George Siegmann Movies
- 1909
Incorrectly reviewed by the trad magazine Variety under the title The Sealed Door, this Renaissance melodrama is among the best of D.W. Griffith's early Biographs. Clearly based on Edgar Allan Poe's The Cask of Amontillado, the film recounts the tragic romance between a young queen (Marion Leonard) and an amorous troubadour (Henry B. Walthall). To avoid detection by the King (Arthur V. Johnson), the queen and the troubadour use a tiny, secluded room in the castle tower as their love nest. But when the king discovers his wife's treachery, he seals both lovers in their trysting place. An epilogue, set several hundred years later, shows a group of tourists coming across the skeletons of the luckless couple. Mary Pickford appears as an extra in several scenes. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1914
This innovative psychological drama represents one of D.W. Griffith's early full-length feature films and contains innovations that influenced international filmmakers, particularly German ones, for decades to come. It tells the tale of a young man with a fondness for reading Edgar Allen Poe, who is forced to choose between having his uncle's wealth and marrying the girl he loves. He makes a choice and she jilts him, causing him to vent his rage and pain psychotically by strangling his uncle and sealing his corpse behind a brick fireplace wall. As in Poe's Telltale Heart, the young man's cruelty does not go unpunished, and as he sits alone in his cabin, he begins hearing the maddening beat of his dead uncle's heart. Every sound, to the poor youth, becomes another damning thump, and in desperation he runs from his cabin to hang himself. Just before he dies, the law catches up and saves him. Meanwhile, his cruel girl friend is overcome by guilt and so hurls herself from a cliff, but fortunately, this is not the end of the story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1914
Home Sweet Home has been referred to by its leading lady Lillian Gish as "the first all-star film." Indeed, virtually every member of director D.W.Griffith's celebrated stock company appears in this three-part, five-reel biographical drama. Based on the life of John Howard Payne, composer of the "world-famous" title song, the film stars Henry B. Walthall as Payne, herein depicted as a brilliant but unstable artist who never found the happiness embodied in his songs. As incidents in Payne's life are enacted on the screen -- his early failures, his success as a playwright in England and as a composer in France, and his lonely, embittered final years in Africa -- these scenes are counterpointed with three "sub-stories," in which the song Home Sweet Home is shown to have a profound effect on several different people. In Episode One, a western miner (Robert Harron) nearly leaves his waitress sweetheart Mae Marsh), but they are reunited to the strains of the Payne song. In Episode Two, the song causes a faithless wife (Blanche Sweet) to renounce her lover (Owen Moore) and return to her husband (Courtenay Foote). And in the final episode, two quarrelling brothers (Donald Crisp and James Kirkwood) kill each other, leaving their grieving mother to find solace in the familiar strains of Home Sweet Home. Though Lillian Gish also spoke respectfully of her artistic collaborations with D.W. Griffith, even she found the film's final scene -- in which, dressed as Heavenly angel, she rescues John Howard Payne from the bowels of Hell -- a bit difficult to watch with a straight face. This silly denouement aside, Home Sweet Home, a joint effort of the Reliance and Mutual film companies, was quite wonderful entertainment, and one of the most successful of Griffith's pre-Birth of a Nation endeavors. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, (more)
The most successful and artistically advanced film of its time, The Birth of a Nation has also sparked protests, riots, and divisiveness since its first release. The film tells the story of the Civil War and its aftermath, as seen through the eyes of two families. The Stonemans hail from the North, the Camerons from the South. When war breaks out, the Stonemans cast their lot with the Union, while the Camerons are loyal to Dixie. After the war, Ben Cameron (Henry B. Walthall), distressed that his beloved south is now under the rule of blacks and carpetbaggers, organizes several like-minded Southerners into a secret vigilante group called the Ku Klux Klan. When Cameron's beloved younger sister Flora (Mae Marsh) leaps to her death rather than surrender to the lustful advances of renegade slave Gus (Walter Long), the Klan wages war on the new Northern-inspired government and ultimately restores "order" to the South. In the original prints, Griffith suggested that the black population be shipped to Liberia, citing Abraham Lincoln as the inspiration for this ethnic cleansing. Showings of Birth of a Nation were picketed and boycotted from the start, and as recently as 1995, Turner Classic Movies cancelled a showing of a restored print in the wake of the racial tensions around the O.J. Simpson trial verdict. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Henry B. Walthall, Miriam Cooper, (more)
- 1916
With this lineup -- the star was Dorothy Gish, the director was George Siegmann, who got his training under D.W. Griffith, and the screenwriter was another Griffith protégé, Tod Browning -- one would assume this picture might have something special to offer. But, in spite of Gish's lighthearted charm, it fell flat, primarily because the story was so musty. In fact, it can pretty much be guessed by its title -- there's the horse race (actually there are two), the mortgage held in balance by Atta Boy's ability to win, causing the damsel much distress, etc., etc. The film's one bright moment -and perhaps this is where the Griffith influence comes in to play -- is when the camera, instead of shooting the horse race from a static position, keeps pace with the running horses as Atta Boy comes up from behind. In the mid-1910s, something as simple as a moving camera added spice to a motion picture. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
Sometime during the shooting of the landmark The Birth of a Nation, filmmaker D.W. Griffith probably wondered how he could top himself. In 1916, he showed how, with the awesome Intolerance. The film began humbly enough as a medium-budget feature entitled The Mother and the Law, wherein the lives of a poor but happily married couple are disrupted by the misguided interference of a "social reform" group. A series of unfortunate circumstances culminates in the husband's being sentenced to the gallows, a fate averted by a nick-of-time rescue engineered by his wife. In the wake of the protests attending the racist content of The Birth of a Nation, Griffith wanted to demonstrate the dangers of intolerance. The Mother and the Law filled the bill to some extent, but it just wasn't "big" enough to suit his purposes. Thus, using The Mother and the Law as merely the base of the film, Griffith added three more plotlines and expanded his cinematic thesis to epic proportions. The four separate stories of Intolerance are symbolically linked by Lillian Gish as the Woman Who Rocks the Cradle ("uniter of the here and hereafter"). The "Modern Story" is essentially The Mother and the Law; the "French Story" details the persecution of the Huguenots by Catherine de Medici (Josephine Crowell); the "Biblical Story" relates the last days of Jesus Christ (Howard Gaye); and the "Babylonian Story" concerns the defeat of King Belshazzar (Alfred Paget) by the hordes of Cyrus the Persian (George Siegmann).
Rather than being related chronologically, the four stories are told in parallel fashion, slowly at first, and then with increasing rapidity. The action in the film's final two reels leaps back and forth in time between Babylon, Calvary, 15th century France, and contemporary California. Described by one historian as "the only film fugue," Intolerance baffled many filmgoers of 1916 -- and, indeed, it is still an exhausting, overwhelming experience, even for audiences accustomed to the split-second cutting and multilayered montage sequences popularized by Sergei Eisenstein, Orson Welles, Jean-Luc Godard, Joel Schumacher, and MTV. On a pure entertainment level, the Babylonian sequences are the most effective, played out against one of the largest, most elaborate exterior sets ever built for a single film. The most memorable character in this sequence is "The Mountain Girl," played by star on the rise Constance Talmadge; when the Babylonian scenes were re-released as a separate feature in 1919, Talmadge's tragic death scene was altered to accommodate a happily-ever-after denouement. Other superb performances are delivered by Mae Marsh and Robert Harron in the Modern Story, and by Eugene Pallette and Margery Wilson in the French Story. Remarkably sophisticated in some scenes, appallingly naïve in others, Intolerance is a mixed bag dramatically, but one cannot deny that it is also a work of cinematic genius. The film did poorly upon its first release, not so much because its continuity was difficult to follow as because it preached a gospel of tolerance and pacifism to a nation preparing to enter World War I. Currently available prints of Intolerance run anywhere from 178 to 208 minutes; while it may be rough sledding at times, it remains essential viewing for any serious student of film technique. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
Rather than being related chronologically, the four stories are told in parallel fashion, slowly at first, and then with increasing rapidity. The action in the film's final two reels leaps back and forth in time between Babylon, Calvary, 15th century France, and contemporary California. Described by one historian as "the only film fugue," Intolerance baffled many filmgoers of 1916 -- and, indeed, it is still an exhausting, overwhelming experience, even for audiences accustomed to the split-second cutting and multilayered montage sequences popularized by Sergei Eisenstein, Orson Welles, Jean-Luc Godard, Joel Schumacher, and MTV. On a pure entertainment level, the Babylonian sequences are the most effective, played out against one of the largest, most elaborate exterior sets ever built for a single film. The most memorable character in this sequence is "The Mountain Girl," played by star on the rise Constance Talmadge; when the Babylonian scenes were re-released as a separate feature in 1919, Talmadge's tragic death scene was altered to accommodate a happily-ever-after denouement. Other superb performances are delivered by Mae Marsh and Robert Harron in the Modern Story, and by Eugene Pallette and Margery Wilson in the French Story. Remarkably sophisticated in some scenes, appallingly naïve in others, Intolerance is a mixed bag dramatically, but one cannot deny that it is also a work of cinematic genius. The film did poorly upon its first release, not so much because its continuity was difficult to follow as because it preached a gospel of tolerance and pacifism to a nation preparing to enter World War I. Currently available prints of Intolerance run anywhere from 178 to 208 minutes; while it may be rough sledding at times, it remains essential viewing for any serious student of film technique. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lillian Gish, Mae Marsh, (more)
- 1917
The winsome Dorothy Gish plays a Southern gal during Civil War times in this silent flick. So winsome is she that during one particularly heavy point, a whole battle is ground to a halt so that Gish's character, Sally, can cross the lines to tend to her wounded brother (Robert Burns). In fact, both sides cheer the perky little maiden. In spite of this, and a few other, glaring examples of unreality, The Little Yank is an entertaining, though not terribly outstanding, Dorothy Gish film. There's the usual love affair, this time around involving the overly-valiant Frank Bennett as Captain Johnnie. The problem here is that Captain Johnnie is a Northern soldier. But even with the war between the states raging, the couple manage to have their romance anyway. This is one of many films that prove Dorothy Gish's personality was able to sell anything. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1917
Those who made this anti-divorce film weren't sure if they wanted to preach or entertain. It featured a storyline, an allegorical introduction and appearances from Nevada government officials and the heads of the Illinois vice and divorce commission, and was a very tiring two hours long. The basic plot involves two men, William Gordon (Norbert Myles) and Henry Blake (J. Webster Dill). Both get married and have children. Gordon dumps his wife, Lorna (Gene Genung), for an actress, Marie Gibson (Alice Wilson), while Blake mistreats his wife and eventually deserts her. Both wives go to Reno to obtain divorces. Blake's daughter grows up without ever knowing her father, so when she meets up with him later he doesn't recognize her at first. When he realizes who she is, he tries to marry her off to a vulture (Robert Lawlor), but he is stopped by Mrs. Blake and Gordon's grown son (James Harrison). This picture is a curio that is very much of its era. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1918
On the heels of his masterpiece, Intolerance, which dramatized the futility of war born out of prejudice, director D.W. Griffith shifted gears for this film. Intolerance had proven a financial disaster for Griffith, so he signed with producer Adolph Zukor to release his next film. He came upon the subject matter on a trip to England to promote Intolerance. The British government, desperately looking to America for help in fighting the Germans in the first World War, persuaded Griffith to make a propaganda picture. Set in France, it's the portrait of a village overrun by the Germans during the hostilities. Griffith begins the story in 1912 with a slow developing romance between The Boy, Douglas Gordon Hamilton (Robert Harron) and The Girl, Marie Stephenson (Lillian Gish). A street singer known as The Disturber (Dorothy Gish) tries to come between them, but she settles for her own romance with Monsieur Cuckoo (Robert Anderson). In the summer of 1914, The Boy and M. Cuckoo answer the call to arms, forcing the postponement of The Boy and Girl's wedding. The film's second half cuts back and forth between the battlefield and the home front (which in this case are separated by only a few miles). By the time the film was completed, the United States had already entered the war, and over the years its extreme portrayal of German soldiers has been trimmed, the first time at the request of the wife of President Woodrow Wilson. In fact, Griffith included shots of American troops helping out in the story's final battle and then marching off to return home. The version viewed for this review, running 115 minutes, included a brief prologue with footage of Griffith touring the battlefields in France, where some documentary footage was shot, though most of the film was made in Southern California, and the director meeting with British prime minister David Lloyd George. Also notable is the appearance in small parts of future filmmaker Erich Von Stroheim as a German soldier, future character actor Ben Alexander as The Boy's youngest brother, and future entertainer Noël Coward as a young villager pushing a wheelbarrow. ~ Tom Wiener, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lillian Gish, Robert Harron, (more)
- 1918
This war-time D.W. Griffith film was literally filler -- some of the footage was left over from around the time he shot Hearts of the World. According to reports of the day (the film apparently no longer exists), its modest story and simple approach was a comedown from the director's other, far more impressive work. When World War I breaks out, Jim Young (Robert Harron), of Youngstown goes to Canada to enlist. While training in Britain, he becomes fired up by observing the Dowager Queen and Lady Diana Manners contributing to the war effort (these were actual members of the British royalty and nobility, and were filmed in 1917). He also meets Susie Broadplains (Lillian Gish), a reverend's daughter, but their romance is interrupted by intrigue. Sir Roger Brighton (Henry B. Walthall), who has deserted a girl (Gloria Hope) and come to town, is being courted by a group of German spies. Sir Roger gets interested in Susie when she inherits some money, and this angers Jim, who leaves for the front. Susie naively marries Sir Roger, but when she finds out about his former sweetheart, she spurns him. The spies are to light the way for some planes to bomb an arsenal, but when the driver is captured, Mademoiselle Cointee (Rosemary Theby) is pressed into service. She can't drive, so she convinces Sir Roger to help her. Jim, who has returned, chases after them and smashes their searchlight. Then he uses his own and leads the German fleet to bomb an empty field. In disgrace, Sir Roger takes his own life, leaving Jim and Susie to reunite in the war cause. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1918
My Unmarried Wife was the rather blatant title imposed upon this adaptation of Doris Schroeder's novel Molly and I. Breaking off relations with his wealthy father, the young hero tries to make it on his own as a novelist. While rescuing a child from a factory explosion, the hero is himself blinded and placed in the care of Molly, the straight-laced assistant to a celebrated eye specialist. Molly does her best to care for the young man, but she cannot raise the money necessary to send him to Europe for a delicate eye operation. In despair, the hero prepares to shoot himself, but Molly comes up with a solution: She will marry the sightless hero, get into his father's good grace, and secure the necessary funds. Then, if her new husband so chooses, he may divorce her upon his return from Europe. The operation is a success, and the young man comes home prepared to go through with the divorce. Instead, he is distracted by a headstrong Italian girl, who in his absence has taken over his financial matters. Almost immediately, the hero falls in love with this fascinating stranger -- little realizing that the girl is actually Molly, who hopes to win the boy's heart by pretending to be someone more exciting than herself. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1919
Actress Yvonne Leclaire (Fontaine La Rue) has been abused one too many times by her husband, a leading man, and she shoots him dead in his dressing room. Member of the chorus Billy Jordan (Harry Springler) is a witness to the killing, but since he is in love with Yvonne, he keeps quiet. However, Billy's sister, Alma (Fritzi Brunette) is a reporter, and her managing editor Mac (George McDaniels) assigns her the case. When Yvonne accepts a marriage proposal from a wealthy man, Billy angrily goes to the paper and reveals that she killed her husband. Alma is sent to get a confession, and only then does she realize her brother's involvement in the case. The film ties things up neatly (a little too neatly, really) -- the paper gets its story, Yvonne is taken away, and Mac proposes to Alma. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1919
Carmelita (Hedda Nova) is the daughter of bandit Don Salvador (Carl Stockdale), who meets his end at the hands of the law. But before he dies, he insists that Carmelita choose one of his lieutenants, Pedro (Leo Malone) or Leonardo (Robert Gray) as a husband. Carmelita picks Pedro, but before they can be wed, she meets American artist Kent Staunton (Thurston Hall). He paints her portrait, and when a storm breaks out, she seeks refuge in his cabin. Pedro goes after Staunton in a jealous rage, but the artist has him arrested. While in jail, the bandit tells Carmelita that Staunton is in league with the lawmen who killed her father. So Carmelita decides to kill Staunton, but she can't because she has come to love him. Then she finds out that Staunton is not a spy for the law. Pedro, however, still insists on vengeance. The girl is torn over what to do, so the outlaws kidnap her and take her to the hills. There is a battle between warring bands of outlaws, and Pedro is killed. Leonardo tells Carmelita that she is free to marry Staunton, which she does. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1920
Lively comedian Dorothy Gish plays an unlikely grand duchess in this Paramount picture. Marie Louise (Gish) presides over a section of the mythical kingdom of Bulgravia -- not that she really wants to. Like most Dorothy Gish characters, she's more interested in having fun than in doing anything remotely responsible. One day, she sneaks out of the palace and comes across a group of American soldiers playing baseball. She joins them and manages to hit a home run. She's also a hit with Sergeant Richard Ellis (Ralph Graves), who asks her to join him at a jazz dance that night. Marie is game to go, but her ladies-in-waiting drag her home. Ellis returns to America, but meanwhile, one of Marie's court -- Captain Moro (George Siegman) -- turns out to be a revolutionary conspirator. He and his men take over the kingdom and Marie escapes to America with the priceless royal crown. Moro, who wants to get his hands on the crown, follows. Marie gets a job as a cook in a coffee shop, and she once again meets up with Ellis. Moro finds her too, but Ellis battles with him and turns him over to the police. Ellis and Marie are united. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- 1921
Filmed in late 1920 and released in early '21, The Big Punch was director John Ford's second film for Fox. Buck Jones starred as a divinity student jailed for a crime actually committed by his outlaw brother (Jack Curtis). Upon his release, Jones is befriended by Salvation Army girl Barbara Bedford and together the two manage to convert the lawless brother. Ford directed this and the earlier Jones vehicle Just Pals (1920) concurrently before returning to his home studio, Universal. When that company's Carl Laemmle fired cowboy actor Harry Carey, Ford left for good, returning to Fox, for whom he would direct such future successes as The Iron Horse (1924), The Grapes of Wrath (1939), and My Darling Clementine (1946). ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Buck Jones, Barbara Bedford, (more)
- 1921
This eight-reel Fox feature is a blatant example of the rampant racial prejudice that existed in the early part of the 20th century. Even the Photoplay review, which pans the film, smacks of racism. "When the hero of Shame hears that his mother was Chinese, he immediately dashes to the mirror and sees himself reflected with almond eyes, long nails, and a Chinese laundry. The thought drives him almost insane so he goes to Alaska and fights a wolf." Although the plot isn't quite as ludicrous as Photoplay implies, it doesn't make for a quality film. Even so, it brought John Gilbert to the attention of the powers-that-be at Fox, and they offered him a three-year contract. He signed, but only reluctantly. William Fielding (Gilbert), a young widower, is living in Shanghai with his little boy, David (Mickey Moore). A young Chinese woman looks after the child, and Foo Chang (George Siegmann), a trader, lusts after her. Because he believes she is David's mother, he kills Fielding. Fielding's faithful secretary, Li Clung (William V. Mong), takes the boy to San Francisco to be raised by his grandfather (George Nichols). As an adult, David (also played by Gilbert) fights against opium trafficking with Li Clung's help. Foo Chang, who is himself smuggling opium, tries to blackmail David into stopping his crusade by threatening to expose the fact that he is half Chinese. David is so upset at this unexpected information that he runs away from his wife and goes to Alaska, taking their infant child with him (and yes, he fights a wolf there). Li Clung follows after him, as does Foo Chang. The two Chinese men battle it out, and Foo Chang is killed. David, it turns out, is pure Caucasian, so he avoids whatever disgrace he thought he would have. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Gilbert, Mickey Moore, (more)
- 1921
It is easy to imagine Theda Bara playing the lead in this Fox Biblical epic, especially since its credited director is J. Gordon Edwards, who manned the megaphone for many of Bara's films. But by 1920, Bara had pretty much left films (she would only make two more pictures during the 1920s), and Betty Blythe, who also became known for her exotic vehicles, played the lead. Blythe, however, did not exude the unbridled sexuality that Bara did -- something that trade paper Moving Picture World saw as a plus: the fact that "there is never a suggestion of the vamp in one of her poses or gestures," it noted, would keep the bluenoses from complaining about her skimpy costumes. And there is much bare flesh to be had in this picture. When the Queen of Sheba kills her mate, the wicked King (George Siegmann), her people are grateful. She pays a visit to the court of King Solomon (Fritz Leiber) and wins a chariot race for him. Solomon falls in love with her, and the night before she leaves she visits him in his private quarters. The result of this meeting is a child, which the Queen's people accept as the son of the dead King. When the boy (Pat Moore) is four, she sends him to visit Solomon, who is happy to see him. His brother (G. Raymond Nye), however, is not so thrilled -- he believes that Solomon plans to make the boy heir to his throne. He attempts to overthrow the King, and the Queen, realizing that her son is in danger, takes her army to help Solomon. Once the King's foes are vanquished, the Queen tells Solomon good-bye, and returns home with her son. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Betty Blythe, Claire de Lorez, (more)
Douglas Fairbanks' longest and most elaborate production up to 1921, The Three Musketeers was Fairbanks' first full-blown costume adventure (his modestly produced 1920 The Mark of Zorro was regarded as an extension of his breezy contemporary comedies). Fairbanks assumes the leading role of D'Artagnan, who after challenging musketeers Athos (Leon Barry), Porthos (George Siegmann) and Aramis (Eugene Pallette--yes, Eugene Pallette) to a duel, joins forces with them in opposition of the scheming Cardinal Richelieu(Nigel De Brulier). Plotting to discredit Queen Anne (Mary McLaren) in the eyes of her husband King Louis XIII (Adolphe Menjou) Richelieu dispatches Milady de Winter (Barbara La Marr) to pilfer the diamond brooch given by Anne to her British lover, the Duke of Buckingham (Thomas Holding). With the help of the lovely Constance (Marguerite de la Motte) D'Artagnan and the Musketeers race against time to retrieve the brooch and save their Queen. The film ends with D'Artagnan emerging victorious, a twinkle in his eye and a smile on his lips; the actual, darker denouement of Dumas' original Three Musketeers would be dramatized in the opening reels of Douglas Fairbanks' valedictory silent film, The Iron Mask (1929). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Douglas Fairbanks, Leon Bary, (more)
- 1921
Story has it that Douglas Fairbanks was approached for the role of the Yankee, Martin Cavendish. It certainly would have made interesting casting, but Harry Myers (who, a decade later, would appear as Charles Chaplin's rich, boozy friend in City Lights) does a fine job in the part. This spectacular production was a big release for the Fox studios in 1921. Wealthy Martin Cavendish is in love with Sandy, his mother's secretary (Pauline Starke). His mother (Adele Farrington), however, wants him to marry Lady Grey Gordon (Rosemary Theby). One night, a burglar breaks into the mansion and attacks Cavendish with a spear belonging to a suit of armor. Cavendish is knocked unconscious and he wakes up in a dream where he is being poked by a knight, Sir Sagramore (George Siegmann). Sagramore takes Cavendish to King Arthur's court, where he saves himself from being tortured to death by claiming a solar eclipse was his doing. Cavendish is made a knight with the title Sir Boss, and he brings the modern-day luxuries of 1921 to medieval times, including tin lizzies, plumbing, and telephones. He rescues Lady Alisande la Cartelone (Starke) from the wicked Queen Morgan Le Fay (Theby). When he goes to battle Sir Sagramore at a tournament, he shows up dressed as a cowboy and lassos him off his horse. Then he has the king (Charles Clary) dress as a peasant to make him understand that "all this nobility stuff is bunk." When Cavendish finally awakens from his dream, he goes to Sandy and they elope. Mark Twain's famous tale has been filmed numerous times; other notable Yankees have been Will Rogers and Bing Crosby. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Harry Myers, Pauline Starke, (more)
- 1921
Based on a serialized novel by Courtney Riley Cooper, Christmas Eve at Pilot Butte, this sentimental silent Western was one of 26 collaborations between director John Ford (still known as "Jack Ford") and veteran stage actor Harry Carey. Drifter Bart Carson (Carey) becomes so infatuated with the beautiful but treacherous Lady Lou (Barbara La Marr) that he is easily persuaded to assume responsibility for a crime actually committed by the lady's brother, Walker (Edward Coxen). In prison, Bart learns that Walker is not Lady Lou's brother at all, but her lover. Escaping from prison on Christmas Eve, a furious Carson heads straight to Walker's home -- only to find the man's wife (Lillian Rich) and teenage son (Georgie Stone, later George E. Stone) alone and abandoned. Taking pity on the woman, Bart gives himself up to the sheriff so she may claim the reward. Happily, Lady Lou has confessed her perfidy, and Bart is once again a free man. Shortly after making Desperate Trails, Ford and Carey had a falling out, and the director transferred to the Hoot Gibson unit. Ford, however, never forgot the veteran star, and Three Godfathers (1948), which co-starred Harry Carey, Jr., was dedicated to his memory. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide
- 1922
This crime thriller, "suggested by" the story by Hugh McNain Kahler, benefited from the fine directorial hand of Marshall Neilan. Tommy Frazer (Richard Dix) is one of a gang of crooks lead by "Tony the Wop" (Raymond Griffith). Frazer gets caught and is sent up the river for three years on a forgery rap. When he gets out of prison, he finds his girl, Ann Whittaker (Claire Windsor), waiting for him -- and she's got a scheme. She is working in a bank and wants to pull an inside heist. She and Frazer spend a year plotting out the robbery, which is successful. But Frazer has guilt pangs over what he has done and resolves to return the loot. On his way back with the box of money, he encounters his old gang, who steals it from him. Frazer and Ann go to the bank president, Denton Drew (Claude Gillingwater), and confess. But Drew reveals that he knew about their scheme, and the box held only plain paper. He forgives the wayward lovers, who decide to go straight. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Richard Dix, Claire Windsor, (more)
Ostensibly a vehicle for Jackie Coogan, the 1922 Oliver Twist refuses to realign the Charles Dickens novel to accommodate the personality of its star. This Frank Lloyd-directed silent film is one of the most faithful of all cinematic adaptations of the Dickens work. The orphaned Oliver, labelled a "troublemaker" because he dares to ask for more food, is farmed out to work as an undertaker's assistant. Escaping his cruel master, Oliver falls in with a gang of pickpockets, headed by the colorful Fagin (played by Lon Chaney Sr., who steals a lot more than a few watches and wallets in the course of the picture). Kindly Mr. Brownlow (Lionel Belmore), Oliver's real grandfather, tries to help the lad, but the evil Bill Sikes (George Siegmann) complicates matters. While Jackie Coogan may seem a bit too well-fed and self-sufficient to play Oliver, he was certainly more suited to the role than the star of the 1916 filmization of Oliver Twist--actress Marie Doro! Long believed to be a lost film, Oliver Twist was painstakingly restored in the early 1970s, using bits and pieces from various foreign prints and negatives. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jackie Coogan, Lon Chaney, (more)
- 1922
On the verge of leaving Fox Studios for MGM, silent romantic star John Gilbert appeared in California Romance. Gilbert plays a soldier-of-fortune, living in pre-statehood California. With the aid of the US cavalry, Gilbert fends off those who would block California's entry into the Union. Along the way, he wins the heart of separatist-sympathizer Estelle Taylor. Director Jerome Storm, who'd previously worked on the popular Charlie Ray vehicles at Ince, wrapped this one up in a fast four reels. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- John Gilbert, Estelle Taylor, (more)
- 1922
Humoresque (1920) spawned a large number of human interest films featuring Jewish immigrant mothers in the style of Vera Gordon. This picture's mother was played by Rosa Rosanova. Russian immigrants Abraham and Hannah Levin (E.A. Warner and Rosanova) bring their family to America. Like many others, they are in search of a better life, but Levin is not a great businessman and the other family members are forced to find employment. The Levins' eldest daughter Sara (Helen Ferguson) falls in love with lawyer David Kaplan (Bryant Washburn), the nephew of the tenement's greedy landlord Benjamin Rosenblatt (George Seigmann). When Hannah dresses up her kitchen by painting its walls white, Rosenblatt raises the Levins' rent. Infuriated by his action and frustrated by the harshness of life, Hannah wrecks the kitchen, and Rosenblatt takes her to court. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bryant Washburn, Helen Ferguson, (more)
