The Devil's Bondwoman
The Devil's Bondwoman | |
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Directed by | Lloyd B. Carleton |
Written by |
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Produced by | Universal Red Feather Photoplays |
Starring | |
Distributed by | Universal |
Release date |
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Running time | 5 reels |
Country | USA |
Language | Silent (English intertitles |
The Devil's Bondwoman is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton based on the story by F. McGrew Willis and starring Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson. The movie was released on November 20, 1916, by Universal [1][2]
Background
This particular film was written by F. McGrew Willis and Walter Woods. They often combined their name into "Willis Woods." i.e., the credit for the story would be given to - "Willis Wood." In the film's original copyright entry, the names of scenarist Maie B. Havey and author Willis Woods are scratched out. The entry was replaced with the names of "Willis Woods" as the author and "Fred Myton" as the scenarist. An agreement was reached and "Fred Myton" was given credit as the prologue writer.[1]
Plot
The following synopsis appears on the American Film Institute's webpage - The Devil's Bondwoman [1]
After a prologue that takes place in Hell, young millionaire Mason Van Horton becomes involved with Doria, the vampish wife of influential businessman John Manners. When Mason falls in love with Beverly Hope, however, he rejects Doria, who, out of revenge, tells John that Mason tried to seduce her and then begs her husband to ruin him. An indignant John begins to topple Mason's financial empire but then finds his wife making love to Prince Vandloup. John, instantly realizing that she had lied about Mason and that it was she who had initiated the affair with him, denounces her. Vandloup then changes into the devil and carries Doria away with him.
- American Film Institute Synopsis
Cast
Actor Role Dorothy Davenport Beverly Hope Emory Johnson Mason Van Horton Richard Morris Prince Vandloup Adele Farrington Doria Manners William Canfield John Manners Miriam Shelby Aunt Barbara Arthur Hoyt The Alchemist C. Norman Hammond The Spirit of Fire
Production notes
The movie was filmed at Universal Studios located in Universal City, California.
During the film's development, the title was listed as - "The Devil's Die." This movie had another alternate title of "The Devil’s Bondswoman" [1]
During the shooting of this film, Dorothy Davenport married name was - Mrs. Wallace Reid. After her husband's death in 1923, she started to use "Mrs. Wallace Reid" exclusively in the credits for any project she participated.[3]
In early 1916, after Emory Johnson had signed his Universal contract, Carl Laemmle of Universal Film Manufacturing Company thought he saw a potential leading man in Johnson. Laemmle sought a leading man comparable to Wally Reid. He also hoped to create a movie couple that could make sparks fly on the silver screen. Laemmle chose Johnson to be his new leading man. Laemmle chose Dorothy Davenport to generate the screen chemistry with Johnson. She was a Universal contract player who happened to be the wife of Wally Reid. Johnson and Davenport made 13 films together. The series started with the feature production of Doctor Neighbor in May 1916 and ended with another feature production, The Devil's Bondwoman, in November 1916. Over half the films were feature-length; all were dramas. Johnson and Davenport shared top billing in most. Davenport got pregnant in October 1916, and her film output took a steep nosedive at the beginning of 1917.[4]
Ultimately, Laemmle thought Johnson did not have the talent or screen presence he wanted. He wasn't going to become Universal's answer to Wally Reid. Laemmle also believed that even though the pairing with Davenport had been financially successful, the films didn't have the screen chemistry he had sought.[5][4]
Title | Released | Director | Davenport role | Johnson role | Type | Time | LOC | Brand | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Doctor Neighbor | 1 May | L. B. Carleton | Hazel Rogers | Hamilton Powers | Drama | Feature | Lost | Read Feather | [6] |
Her Husband's Faith | 11 May | L. B. Carleton | Mabel Otto | Richard Otto | Drama | Short | Lost | Laemmle | [7] |
Heartaches | 18 May | L. B. Carleton | Virginia Payne | S Jackson Hunt | Drama | Short | Lost | Laemmle | [8] |
Two Mothers | 1 Jun | L. B. Carleton | Violetta Andree | 2nd Husband | Drama | Short | Lost | Laemmle | [9] |
Her Soul's Song | 15 Jun | L. B. Carleton | Mary Salsbury | Paul Chandos | Drama | Short | Lost | Laemmle | [10] |
The Way of the World | 3 Jul | L. B. Carleton | Beatrice Farley | Walter Croyden | Drama | Feature | Lost | Read Feather | [11] |
No. 16 Martin Street | 13 Jul | L. B. Carleton | Cleo | Jacques Fournier | Drama | Short | Lost | Laemmle | [12] |
A Yoke of Gold | 14 Aug | L. B. Carleton | Carmen | Jose Garcia | Drama | Feature | Lost | Read Feather | [13] |
The Unattainable | 4 Sep | L. B. Carleton | Bessie Gale | Robert Goodman | Drama | Feature | 1 of 5 reels | Bluebird | [14] |
Black Friday | 18 Sep | L. B. Carleton | Elionor Rossitor | Charles Dalton | Drama | Feature | Lost | Read Feather | [15] |
The Human Gamble | 8 Oct | L. B. Carleton | Flavia Hill | Charles Hill | Drama | Short | Lost | Laemmle | [16] |
Barriers of Society | 10 Oct | L. B. Carleton | Martha Gorham | Westie Phillips | Drama | Feature | 1 of 5 reels | Read Feather | [17] |
The Devil's Bondwoman | 11 Nov | L. B. Carleton | Beverly Hope | Mason Van Horton | Drama | Feature | Lost | Read Feather | [18] |
Preservation Status
No known copies of this film survive.[19][20]
References
- ^ a b c d "The Devil's Bondwoman". catalog.afi.com.
- ^ "The Devil's Bondwoman". www.tcm.com.
- ^ "Dorothy Davenport". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. American Film Institute. Retrieved April 29, 2019.
- ^ a b E.J. Fleming (July 27, 2010). Wallace Reid: The Life and Death of a Hollywood Idol. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-8266-5.
- ^ "Plays and Players". Exhibitors Herald. Chicago, Exhibitors Herald. June 1, 1918. p. 1050.
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 120.
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 213.
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 206.
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 518.
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 215.
- ^ The Way of the World at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 349.
- ^ A Yoke of Gold at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^ The Unattainable at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^ Black Friday at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^ Braff 1999, p. 238.
- ^ Barriers of Society at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^ The Devilsbond Woman at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films
- ^ Progressive Silent Film List: The Devil's Bondwoman at silentera.com
- ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: The Devil's Bondwoman / Lloyd B Carleton (motion picture)