coming. While The Heart of Humanity had a similar plot to D.W. Griffith's Hearts of the World, it was by no means some cheap knock-off. Director Alan Holubar worked hard (sometimes too hard for this post-war era) to make the battle scenes as authentic as possible. The story centers around Nanette (Dorothy Phillips), an American girl living in a small Canadian village, who is in love with John Patricia (William Stowell), the eldest of five brothers. The war interrupts their romantic idyll, as everyone goes overseas to Belgium and France. Nanette becomes a Red Cross nurse and is terrorized by the evil Prussian Lt. von Eberhard (Erich Von Stroheim, who played a similar, but smaller role in Hearts of the World). It is up to John to save her from the Hun's advances. It was in this film that Von Stroheim, who had become famous for his wicked portrayals of German officers, was billed as "The Man You Love to Hate." This was his first movie for Universal; he would be both director and star of the next one, Blind Husbands. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
