TRAFFIC IN SOULS (1913) Analysis at Film Year

by Andre Soares

 

Traffic in Souls (1913) directed by George Loane Tucker starring Ethel Grandin and Matt MooreThom Ryan at Film Year:

“I’m confident that someone could write a book, if not make a career, with a thorough social, political, and historical exploration of George Loane Tucker’s vice film, Traffic in Souls (1913). It is both a pseudo-documentary that reveals how “50,000 Girls disappear yearly” into “white slavery,” an alleged widespread network of forced prostitution, and a thriller about clerk-turned-detective Mary Barton (Jane Gail) who infiltrates a white slavery ring to rescue her sister (Ethel Grandin) from its insidious control. … I’ll restrict my comments to the striking number of cinematic strands that seem to extend from this one movie to some of the most deliciously dirty genres in cinema: film noir, suspense, crime dramas and hi-tech thrillers. I’ll have to write that book some other day.”

Fox Before the Code at New York City’s Film Forum

Oscar Documentary Series - 1969-1970

Director Danièle Huillet Obit

 

 

by Andre Soares | October 14, 2006 | Filed Under American Cinema / Hollywood, Classics, Film, Film Reviews, Silent Films 

Comments

5 Responses to “TRAFFIC IN SOULS (1913) Analysis at Film Year”

  1. James on October 17th, 2006 10:27 am

    Thanks for this, and thank you for telling me about Thom Ryan’s site. I wonder if Kino will ever put their VHS of “Traffic In Souls” on DVD. Maybe an insightful commentary track would be an ideal outlet for Ryan to share his ideals about the social and cultural components of this film.

  2. Andre Soares on October 17th, 2006 7:46 pm

    Well, I hope Kino will come up with a “Traffic in Souuls” DVD, with some much-needed commentary. Thom Ryan would definitely be a good choice.

  3. Thom on October 22nd, 2006 9:29 am

    Thanks James and Andre for the kind and flattering words. I’d love to really dig into the history that inspired Traffic in Souls someday, but I’m not sure how one gets connected to do commentary work. Anyone out there work for Kino? ;-) Glad that you both like the historical slant of Film of the Year.

  4. James on October 23rd, 2006 7:43 am

    I don’t know. Perhaps you have to write a book on the subject first, and then they seek you out. Most commentaries I’ve heard on DVD’s are done by someone who has done extensive research on the subject or related subject and then has in some way publicized the work.

    So, perhaps you should write a book on the social/cultural values of this period of cinema.

  5. Andre Soares on October 23rd, 2006 11:18 pm

    Perhaps a whole book wouldn’t be necessary — but you might want to write a long essay on the subject. And then get “The New Yorker” to publish it…

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