The Lie (1914 film)

Last updated

The Lie
Directed by Allan Dwan
Written by Jeanie Macpherson
Starring Murdock MacQuarrie
Pauline Bush
Lon Chaney
Distributed by Universal Film Manufacturing Company
Release date
  • January 6, 1914 (1914-01-06)
Running time
20 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

The Lie is a 1914 American silent short western drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. [1] The film is now considered lost. [2] A still exists from the film showing Chaney as "Young MacGregor". [3]

Contents

Plot

Auld MacGregor is a stern, religious old Scotsman who hoards his money while his son and daughter live in abject poverty. A gambler plots to rob MacGregor of his money, and he works up a friendship with MacGregor's son by giving him gambling winnings. Arthur, who dislikes the gambler, tells Auld MacGregor where his son got the money he's been spreading around, and the old man fights with his son. Young MacGregor gets in a saloon fight with the gambler, and both Arthur and MacGregor's daughter each fire a gun at the gambler simultaneously. Arthur's bullet kills the gambler, but since she is not aware that Arthur also fired a shot at the gambler, the girl believes it was her bullet that killed the man. MacGregor's son convinces his father to lie for the girl and provide an alibi for her, which goes against all his religious beliefs. The truth is later revealed, however, and Arthur is charged with the murder.

Cast

Reception

"Motion Picture World" stated: "This is a very good two-reel production....The story is interestingly presented and holds interest from the beginning. It is perhaps a little drawn-out in places, but on the whole the film is a commendable one." [4]

"Moving Picture World" stated: "It is a great play. There is a remarkable and unique situation...Allan Dawn (sic), one of the Universal top-notch directors, has produced this play. It is laid in the West, and if there is a place on the green earth that Mr. Dwan is familiar with, it is the West and its people. He has made every scene ring with realism." [5]

Related Research Articles

The year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.

<i>Back to Life</i> (1913 film) 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Back to Life is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Pauline Bush, J. Warren Kerrigan, William Worthington and Lon Chaney. This was Chaney's first film with director Allan Dwan, which was followed by a dozen more. The film is now considered lost.

<i>Red Margaret, Moonshiner</i> 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Red Margaret, Moonshiner is a 1913 American silent short romance film directed by Allan Dwan, starring Pauline Bush, Murdock MacQuarrie and Lon Chaney. This film, now considered lost, is a good example of Chaney's early attempts at creating bizarre makeups to enhance his roles, wearing a long beard and wild hair here as "Lon", the old moonshiner. The film's original working title was Warrington's Honor. Some sources say the film was later edited down to one reel and re-released theatrically as Moonshine Blood in 1916.

<i>Bloodhounds of the North</i> 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Bloodhounds of the North is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost. Some sources state the film was edited down to one reel and re-released theatrically in 1916 as Accusing Evidence, but this is disputed.

<i>The Honor of the Mounted</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Honor of the Mounted is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

Remember Mary Magdalen is a 1914 silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Pauline Bush, Murdock MacQuarrie, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

<i>Discord and Harmony</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

Discord and Harmony is a 1914 American silent short romantic drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film's scenario, written by Arthur Rosson, was based on an event experienced by composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The film is now considered lost.

The Menace to Carlotta is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Pauline Bush, William C. Dowlan, Murdock MacQuarrie and Lon Chaney. It was banned by the censor of Quebec on March 19, 1914. The film is now considered lost. Chaney also wrote the film's scenario. The film's original working title was Carlotta, the Bead Stringer.

<i>The Embezzler</i> (1914 film) 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Embezzler is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Murdock MacQuarrie. The film is now considered lost. A still exists showing Chaney in the J. Roger Dixon role.

<i>The Lamb, the Woman, the Wolf</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Lamb, the Woman, the Wolf is a 1914 American silent Western drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

The End of the Feud is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

<i>The Tragedy of Whispering Creek</i> 1914 film

The Tragedy of Whispering Creek is a 1914 American silent short Western film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. Chaney expert Jon Mirsalis says Chaney also wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Elliott J. Clawson, but the Blake book says the film's director Allan Dwan wrote the screenplay himself. A print exists in the Deutsche Kinemathek film archive, making it Chaney's earliest surviving moving picture. A still exists which shows Chaney in his role as "The Greaser".

The Unlawful Trade is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Pauline Bush, William Lloyd, Murdock MacQuarrie, George Cooper, and Lon Chaney. Allan Dwan also wrote the screenplay, based on a story by George Cooper. The film is now considered lost.

The Forbidden Room is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. The film's working title was originally The Web of Circumstance. The film is now considered to be lost.

The Old Cobbler is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Murdock MacQuarrie. The film features Murdock MacQuarrie, Richard Rosson, Agnes Vernon and Lon Chaney. The Old Cobbler was MacQuarrie's debut film as a director. The film is now considered to be lost.

<i>The Hopes of Blind Alley</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Hopes of Blind Alley is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. A still exists showing Lon Chaney as the Italian statuette vendor. The film is now considered to be lost.

<i>By the Suns Rays</i> 1914 film

By the Sun's Rays is a 1914 American short silent Western film directed by Charles Giblyn and featuring Lon Chaney and Murdock MacQuarrie. It is one of the earliest surviving films of Lon Chaney, with several prints existing in private film collections and a video release in 1995. A still from the film exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of the villainous "Frank Lawlor".

Richelieu is a 1914 American silent historical drama film written and directed by Allan Dwan, based on the play Richelieu written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It featured Lon Chaney, Murdock MacQuarrie and Pauline Bush. This was Allan Dwan's last film for Universal, as he moved to New York afterward to work at the Famous Players Company and married his lead actress Pauline Bush in 1915.

<i>A Small Town Girl</i> 1915 film by Allan Dwan

A Small Town Girl was a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Rupert Julian. The film is now considered to be lost.

Accusing Evidence is a 1916 American silent Western film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Murdock MacQuarrie.

References

  1. "Silent Era: The Lie". silentera. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  2. Lombardi, Frederic (2013). Allan Dwan and the Rise and Decline of the Hollywood Studios. McFarland. p. 30. ISBN   978-0-786-43485-5.
  3. http://lonchaney.org/filmography/12.html. Archived March 1, 2021, at the Wayback Machine
  4. Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Page 11. Vestal Press Inc. ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
  5. Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Lie". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved October 2, 2020.