Broadway Love

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Broadway Love
Broadway Love (1918) - 1.jpg
Trade advertisement,
2 February 1918,
The Moving Picture Weekly
Directed by Ida May Park [1]
Written byIda May Park
W. Carey Wonderly [2]
Produced byBluebird Photoplays [3]
Starring Lon Chaney
Dorothy Phillips
William Stowell
Cinematography King D. Gray
Distributed by Universal Film Manufacturing Company
Release date
  • January 21, 1918 (1918-01-21)
Running time
5 reels (approximately 50 minutes)
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Broadway Love is a 1918 American silent romance film directed by Ida May Park and starring Dorothy Phillips, William Stowell, and Lon Chaney. It was written by Ida May Park, based on the novelette by W. Carey Wonderly. [2]

Contents

Plot

The film follows the story of Midge O'Hara, a young country girl who leaves home in order to perform on Broadway. She is able to get hired as a chorus girl, and, at her new job, she meets Cherry Blow, a party girl and gold digger. Cherry dates one man, staying with him until his cash runs out, at which time she leaves for someone else who is wealthy. One of these men is Jack Chalvey, whom Cherry had dated until her expensive tastes left him in debt.

After meeting Midge, Jack, who has become depressed and almost commits suicide, reforms his life and also begins to take interest in her. However, Midge's own life becomes more complicated when her hayseed boyfriend from the country, Elmer Watkins (Lon Chaney), comes into town to propose to her. Midge discourages Elmer and he goes off and marries another woman. To make matters worse, wealthy millionaire Henry Rockwell begins pursuing her as well.

Midge prevents the despondent Jack from killing himself at a party, but she gets soaking wet in a rainstorm accomplishing this. Rockwell offers to help the dripping wet Midge to get home from the party. Sharing a cab ride with her to her apartment, Rockwell attempts to embrace Midge in the back seat, and he causes her to fall out of the cab and injure herself. He later proposes to her at the hospital, and Cherry winds up getting back together with Jack in the end. [4]

Cast

Production

The screenplay was based on "Broadway Love" by W. Carey Wonderly, a novelette published in Snappy Stories, on 18 June 1916. [2]

By 10 November 1917, principal photography had begun at Universal's studios in Universal City, California, as reported by the Motion Picture News. [5] By 15 December 1917, filming had ended, as reported by the Motion Picture News. [5]

Censorship

Like many American films of the time, Broadway Love was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors required a cut, in Reel 2, of an intoxicated man falling on a couch and then from same, the intertitle "I've heard tell of these places", struggle scene where man takes hold of woman's shoulders, in Reel 3, last scene of men and woman drinking at table, kissing woman on shoulder in automobile and all but the first and last struggle scenes, and two intertitles "You've left me alone" etc. and "It's your own game" etc. [6]

Distribution

The film's poster showcases Dorothy Phillips, evidence that, at this point in his career, Lon Chaney was not yet a major star. [4] A still exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of the hayseed boyfriend, Elmer Watkins. [7]

A print of the film survives in the George Eastman House Motion Picture Collection. [7]

Reception

"W. Carey Wonderly, the author of the story, knows his Tenderloin and the life that passes inside and outside of its many stage doors...Dorothy Phillips makes Midge a reality, and that is both a personal and artistic triumph. Well-played roles are provided by...Lon Chaney as Elmer Watkins, and Harry von Meter as Jack Chalvey." --- Moving Picture World [4]

"This is another one of the stories that is supposed to depict life as it is along the gay white lane. It doesn't do that, but as a feature picture it is better than the usual run of Bluebirds.... Lon Chaney carried the heavy along nicely, although there was too much comedy in his early make-up." --- Wid's Film Daily [8]

Also, Wid's Film Daily review "found the film as a whole “inconsistent” but particularly praised this “flat party” scene and noted that “the direction is greatly responsible for the interest the story arouses”"—Mark Garrett Cooper, Women Film Pioneers Project [1]

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References

  1. 1 2
    • Cooper, Mark Garrett (2013). Gaines, Jane; Vatsal, Radha; Dall’Asta, Monica (eds.). "Ida May Park". Women Film Pioneers Project. New York, NY: Columbia University Libraries. doi:10.7916/d8-c9n3-9956 . Retrieved April 10, 2022.
    • "Ida May Park". Women Film Pioneers Project. Archived from the original on August 12, 2021.
  2. 1 2 3
  3. ↑ Gmuer, Leonhard H. "Broadway Love (1918)". KinoTV Movie Database. Unicorn Media. Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  4. 1 2 3 Mirsalis, Jon C. "Broadway Love". LonChaney.org. Retrieved March 9, 2021.
  5. 1 2 "Broadway Love (1918)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The First 100 Years 1893-1993. American Film Institute . Retrieved April 10, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company. 6 (7): 29. February 9, 1918.
  7. 1 2 Bennett, Carl (ed.). "Broadway Love". Progressive Silent Film List. Silent Era. Retrieved June 26, 2008.
  8. ↑ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 81 ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
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