Best Films of 1916
October 10th, 2006 by Andre Soares
I’ve finally added another one of my Best of the Best lists, this time for everyone’s favorite movie year, 1916.
Seriously, it’s an embarrassingly meager list, including just a handful of films and performances. I’m certainly no expert when it comes to films and filmmakers of the 1910s, but I’ve liked (or at least "appreciated") several out of the 60 or 70 features I’ve seen from that period. Those are almost invariably motion pictures that feel "naturalistic," for I’ve never gotten used to the grandiose performances and highly stylized storytelling so common in those days.
Sold for Marriage, a drama with comedic touches directed by William Christy Cabanne, and starring Lillian Gish as a young Russian immigrant in the United States, is the sole 1916 release that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed watching — and one that I heartily recommend.
DEATH OF A PRESIDENT Commentary
Italy’s and Russia’s Oscar Submissions
China’s and Hong Kong’s Oscar Submissions
Early Talkies on Turner Classic Movies
Rare ROBIN HOOD (1912) Screening in New Jersey
2 Responses to “Best Films of 1916”
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have a tape of “Sold For Marriage” here. Visually, it is quite a beautifully photographed film, particularly the exteriors. And has an impressively authentic look to it. I can’t say I was as taken with it dramatically. Not Lillian Gish’s best performance from this period, and I couldn’t help wondering why they put that awful black wig on her, when her own, very long and beautiful ash blonde hair certainly would have been more than acceptable. I guess Hollywood only envisioned Russians with dark hair. But, “Sold For Marriage” is an interesting, well-made little film. Also, check out Cabanne’s 1915 feature “The Martyrs Of The Alamo” which boasts of equally impressive and beautifully shot exteriors and a similarly smooth narrative style.
Having said that, I have an unapologetic appreciation and joy of 1910’s cinema. It’s the polar opposite of 1920’s cinema. The 1910’s offered a grittier and authentic style of filmmaking. It shows the industry while it was still a relatively intimate cottage industry(Though ever expanding), still young, steadily learning, and developing a grammar for motion pictures. Before the film world consolidated later in the decade and established itself as a big corporate industry and producer of mass-market, assembly-line, glossy entertainment.
I enjoy the faster pace, the dynamic editing, the low-key intimacy(Large scale epics aside)realism, as well as the often surprisingly frank treatment of controversal subject matter. Also, with the more frequent use of location and authentic exteriors, much of the cinema of the 1910’s exhibits a rich and fascinating documentary-like feel which is often missing in the glossier, super-productions of the 1920’s.
The 1910’s are erroneously labeled as being synonymous with grand, tableaux-like spectacle and moralizing Victorian virtues. And while those qualities can be found in the 1910’s, the 1910’s also offer a compelling cinematic treasure trove, taking on controversial subject matter, and often even questioning the widely accepted morals of the time. Where heroes and villains are often found in unexpected places. Sort of pointing ahead to the usually more-appreciated Pre-Code era(1929-1934) of the early talkie period.
This isn’t to put down the 1920’s. The 1920’s have a cinematic dynamism all their own, and gave us many of the “all-time” classics which were produced during the silent era’s roughly 35 year period of existence. But, while the 1910’s often offered a bolder, more uncompromisingly frank cinematic richness, the 1920’s usually offered a glossier, lavish style of filmmaking, and often aimed much more at escapist entertainment. And the handling of social issues was less frequent in the mass-market, big studio productions of mainstream 1920’s Hollywood films.
If I may be forgiven a little arrogance, I’ll impose a list of films from the 1910’s that have been personal worthwhile and memorable experiences, and ones I’d recommend. I’ll restrict this list to American produced, feature-length films only and reserve the European films for another discussion. This is in no way a definitive or complete list. Here it is in no particular order:
Judith Of Bethulia(1914)-This film certainly won’t be to everyone’s liking. It represents a transitionary period for D.W. Griffith. It’s rather primitive, but it still has it’s moments, and a very good performance from Blanche Sweet.
The Wishing Ring(1914) Maurice Tourneur’s sumptuously photographed wistful romantic story.
A Florida Enchantment(1914) A young woman who mistakenly believes her fiance to be unfaithful takes some magic seeds that alter the gender of the consumer of the seeds. It’s a delightful and jaw-dropping early comedy with a *very* compelling gay subtext. It stars the comedian Sidney Drew(Who also directed) and Edith Storey a very striking and sadly forgotten(Most likely due to scores of lost films) dramatic actress of the 1910’s.
Cinderella(1914)A beautifully photographed and dream-like treatment of the famous fairy-tale with a charming performance from Mary Pickford.
Regeneration(1915) Raoul Walsh’s powerful and gritty story about a man who has been brought up in the tough and uncompromising streets and becomes a neighborhood hoodlum who is redeemed when he falls in love with a society woman turned social worker. A superb example of the dynamic, authentic realism to be found in the 1910’s. Some shots look as though, Walsh secretly entered the slums of New York with a hidden camera and photographed life as it was actually happening.
The Italian(1915)A hopeful and optimistic immigrant travels to America to make a life and find a piece of all the wealth America has to offer. When he arrives, he discovers an existence of ghetto-life in crowded, dirty tenement buildings, xenophobia, poverty, corruption, and heartbreaking tragedy. Directed by Reginald Barker and starring George Beban in a tour-de-force performance. Clara Williams is also excellent as his suffering wife.
Alias Jimmy Valentine(1915) Maurice Tourneur’s moody and atmospheric crime drama concerning a safecracker. An excellent performance from silent era matinee idol Robert Warwick.
Young Romance(1915) Directed by George Melford and written by William de Mille, this is a terrific romantic comedy about two big city department store workers who(Unknowing each other, yet ironically employed in the same store) after saving their meager wages,take a vacation in a posh seaside resort and impersonate high society. Beautifully photographed, and containing exceedingly charming performances from stars Edith Taliaferro and Tom Forman.
Carmen(1915) A lovely Cecil B. DeMille production. Beautifully photographed and starring Metropolitan Opera star Geraldine Farrar in her screen debut. Farrar gives a fine performance and convincingly captures the various moods of the tempestuous gypsy.
The Birth of A Nation(1915) While I abhor the unquestionably painful racist imagery( Yes, I do understand the historical context) >From a technical perspective this film is quite impressive. The historical sweep, dynamic editing, breathtaking cinematography and some moving performances all enthrall me. While I don’t *love* the film, it’s one that I can still pull out every so often and admire the cinematic qualities of.
The Stoning(1915) A powerful Edison drama about a young girl who becomes the victim of small-town narrow-mindedness and religious-based ostracism. Directed by Charles Brabin and featuring Edison star Viola Dana in an excellent performance.
The Lily And The Rose(1915) Lillian Gish never looked more radiantly beautiful than she does here. She plays a country girl who marries a big city, wealthy society gentleman. Later he grows tired of her and begins an affair with a dancer.
The Disciple(1915) William S. Hart plays a minister who journeys to a rough Western town with his wife. Meanwhile his wife falls in love with a local lothario and then leaves Hart. Excellent performances from Hart and Dorothy Dalton.
The Cheat(1915) DeMille’s lurid melodrama. What could have been heavy handed is a very stylish and atmospheric film with terrific performances from Fannie Ward and Sessue Hayakawa.
Intolerance(1916) A magnificent follow-up to Griffith’s “The Birth Of a Nation” Yet, very much an experimental film as it doesn’t follow a conventional cinematic structure.
The Cossack Whip(1916) Beautiful visual compositions highlight this rare John Collins directed drama about a young girl’s plan for revenge on the man who caused her sister’s death.
The Mystery of The Leaping Fish(1916)- While there’s nothing remotely funny about drug addiction, this film remains a jaw-dropper because of the flippant and comedic way it depicts the hero shooting up and snorting cocaine. Probably Douglas Fairbanks’ most bizarre film. And one of his most entertaining with a fun and unexpected surprise ending.
Where Are My Children?(1916) Undoubtedly this film will seem heavy-handed and melodramatic to many. Still it’s a fascinating look at the subject of abortion.
The Golden Chance(1916) Cecil B. DeMille story of an abused wife who takes a job as a personal maid of a kind society woman. When a certain guest at a party cancels at the last minute(One who was meant to charm a wealthy bachelor into a certain business proposition) the maid is then asked to impersonate the guest. The two however fall in love. An impressive film featuring an impossibly young and charming Wallace Reid and the astoundingly beautiful Cleo Ridgley.
Joan, The Woman(1916) Cecil B. DeMille’s mammoth and visually stunning production about the life of France’s saint. At 34 Geraldine Farrar may be too old to play the teenaged Joan of Arc. Still she gives a commanding and convincing performance.
Gretchen The Greenhorn(1916) Charming Triangle comedy starring Dorothy Gish as a Dutch immigrant who finds romance and gets mixed up with counterfeiters.
The Poor Little Rich Girl(1917) Maurice Tourneur’s usual rich visuals highlight this charming film about a young girl who has everything in the world she could want, but is missing the attention of her parents. One of Mary Pickford’s best.
Stella Maris(1918) A grim story and one of Mary Pickford’s strongest dramas. She plays a dual role. One as an abused, homely adopted girl, and the other a wealthy invalid who’s been sheltered from life’s harsh realities.
The Whispering Chorus(1918) Demille’s stark psychological drama about a man who fakes his death after he embezzled a sum of money from his job. Later he ends up being charged with his own murder. After the failure of this film, Cecil B. DeMille ended his long string of artistically impressive films and from then on focused on lavish and self-indulgent bedroom comedies, Biblical epics, or morality tales which juxtapose religious parables with the decadence of the Jazz Age.
Broken Blossoms(1919)Griffith’s powerful film of the interracial relationship between an abused East End waif and an Asian storekeeper.
I did make a mistake. “Judith Of Bethulia” is actually a 1913 feature.