The Light That Failed (1923 film)

The Light That Failed
Lobby card
Directed by	George Melford
Screenplay by	Jack Cunningham F. McGrew Willis
Based on	The Light That Failed by Rudyard Kipling
Produced by	Jesse L. Lasky
Starring	Jacqueline Logan Percy Marmont David Torrence Sigrid Holmquist Mabel Van Buren Luke Cosgrave Peggy Schaffer
Cinematography	Charles G. Clarke
Production company	Famous Players–Lasky Corporation
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	October 25, 1923 (1923-10-25)
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

The Light That Failed is a 1923 American silent drama film that was directed by George Melford and written by Jack Cunningham and F. McGrew Willis based on the 1891 novelette of the same name by Rudyard Kipling. The film stars Jacqueline Logan, Percy Marmont, David Torrence, Sigrid Holmquist, Mabel Van Buren, Luke Cosgrave, and Peggy Schaffer. ^{[1] [2]} The film was released on October 25, 1923, by Paramount Pictures. ^[3]

It was remade in 1939 as a sound film The Light That Failed starring Ronald Colman.

Plot

As described in a film magazine review, ^[4] artist Dick Heldar returns to London from the Sudan and wins fame through his war sketches. He meets his old sweetheart, Maisie Wells. Bessie Broke, the model for his masterpiece painting, causes a quarrel between the lovers. Dick goes blind and Bessie destroys the painting, which Dick had worked on during his last moments of sight. Later, Bessie relents and brings the two lovers back together again just as Dick's friend Topenhow leaves for the front during World War I.

Cast

• Jacqueline Logan as Bessie Broke
• Percy Marmont as Dick Heldar
• David Torrence as Topenhow
• Sigrid Holmquist as Maisie Wells
• Mabel Van Buren as Madame Binat
• Luke Cosgrave as Binat
• Peggy Schaffer as Donna Lane
• Winston Miller as Young Dick
• Mary Jane Irving as Young Maisie

Production

Exteriors for The Light That Failed were shot on location on Santa Catalina Island, and interiors were finished at Paramount studios. ^[5]

Preservation

With no prints of The Light That Failed located in any film archives, ^[6] it is a lost film.

References

1. Janiss Garza (2015). "The-Light-That-Failed - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times . Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on February 13, 2015. Retrieved February 2, 2015.
2. "The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Light That Failed". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved July 13, 2025.
3. Progressive Silent Film List: The Light That Failed at silent era.com
4. Pardy, George T. (December 15, 1923). "Feature Previews: The Light That Failed". Exhibitors Trade Review. 15 (3). New York: Exhibitors Review Publishing Corporation: 23. Retrieved April 27, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .
5. Motion Picture News. New York City: Motion Picture News, Inc. August 4, 1923. p. 565.
6. "The Library of Congress / FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog:The Light That Failed". memory.loc.gov. Archived from the original on August 20, 2023. Retrieved July 13, 2025.

External links

• The Light That Failed at IMDb
• Still at silentfilmstillarchive.com
• Still at silenthollywood.com