Broken Chains (film)

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Broken Chains
Theatrical poster
Directed byAllen Holubar
Written byCarey Wilson (scenario)
Produced byAllen Holubar
StarringColleen Moore
Malcolm McGregor
Ernest Torrence
CinematographyByron Haskins
Production
company
Distributed byGoldwyn Distributing Company
Release date
  • December 10, 1922 (1922-12-10)
Running time
70 mins.
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

Broken Chains is a 1922 American silent Western/adventure/romantic drama film directed by Allen Holubar. The film stars Colleen Moore, Malcolm McGregor, and Ernest Torrence and was based on a story by the same name that won a $10,000 contest held by the Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and the Chicago Daily News.[1]

Story

File:Broken chains.GIF
Colleen Moore and Malcolm McGregor in Broken Chains.

Wealthy Peter Wyndham is useless in attempting to prevent the theft of Hortense Allen’s jewelry. A butler is killed during the robbery, and unable to face his cowardice, Peter heads west. He takes a job working for his father's lumber mill. Meanwhile, elsewhere Mercy Boone’s newborn child has died. Boyan Boone, her husband is callous towards the loss. He is a thug, and ne’er-do-well with a band of thieves working with him. When Mercy attempts to escape she meets Peter before Boyan returns her to his cabin where he chains her. Peter finds her and they begin a romance under Boylan's nose. Boylan learns and beats up Peter, who summons the strength to fight him for the honor of Mercy.

Cast

Background

File:Broken chains 2.jpg
Lobby card of Colleen Moore and Malcolm McGregor in Broken Chains.

The Goldwyn Pictures Corporation held a scenario writing contest with first prize winning $10,000 through the Chicago Daily News. Miss Lavina Henry, nom de plume for Miss Winifred Westover (Kimball), of Appalachia won the contest with her story "Broken Chains". The story was then used as the basis for the film's scenario written by The scenario was written by Carey Wilson.[2] [3] Allen Holubar was brought in from Associated First National for the project.[4]

Actress Colleen Moore was the first member of the cast to be chosen by Abraham Lehr. There were some questions as to whether Colleen Moore would be equal to the dramatic role, as she had made a name for herself in comedies at the Christie studio, but the vast majority of her roles to that point had been dramatic. The role was expected to be her big break but the film failed to launch her career. Moore's career took off the following year after starring in Flaming Youth.[5]

Production notes

Portions of the film were shot in Northern California in the vicinity of Santa Cruz in an area known as Poverty Flats.[6] Allen Holubar, Cedric Gibbons, and others visited the area scouting locations”.[7]

Reception

A critic for the Santa Cruz Evening News wrote, "Colleen Moore, as Mercy Boone in Broken Chains... attains new laurels as an emotional actress. Her work is thoroughly convincing during the difficult sequences, especially those in the cabin of Boykan (sic) Boone, her renegade husband, when, chained by an ankle to a cleat on the floor, she witnesses the life and death struggle between Boone and Ted Wyndham." [8]

References

  1. ^ Picture Plays and People, New York Times, May 7, 1922.
  2. ^ “Goldwyn Subjects Finished,” Motion Picture News, vol. 25 no. 20, May 6, 1922, p. 2576.
  3. ^ “Goldwyn Names Winners of Scenario Contest,” Motion Picture News, vol. 25, no. 17, April 15, 1922.
  4. ^ “Holubar to Film Prize Story for Goldwyn," Motion Picture News, vol. 25, no. 21, May 13, 1922, p. 2688.
  5. ^ “Reel Chatter,” News-Sentinel (Fort Wayne, Indiana), August 23, 1922, p. 16.
  6. ^ Santa Cruz Daily Surf, February 16th, 1915, p. unknown, as quoted in “Early Film Studios in Santa Cruz County,” by Ann Young, Santa Cruz Public Libraries, October 13, 2010.
  7. ^ “Broken Chains is Laid Among Santa Cruz Trees,” Oakland Tribune, June 11, 1922, p. W-3.
  8. ^ "COLLEEN MOORE WINS LAURELS IN "BROKEN CHAINS," Santa Cruz Evening News, March 20, 1923. p. 4

Bibliography

  • Jeff Codori (2012), Colleen Moore; A Biography of the Silent Film Star, McFarland Publishing, Print ISBN 978-0-7864-4969-9, EBook ISBN 978-0-7864-8899-5.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Broken Chains (1922 film).
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