Howard Mitchell Movies

Veteran action hero William Russell starred opposite his offscreen wife Helen Ferguson in this typical Fox oater about a miner who finds himself up against a master swindler (George Webb). Onscreen from 1912, Russell had played Robin Hood (1912) and starred in the serial The Diamond in the Sky (1915) before signing with William Fox. A runner-up to Tom Mix at the studio in the early 1920s, Russell died of pneumonia at the age of 42. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

The Great Night hasn't an original moment in its entire 5 reels, but audiences went home satisfied anyway. William Russell plays Larry Gilmore, a carefree young man who must find a wife or lose an inheritance. To expedite matters, Gilmore's pals place an item in the newspapers about his upcoming legacy. Before long, Our Hero is besieged by hundreds of eligible females of all shapes, sizes and ages. Gilmore escapes the onslaught by disguising himself as a cop, a ruse which leads to even more misadventures. The plot of The Great Night has been utilized dozens of times, never more memorably than in Buster Keaton's Seven Chances and the Three Stooges' Brideless Groom. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Pert -- and very Caucasian -- Shirley Mason does not make a terribly convincing Chinese girl in this drama, but in the end it doesn't really matter because it turns out her character wasn't Asian to begin with. As in many films of the era, all the Chinese roles are taken by white actors. Wing Toy (Mason) has been raised by Wong, an old Chinese laundryman (Edward McWade). When she is 16, he reveals that as an infant she was left in his care by a convict called the Mole (Scott McKee), who claimed her father was Chinese and her mother was white. Because he believes she will have a better home, Wong has promised Wing Toy's hand in marriage to Yen Low (Harry S. Northrup). Yen Low already has a white woman as a wife, White Lily (Betty Schade), but he plans to divorce her so he can wed Wing Toy. Reporter Ben Harris (Raymond McKee) gets wind of the story and his investigation leads to Wing Toy's release. White Lily kills Yen Low and the Mole, released from prison, reveals that Wing Toy is actually the daughter of the district attorney. With no problematic racial barriers to stop them (and racial barriers were very much an issue in 1921), Bob and Wing Toy become engaged. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Although Fox pushed this drama as a vehicle for its new star, Barbara Bedford, far more interesting was another Barbara, playing a featured role -- vamp Barbara LaMarr, then still known as Barbara LaMarr Deely, who was on the precipice of stardom herself. LaMarr plays Kate, an evil young woman who steals Giles Gradley (Tom McGuire) away from his wife. The first Mrs. Gradley becomes unhinged, and her daughter Norris (Bedford) brings her out West to stay near the Gradley ranch. Norris herself goes to at the ranch in an attempt to win back her father. But she has to suffer the cruelty of her wicked stepmother until the arrival of Easterner Claude Wolcott (Carl Miller). Wolcott, a worker on the ranch, falls in love with her and becomes her confidant. Then an old admirer of Kate's, Rodney Bates (Cecil Van Auker), starts coming around. Giles catches his wife with her lover and after an argument, she dashes from the house and falls into a bottomless pit. With the "other wom an" finally out of the way, Giles promises Norris that he will go back to his first wife. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Emily Graham (Iris Ashton) marries Philip Amory (Philo McCullough), whose father is the lifelong enemy of Emily's father (Edwin Booth Tilton). When Philip accidentally blinds Emily, her father takes her infant and gives it to a sailor, who hands it over to his wife. The baby, Gertie grows up (to be played by Shirley Mason), and is treated like a slave by her adopted mother. When she can't take it anymore, she runs away and is taken in by Trueman, a lamplighter (Albert Knott). He works for Graham, and with his help, Gertie is finally reunited with both her parents. This picture, based on the novel by Maria Susanna Cummins, was far darker than the comedy dramas in which Shirley Mason usually excelled. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Once again, Madlaine Traverse plays a long-suffering woman in this drama. Lady Marion Chatham (Traverse) and her husband, Sir Charles (Charles Clary), are happily married except for one thing -- they are childless. This is good news, however, for the dowager Lady St. Aubrey (Elinor Hancock), because if the couple doesn't produce an heir, their estate will go to her son, George Granville (George Hackathorn). Sir Charles' sister, Gertrude (Jeanne Calhoun), is engaged to an American, Stephen Hartley (Wheeler Oakman), and one stormy night they are forced to seek shelter in a deserted tower. Shortly afterwards, Hartley is called away to Russia on a diplomatic mission, and he is not given enough time to marry Gertrude, who discovers she is pregnant. Sir Charles goes on an expedition not long after Hartley leaves, and when Lady Marion discovers Gertrude's condition, she takes her away to have the child. Gertrude dies before Hartley is able to return, so Lady Marion claims the child as her own to save Gertrude's name. Sir Charles is overjoyed to return and discover he is a father, but Lady St. Aubrey starts spreading the word around that the child does not belong to him. Eventually the whole truth comes out and Sir Charles adopts the infant, who becomes heir to the Chatham estate. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Marguerite Coullard (Madlaine Traverse) is happily married to Emile (Charles Arling), a prominent French diplomat. Late one night, Marguerite is called away to the bedside of De Brionne (Joseph Swickward), an old friend. He bears a deep, dark secret of Marguerite's -- years ago, because of a youthful indiscretion, she bore a son out of wedlock, and ever since De Brionne has been taking care of the boy. Now the old man is dying, and Marguerite must take charge of her son, Fernand (Jack Rollens)...who happens to be in the Apache cafe around the corner. She goes to him, convinces him to stop drinking absinthe and to straighten himself out and gets him a job as secretary to her husband. Emile, meanwhile, has troubles of his own -- Belloc (Frank Leigh), a crooked stockbroker, is trying to get his hands on a manuscript that the diplomat has in his possession. Marguerite recognizes him as her betrayer, and Belloc tries to get Fernand drunk so he can steal the papers. The two men end up in a fight, and Belloc falls out a window to his death. Marguerite is comforting Fernand when her husband walks in on the two of them. She fesses up to the boy's true relationship with her, and Emile -- the true diplomat that he is -- forgives her and accepts her son. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide