Selfish Yates

Last updated

Selfish Yates
Selfish Yates poster.jpg
Film poster
Directed by William S. Hart
Written by C. Gardner Sullivan (story, scenario)
Produced byWilliam S. Hart
Thomas H. Ince
StarringWilliam S. Hart
Jane Novak
Cinematography Joseph H. August
Production
company
William S. Hart Productions
Distributed by Paramount Pictures Artcraft
Release dates
  • May 12, 1918 (1918-05-12)(New York City premiere)
  • May 20, 1918 (1918-05-20)(general release)
Running time
50 minutes
CountryUnited States
Languages Silent
English intertitles

Selfish Yates is a 1918 American silent Western film starring William S. Hart. It was directed by and co-produced by Hart along with Thomas H. Ince. [1] Paramount Pictures handled distribution. [2]

Contents

This is a surviving Hart western at the Museum of Modern Art. [3]

Plot

As described in a film magazine, [4] Mary Adams (Novak), her sister Betty (Salter), and her dying father arrive at the town of Thirsty Center which is ruled by "Selfish" Yates. After the death of her father, Mary scrubs the floors of the dance hall and cooks for Yates. However, soon her finer qualities awaken a spark of manhood in Yates and he sets her to work teaching his protege Hotfoot. After rescuing Mary from his unscrupulous manager, Yates decides to dispose of his dance hall and devote the rest of his life to righteous living and making Mary happy.

Cast

Reception

Like many American films of the time, Selfish Yates was subject to restrictions and cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors cut, in Reel 1, young woman at bar drinking with men, the intertitle "His protege, the nameless waif of a departed dance hall girl", Reel 3, Mexican shooting man, Reel 4, closeup of Riley as he is about to spring at young woman as she lies on ground, two closeups of Yates choking man, Reel 5, three intertitles "There's a rope waiting for you, Riley", "They're going to lynch Riley", and "You've got two minutes to pray", last two scenes of mob taking man from jail, scene of cowboy with rope in hand, and all scenes of man with rope around neck up to where young woman rescues him. [5]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Phantom Riders</i> 1918 film

The Phantom Riders is a 1918 silent American Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. The film is considered to be lost.

<i>The Woman in the Web</i> 1918 film

The Woman in the Web is a 1918 American drama film serial directed by Paul Hurst and David Smith. It was the 9th of 17 serials released by The Vitagraph Company of America. This World War I period serial about a Russian princess and the overthrow of the Tsar introduced the concept of the Red Menace to serials. The serial is now considered to be a lost film.

<i>The Mystery Ship</i> 1917 film

The Mystery Ship is a 1917 American adventure film serial directed by Harry Harvey and Henry MacRae. The film is considered to be lost.

<i>The Brass Bullet</i> 1918 film

The Brass Bullet is a 1918 American silent adventure film serial directed by Ben F. Wilson. It is now considered to be a lost film.

<i>The Bulls Eye</i> (serial) 1917 film

The Bull's Eye is a 1917 American film serial directed by James W. Horne. It is now considered to be a lost film.

The Lion's Claws is a 1918 American adventure film serial directed by Harry Harvey and Jacques Jaccard and starring Marie Walcamp and Ray Hanford. The serial, which had 18 chapters, is considered to be a lost film.

<i>The Hidden Hand</i> (serial) 1917 film

The Hidden Hand is a 1917 American film serial directed by James Vincent. This is a lost serial.

<i>Hands Up</i> (serial) 1918 film

Hands Up is a lost 1918 American adventure film serial directed by Louis J. Gasnier and James W. Horne. The serial was Ruth Roland's breakthrough role.

<i>Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman</i> (1917 film) 1917 film by George Irving

Raffles, the Amateur Cracksman is a 1917 American silent film starring John Barrymore and Evelyn Brent. The movie also co-stars Frank Morgan and Mike Donlin, and was directed by George Irving. The film has been released on DVD.

<i>Thais</i> (1917 American film) 1917 American film

Thais is a 1917 American silent drama film produced by Samuel Goldwyn, and based on the 1890 novel Thaïs by Anatole France. This film featured opera prima donna Mary Garden, making her film debut at the then-lavish weekly salary of US$15,000. Other cast members include Lionel Adams, Crauford Kent, and Charles Trowbridge. This film is considered "one of the most colossal flops in movie history, both artistically and financially".

The Man From Montana is a 1917 silent black and white film directed by George Marshall. It stars Neal Hart and George Berrell. It is not known whether the film currently survives, which suggests that it is a lost film. The film should not be confused with the 1941 film Man from Montana.

<i>Rough and Ready</i> (1918 film) 1918 film

Rough and Ready is a 1918 American silent Western film directed by Richard Stanton and produced and distributed by the Fox Film Corporation. It stars stage actor and western hero William Farnum. The picture was filmed in the Adirondack Mountains in western New York state. It is a lost film.

The Bride's Awakening is a 1918 American silent drama film released by Universal Pictures and produced by their Bluebird production unit. Robert Z. Leonard directed the film and his then-wife Mae Murray was the star. A print of the film is housed at the EYE Institute Nederlands.

<i>Who Is Number One?</i> 1917 American film

Who Is Number One? is a 1917 American silent mystery film serial directed by William Bertram and written by Anna Katharine Green. The film stars Kathleen Clifford, Cullen Landis, Gordon Sackville, Neil Hardin, Bruce Smith, and Ethel Ritchie. The film serial was released on October 29, 1917, by Paramount Pictures. It is presumed to be a lost film.

<i>Keys of the Righteous</i> 1918 American film

Keys of the Righteous is a surviving 1918 American silent drama film directed by Jerome Storm and written by C. Gardner Sullivan. The film stars Enid Bennett, Earle Rodney, George Nichols, Josef Swickard, Karl Formes, and Gertrude Claire. The film was released on February 18, 1918, by Paramount Pictures.

Tyrant Fear is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by Roy William Neill, written by R. Cecil Smith, and starring Dorothy Dalton, Thurston Hall, Melbourne MacDowell, William Conklin, Lou Salter, and Carmen Phillips. It was released on April 29, 1918, by Paramount Pictures. A print of the film is held by the Library of Congress.

<i>The Silent Man</i> (film) 1917 film

The Silent Man is a 1917 American Western silent film directed by William S. Hart and written by Charles Kenyon. The film stars William S. Hart, Vola Vale, Robert McKim, Dorcas Matthews, J. P. Lockney, George Nichols, and Gertrude Claire. It was released on November 26, 1917, by Paramount Pictures. The movie premiered in Los Angeles at Sid Grauman's Million Dollar Theater.

The Tiger Man is a 1918 American Western silent film directed by William S. Hart, written by J.G. Hawks, and starring William S. Hart, Jane Novak, Milton Ross, Robert Lawrence, Charles K. French, and J. P. Lockney. It was released on April 1, 1918, by Paramount Pictures. A print of the film is in the Museum of Modern Art.

<i>The Fighting Trail</i> 1917 film

The Fighting Trail is a lost 1917 American silent Western serial film directed by and starring William Duncan. It was produced and distributed by the Vitagraph Company of America. It was released in 15 chapters.

<i>The Woman Who Gave</i> 1918 American film

The Woman Who Gave is a lost 1918 American silent melodrama film directed by Kenean Buel and starring Evelyn Nesbit, a former Gibson Girl, "It girl" model and showgirl involved in a 1906 "trial of the century" that involved a killing and an allegation of rape – whose films often exploited the fame of her life story. The film was produced and distributed by the Fox Film Corporation. The film went into release the day before fighting in World War I ended.

References

  1. Progressive Silent Film List: Selfish Yates at silentera.com
  2. The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Selfish Yates
  3. The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Selfish Yates
  4. "Reviews: Selfish Yates". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (24). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 27. June 8, 1918.
  5. "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (25). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 31. June 15, 1918.