The Idol Dancer
| The Idol Dancer | |
|---|---|
 Lobby card | |
| Directed by | D. W. Griffith |
| Written by | Stanner E. V. Taylor |
| Based on | "Blood of the Covenants" by Gordon Ray Young |
| Produced by | D. W. Griffith |
| Starring | Richard Barthelmess Clarine Seymour |
| Cinematography | Paul H. Allen G. W. Bitzer |
| Edited by | James Smith |
| Distributed by | First National Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 104 min. 92 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
The Idol Dancer is a 1920 American silent South Seas drama film produced and directed by D. W. Griffith. It stars Richard Barthelmess and Clarine Seymour in her final film role. Seymour was a young actress Griffith was grooming for stardom. She died of pneumonia shortly after emergency surgery for an intestinal blockage on April 24, 1920, less than a month after the film premiered.[1][2]
The film is based on the story "Blood of the Covenants" by Gordon Ray Young. The scenario was written by Stanner E. V. Taylor.[3]
Plot
Mary (Seymour) is the daughter of a French man and a Javanese mother and enjoys dancing. She has two lovers, one being a beachcomber (Barthelmess) who was tossed off a passing ship for failing to work and desires only to drink gin. The other is a sickly young American (Hale) who has come to the island in hope of regaining his health and is staying with his missionary uncle (MacQuarrie) and his wife (Bruce). Natives from a neighboring island attack. The beachcomber reforms and Mary comes to love him.[4]
Cast
- Richard Barthelmess as Dan McGuire, beachcomber
- Clarine Seymour as Mary
- Creighton Hale as Walter Kincaid
- George MacQuarrie as Reverend Franklyn Blythe
- Kate Bruce as Mrs. Blythe
- Porter Strong as Reverend Peter
- Anders Randolf as The Blackbirder
- Walter James as Chief Wando
- Thomas Carr as Donald Blythe
- Herbert Sutch as Old Thomas
- Adolph Lestina as Black Slave
- Ben Grauer as Native Boy
- Walter Kolomoku as Native Musician
- Florence Short as Pansy
Production
Griffith filmed exteriors for The Idol Dancer simultaneously with The Love Flower (1920), in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Nassau, Bahamas in December 1919.[5][6]
Status
A 35mm print of the film is preserved by the Cohen Media Group. 16mm prints of the film are held in private collections.[1]
References
- ^ a b Progressive Silent Film List: The Idol Dancer at silentera.com
- ^ Vazzana, Eugene Michael (2001). Silent Film Necrology (2 ed.). McFarland. p. 479. ISBN 0-786-41059-0.
- ^ Slide, Anthony, ed. (2012). D. W. Griffith: Interviews. Univ. Press of Mississippi. p. XXXII. ISBN 1-617-03298-0.
- ^ "The Idol Dancer: Feature Entertains, but Will Not Impress". Motion Picture News. 21 (15). New York City: Motion Picture News, Inc.: 3169 Apr 3, 1920. Retrieved February 14, 2014.
- ^ Wagenknecht, Edward (2014). The Movies in the Age of Innocence (3 ed.). McFarland. p. 87. ISBN 1-476-61764-3.
- ^ (Slide, 2012 & p.XX)
External links
- The Idol Dancer at IMDb
- Synopsis at AllMovie
- Stills at moviessilently.com
- Southseascinema.org