The Menace to Carlotta | |
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Directed by | Allan Dwan |
Written by | Lon Chaney |
Starring | Pauline Bush William C. Dowlan Lon Chaney Murdock MacQuarrie |
Distributed by | Universal Film Manufacturing Company |
Release date |
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Running time | 20 minutes [1] |
Country | United States |
Languages | Silent English intertitles |
The Menace to Carlotta is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan, featuring Pauline Bush, William C. Dowlan, Murdock MacQuarrie and Lon Chaney. On March 19, 1914, it was banned by the censor of Quebec. [2] Unfortunately, the film is now considered lost. [3] Notably, Chaney wrote the film's scenario marking his first known screenwriting credit. Initially, the film was titled Carlotta, the Bead Stringer. [4]
Carlotta's fiancé Giovanni Bartholdi (Chaney) becomes destitute after losing his money to a shady character known as "The Vulture" in a gambling game. He moves in with Carlotta and her family, including her father and brother Tony. The Vulture convinces Giovanni to lure Carlotta to a seedy dive one night, where she is to be kidnapped and sold into the white slave trade. However, her family intervenes just in time and she is rescued by her father and brother.
"Motion Picture News" praised the film noting that "The fight between Giovanni and the old father is very realistic, almost too much so." [1] Meanwhile "Moving Picture World" wrote a review that read: "A one-reel (sic) offering by Lou (sic) Chaney, who plays the villain's part...The Italian characterizations are good and the setting's in keeping...The photography is fair." [4] (Note that the reviewer incorrectly referred to the film as a "one-reel offering", while reference sources list it as two reels in length. The same reviewer however also misspelled Chaney's first name).
The year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.
The Restless Spirit is a 1913 American silent short drama film written and directed by Allan Dwan, featuring J. Warren Kerrigan, Lon Chaney, and Pauline Bush. The film is based on Thomas Gray's 1751 poem, Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard, and tells the story of a man who wishes to be a conqueror. A series of illusions follows which show him the futility of conquest when he cannot even conquer his own community.
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 in theaters as Moonshine Blood in 1916.
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.
The Lie is a 1914 American silent short western drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost. A still exists from the film showing Chaney as "Young MacGregor".
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.
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 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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
The Stronger Mind is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney, Murdock MacQuarrie and Pauline Bush. Chaney did not routinely work for the United production unit at Universal, and was obviously sent over as a one-time loan-out for this production. It is now considered to be a lost film. A still exists showing MacQuarrie and Chaney as the two bank robbers.
Accusing Evidence is a 1916 American silent Western film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Murdock MacQuarrie.
The Adventures of François Villon was a series of four silent films released in 1914, directed by Charles Giblyn and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie as François Villon. The four films are The Oubliette, The Higher Law, Monsieur Bluebeard, and The Ninety Black Boxes. The films were based on a series of short stories about François Villon written by George Bronson Howard.