The film, now presumably lost, had 6 reels[2] (i.e. it lasted approximately 60 minutes)[3] and was released in May 1920.[2] Contemporary reception was positive, reviewers praising the fight scenes and Farnum's performance.
Synopsis
The film centers upon The Orphan, a man who became an outlaw terrorizing the town of Ford's Station after watching his father's brutal murder as a young boy. His behavior puts him at odds with Sheriff Jim Shields, however the two men become unlikely friends when The Orphan rescues him from Apache Indians. The Orphan comes to Jim's aid once again after the Indians attack a stagecoach containing his two sisters and niece Helen. He becomes immediately smitten with Helen, even braving a trip into town to visit with her.
However even as Helen becomes a positive influence, many still believe the worst of The Orphan and believe him to have shot another man over a game of cards. Several ranchers, led by Tex Willard, head of the Bar 8 Ranch, form a lynch mob and capture another of The Orphan's friends, Bill Howland. Jim arrives to stop Willard and his crew just as they are about to hang Bill for refusing to divulge The Orphan's location. Tex manages to get the upper hand on Jim, only for The Orphan to arrive and once again save his friends. He recognizes Willard as the man who killed his father, resulting in a gun duel. In the end, The Orphan settles down with Helen for a peaceful life.[4][5][6]
The film adapts the 1908 Hopalong Cassidy novel of the same name by Clarence E. Mulford and plans for the film were announced as early as August 1919.[10][11] William Farnum was brought on to portray the titular orphan and he starred alongside Louise Lovely, a frequent co-star.[12][13] The film also starred Francis Carpenter, who portrayed a younger version of Farnum's character.[8]The Orphan marked the first of many films Farnum made with William Fox.[14]
Filming took place in Palm Springs, California and The Akron Beacon Journal noted that a buzzard began circling overhead during the gun duel scene between Farnam and Willard. It landed after Nichols feigned being shot, but flew away after it realized that the actor was still alive.[15] The Fort Worth Record-Telegram also covered The Orphan's production, stating that the movie filmed parts of the countryside that were not normally seen in cinema and that it used "many unusual long shots, odd angles and quick gunplay."[14]
Release and preservation status
The Orphan was released to theaters in the United States during May 1920.[2] With no known surviving prints located in any film archives, The Orphan is considered a lost film.[16]
Reception
The American Film Institute cites 6 contemporary reviews of the film.[2] A critic for Variety reviewed The Orphan, writing that the film was an example of westerns that "hand out film food to a grown-up audience".[17][18]
A review in the The Muncie Evening Press praised Farnum's acting and physical presence.[19]The Reno Gazette-Journal was also positive about the fight scenes, indicating that the actor "like(d) them immensely".[20] Other contemporary reviews shared the enthousiasm,[21][22] with The Connectitut Labor News writing that it was "the most powerful role of [Farnum's] career."[23] The Seattle Union Record, however, was of the opposite opinion and wrote that the film "did not surpass anything he ha(d) previously done."[24]
↑Hanson, Patricia King; Gevinson, Alan, eds. (1988). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States: Feature Films, 1911-1920. Vol.F1. University of California Press. ISBN0-520-06301-5.
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