The Bondman | |
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Directed by | Edgar Lewis |
Written by | Louise Keller Edgar Lewis |
Based on | Novel by Hall Caine |
Produced by | Fox Film Corporation |
Starring | William Farnum L. O. Hart Dorothy Bernard |
Music by | Max Steiner |
Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
Release date |
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Running time | 6 reels |
Country | United States |
Languages | Silent film (English intertitles) |
The Bondman is an American silent film directed by Edgar Lewis and starring William Farnum, L. O. Hart and Dorothy Bernard. The film is an adaptation of Hall Caine's 1890 novel The Bondman .
The narrative hinges on Jason's vow to wreak vengeance on his father for abandoning his mother. But his father dies, and Jason turns his desire for revenge against Sunlocks, his father's son of another wife. Both Sunlocks and Jason are in love with Greeba, daughter of the governor of the Isle of Man. Sunlocks and Jason go to Iceland, and are confined in prison. Jason not knowing Sunlocks, saves his half-brother from death in the mines. Jason is freed, but Sunlocks is condemned to death. Greeba pleads for Sunlocks' life, and Jason sacrifices himself by taking Sunlocks' place and dying for him. [1]
Produced by the Fox Film Corporation The Bondman was the first film they released under their De Luxe brand. Shooting was done in Maine, on Long Island and in New Jersey. Dorothy Bernard's role as Greba was the biggest that she had up to that point in her career. [2]
During the making of The Bondman William Farnum sustained many narrow escapes from injury. In filming the story he was shown at work as a convict in the sulphur mines where prison guards forced him to drive his pick into a thin crust of volcanic earth resulting in flames and smoke shooting up into the air. The scene was created by using many smoke pots. Farnum as Red Jason made his escape. Carrying Harry Springler over his shoulder he had to fight his way one hundred feet up an almost vertical cliff. Almost reaching the summit both succumbed to the reeking vapour of the Lycopodium contained in the smoke pots. [3]
The 1828 schooner Signal was wrecked in the scene in which Red Jason is wrecked on the rocky coast of the Isle of Man. [4]
Austrian born Max Steiner was a child prodigy, studying composition with Mahler and composing music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic. After travelling to America seventeen year old Steiner became Fox Film's musical director in 1915. [5] At the time there was no specially written music for films and Steiner told William Fox his idea to write an original score for The Bondman. Fox agreed and they put together a 110 piece orchestra to accompany the screenings. The musicians came from William Fox's Circuit of Theatres, Jack Loeb's and others. [6]
It was the intention of the William Fox Film corporation to place The Bondman in special theaters throughout the country at advance prices, but pressure was brought to bear to allow the regular picture theaters to obtain this big film. [7] On the release of the film Hall Caine cabled the New York Times requesting that they inform the American public that the film of his novel and Wilson Barrett's play was taken without his permission. Fox responded that it was public property. [8]
Sir Thomas Henry Hall Caine, usually known as Hall Caine, was a British novelist, dramatist, short story writer, poet and critic of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. Caine's popularity during his lifetime was unprecedented. He wrote fifteen novels on subjects of adultery, divorce, domestic violence, illegitimacy, infanticide, religious bigotry and women's rights, became an international literary celebrity, and sold a total of ten million books. Caine was the most highly paid novelist of his day. The Eternal City is the first novel to have sold over a million copies worldwide. In addition to his books, Caine is the author of more than a dozen plays and was one of the most commercially successful dramatists of his time; many were West End and Broadway productions. Caine adapted seven of his novels for the stage. He collaborated with leading actors and managers, including Wilson Barrett, Viola Allen, Herbert Beerbohm Tree, Louis Napoleon Parker, Mrs Patrick Campbell, George Alexander, and Arthur Collins. Most of Caine's novels were adapted into silent black and white films. A. E. Coleby's 1923 18,454 feet, nineteen-reel film The Prodigal Son became the longest commercially made British film. Alfred Hitchcock's 1929 film The Manxman, is Hitchcock's last silent film.
Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907, it was the most prolific American film production company, producing many famous silent films. It was bought by Warner Bros. in 1925.
Ida Estelle Taylor was an American actress, singer, model, and animal rights activist. With "dark-brown, almost black hair and brown eyes," she was regarded as one of the most beautiful silent film stars of the 1920s.
William Farnum was an American actor. He was a star of American silent cinema, and he became one of the highest-paid actors during this time.
NoraDorothy Bernard was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in nearly 90 films between 1908 and 1956.
The Bondman is a 1929 British silent adventure directed by Herbert Wilcox and starring Norman Kerry, Frances Cuyler, and Donald Macardle. It was based on the 1890 novel The Bondman by Hall Caine.
Bernard Joseph Durning was an American silent film director and actor who worked primarily with Lon Chaney, Dustin Farnum, and Buck Jones.
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Dorothy Farnum was an American actress and screenwriter. She was noted for her work at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer during the silent era and later in Britain during the 1930s.
The Bondman is an 1890 best-selling novel by Hall Caine set in the Isle of Man and Iceland. It was the first novel to be released by the newly established Heinemann publishing company. It was a phenomenal success and was later adapted into a successful play and two silent films.
A Man of Sorrow is a lost 1916 American drama film produced and distributed by Fox Film Corporation and starring William Farnum. Oscar Apfel directed and wrote the scenario based on a play, Hoodman Blind, by Wilson Barrett.
Three Who Paid is a 1923 American silent Western film film directed by Colin Campbell, and starring Dustin Farnum, with Bessie Love and Frank Campeau. The film was based on the 1922 short story by George Owen Baxter, and was produced and distributed through Fox Film.
A Stage Romance is a 1922 American silent historical drama film directed by Herbert Brenon and starring William Farnum, Peggy Shaw, and Holmes Herbert.
The Christian is a 1915 British silent film directed by George Loane Tucker and starring Derwent Hall Caine and Elizabeth Risdon. The film is an adaptation of Hall Caine's 1897 novel The Christian. This was the third film of the story, the first The Christian (1911) was made in Australia and the second The Christian (1914) was made in the United States. The Christian was made by the London Film company, which was at the time England's most highly regarded producing organisation and whose policy was to film works of the great authors.
Wray Bartlett Physioc was an American film director, producer and artist. His film The Gulf Between (1917) was the first Technicolor film ever produced.
Dorothy Green was an American silent film actress.
Barriers of Society is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. Universal based the film on the story written by Clarke Irvine and adapted for the screen by Fred Myton. The feature film stars Dorothy Davenport, Emory Johnson, and an all-star cast of Universal contract players.
Her Husband's Faith is a 1916 American silent short film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. The film is based on a story by Paul Machette. Eugene De Rue developed the screenplay. This domestic society drama's features Dorothy Davenport, T. D. Crittenden and Emory Johnson.
Her Soul's Song is a 1916 American silent short film directed by Lloyd B. Carleton. The film is based on a story by Betty Schade. Calder Johnstone developed the screenplay. This drama's features Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson.
A Stranger from Somewhere is a 1916 silent film directed by William Worthington. Universal's Bluebird Photoplays division produced and distributed the film. The movie featured Franklyn Farnum, Agnes Vernon, Barney Furey, and Claire McDowell. The screenplay was written by F. McGrew Willis and Walter Woods who were credited under the pseudonym Willis Woods.