Home | Movies By Year | Movies from 1923
The Christian (1923 film)
Buy The Christian (1923 film) now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the movie. And once you've experienced the movie, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
'The Christian' (1923) is a silent film drama, released by Goldwyn Pictures, directed by Maurice Tourneur, his first production for Goldwyn, and starring Richard Dix and Mae Busch.'The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1921-30' by The American Film Institute c. 1971[http://www.afi.com/members/catalog/DetailView.aspx?s=&Movie=3304 The AFI Catalog of Feature Films:'..The Christian'] The film is based on the novel 'The Christian' by Hall Caine, published in 1897, the first British novel to reach the record of one million copies sold.Allen, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography The novel was adapted for the stage, opening on Broadway at the Knickerbocker Theatre October 10, 1898. This was the fourth film of the story; the first, 'The Christian' (1911) was made in Australia.
Plot
, director Maurice Tourneur (holding paper), and Richard Dix
John Storm becomes a Christian Socialist, intending to live as Christ would live. He struggles to free himself from his love for Glory Quayle. John and Glory had been childhood sweethearts while growing up in the Isle of Man. As adults they travel to London where Glory becomes a nurse and finally a star on the stage. John enters the church. Later scenes show John's struggles, the meeting of the couple at the race track, his determination to kill Glory to save her from herself and his death in Glory's arms after a stoning by an infuriated mob.
Cast
* Richard Dix as John Storm
* Mae Busch as Glory Quayle
* Gareth Hughes as Brother Paul
* Phyllis Haver as Polly Love
* Cyril Chadwick as Lord Robert Ure
* Mahlon Hamilton as Horatio Drake
* Joseph J. Dowling as Father Lampleigh
* Claude Gillingwater as Lord Storm
* John Herdman as Parson Quayle
* Beryl Mercer as Liza
* Robert Bolder as Reverend Golightly
* Milla Davenport as Matron
* Alice Hesse as Mary
* Aileen Pringle as Lady Robert Ure
* Harry Northrup as Faro King
* Eric Mayne as Doctor
* William F. Moran as Coroner
Production background
The film is based on the novel and play by Hall Caine. On the Broadway stage Viola Allen, played Glory Quayle in 1899.[http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=404740 'The Christian' as produced on Broadway, October 10 1898, at the Knickerbocker Theatre; IBDb.com] This was the fourth, and last, silent era filming of the story, with previous versions made in 1911 'The Christian' (Australian), 1914 and 1915. Some filming for this production was done in the United Kingdom.
After the screen version of 'The Christian' was written by Charles Kenyon it was approved by Hall Caine. J. G. Hawks prepared the continuity for the production.
Maurice Tourneur, with the Goldwyn players, headed by Richard Dix and Mae Busch travelled to the Isle of Man for exterior filming where they were joined by Hall Caine who co-operated in the filming of his work and held daily conferences with Tourneur.
Preservation status
'The Christian' is extant with copies at the George Eastman House, Museum of Modern Art and British Film Institute National Archive.[http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/C/Christian1923.html Progressive Silent Film List: 'The Christian'] at silentera.com[http://memory.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.mbrs.sfdb.2927/default.html The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: 'The Christian']
References
Buy The Christian (1923 film) now from Amazon
<-- Return to movies from 1923