Black Beauty (1921 film)
| Black Beauty | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Still with Paige and Morrison from Photoplay magazine | |
| Directed by | David Smith |
| Screenplay by | George Randolph Chester William B. Courtney Lillian Christy Chester |
| Produced by | Albert E. Smith |
| Starring | Jean Paige James Morrison George Webb |
| Cinematography | Reginald Lyons |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Vitagraph Company of America |
Release date |
|
Running time | 70 minutes; 7 reels |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film(English intertitles) |
Black Beauty was a 1921 silent movie version of Anna Sewell's novel of the same name. Black Beauty is an autobiography of a horse, who tells the story of his life and of the people surrounding him.[1] This film exists in an incomplete state with four of seven reels preserved at the Library of Congress.[2][3]
Plot
As summarized in a film publication,[4] a human love story was added to the horse story, which includes a fox hunt and race. At a house party given by Squire Gordon (Steppling), his daughter Jessie (Paige) and Harry Blomefield (Morrison) are playing games with the children, although they have reached the age where Harry realizes that he loves her. Among the guests is Jack Beckett (Webb), who lives by his wits and has gained entree as a favorite of the haughty Lady Wynsaring (Farrington). Squire Gordon gives Lord Wynwaring (Peacocke) 800 pounds for his wife's charity, which Jack steals from the Wynwaring room. During a fox hunt the next morning, Jessie's brother George (Kenny) is killed in a fall from his horse. Jack puts the stolen money in the pocket of the dead man and tells Jessie that her brother was a thief. To prevent him from telling her mother, Jessie agrees to marry Jack when she comes of age. Jessie meanwhile realizes that she loves Harry, who cannot understand her wish to marry Jack. Several years pass and Harry tries to elope with Jessie, but is foiled. After a race sequence, Black Beauty carries Harry to victory and to Jessie, foiling the plans of the villain Jack.
Cast
- Jean Paige - Jessie Gordon
- James Morrison - Harry Blomefield
- George Webb - Jack Beckett
- Bobby Mack - Derby Ghost
- John Steppling - Squire Gordon
- Leslie T. Peacocke - Lord Wynwaring
- Adele Farrington - Lady Wynsaring
- Chick Morrison - John Manly (*billed Charles Morrison)
- Mollie McConnell - Mrs Gordon (*posthumous appearance; McConnell died before the film was released)
- Colin Kenny - George Gordon
- Georgia French - Flora Gordon
- Robert Bolder - Vicar Blomefield
- Margaret Mann - Mrs. Blomefield
- George C. Pearce - Farmer Grey (*as George Pierce)
- James Connelly - Fat Bailiff
- Robert Milasch - Lean Bailiff
- James Donnelly - uncredited
Production
For its 1929 re-release the film was cut to 35 minutes.
References
- ^ Black Beauty at silentera.com
- ^ Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artists Collection at The Library of Congress published by The American Film Institute, c.1978
- ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Black Beauty
- ^ ""Black Beauty" Characterized by Thrills and Extravagant Production". Film Daily. 15 (7). New York City: Wyd's Films and Film Folks, Inc.: 3 Jan 9, 1921. Retrieved 2014-03-05.
External links
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