| The Pawn of Fate | |
|---|---|
 Advertisement | |
| Directed by | Maurice Tourneur |
| Written by | George Beban |
| Starring |
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| Edited by | Clarence Brown |
Production company | Shubert Film Corporation |
| Distributed by | World Film |
Release date |
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Running time | 50 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Languages |
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The Pawn of Fate is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring George Beban, Doris Kenyon, and Charles W. Charles. [1] [2]
The film's sets were designed by the art director Ben Carré.
As described in a film magazine, [3] André Lesar, a wealthy Parisian artist comes to the Normandy farm of Pierre Dufrene and his wife Marcine seeking a rest. He is attracted by the simple-minded young wife. Pierre picks up one of Lesar's canvases and crudely sketches his wife's picture. In a spirit of mischief, Lesar tells Pierre he has natural artistic genius and persuades him to come to Paris to complete his art education, agreeing to foot all the bills. Pierre takes his wife with him, and they live at the artist's home. Pierre paints a huge canvas depleting life on his sheep farm. Lesar publishes a notice that he has discovered a wonderful genius and invites his friends and the art critics to the unveiling of the painting. Meantime, Lesar loses no time in making overtures to the wife. Lesar piles everyone with wine and then reveals Pierre's painting. In a maudlin state, Pierre barely realizes he is the butt of a cruel jest and is dimly conscious that the visitors to the studio are laughing derisively as they depart. After the guests leave, Lesar starts to "roughhouse" with Marcine. Pierre enters the room, sees his wife in Lesar's arms, and, believing her guilty, throws her out of the room, locks the door and announces that only one of them will leave the room alive. The man-of-the-world attitude of Lesar is in contrast to the seriousness of the poor peasant as Pierre, his faith in his wife dimmed, turns and beats Lesar. Pierre leaves and in his despair considers suicide but is arrested and then is confronted by the man whom he has mortally wounded. In his dying moments Lesar atones, which eventually allows a reconciliation between Pierre and Marcine. After some troubling times, it all ends happily for Pierre and Marcine.
George Beban both wrote and starred in the film as the husband Pierre. Playing the role of the much younger wife Marcine, this was one of Kenyon's first films. A review in Variety , when describing the bucolic existence of the couple on the farm in the opening scenes of the film, states that "Marcine is young and full of life, and when she disobeys, Pierre lays her across his lap and spanks her". [3] This review is an example of an early film where a husband spanks his adult wife within a supposed happy marriage. The spanking of sweethearts and wives as a cinematic trope to suggest romance would be used up through the 1960s. [4]
A review in Variety noted that, while the film may have some "minor defects in details" that would not be noticed by the average viewer, it sized up as a "rattling good feature". [3]
With no prints of The Pawn of Fate located in any film archives, [5] it is a lost film.
Maurice Félix Thomas, known as Maurice Tourneur, was a French film director and screenwriter.
Treasure Island is a 1920 silent film adaptation of the 1883 novel by Robert Louis Stevenson, directed by Maurice Tourneur, and released by Paramount Pictures. Lon Chaney played two different pirate roles in this production, "Blind Pew" and "Merry", and stills exist showing him in both makeups. Charles Ogle, who had played Frankenstein's Monster in the first filmed version of Frankenstein a decade earlier at Edison Studios, portrayed Long John Silver. Wallace Beery was supposed to play Israel Hands, but that role went to Joseph Singleton instead. The film was chosen as one of the Top Forty Pictures of the Year by the National Board of Review.
Sporting Life is a lost 1918 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur. It is the first film for sisters Faire Binney and Constance Binney, from the Broadway stage. Tourneur would re-film this story again in 1925.
Prunella is a 1918 American silent romantic fantasy film directed by Maurice Tourneur. The film is based on the 1906 play Prunella, or, Love in a Dutch Garden by Laurence Housman and Harley Granville-Barker, and stars Marguerite Clark in the title role. Clark also starred in the 1913 Winthrop Ames produced Broadway stage production on which the film is based. The majority of the film is considered lost, with only fragments still in existence.
A Girl's Folly is a 1917 American silent comedy film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Robert Warwick, Doris Kenyon, June Elvidge, Jane Adair, Chester Barnett, and Johnny Hines. Tourneur also played the director for the film within the film.
My Lady's Garter is a lost 1920 American silent mystery film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Wyndham Standing, Sylvia Breamer and Holmes Herbert. It was based on the 1912 novel of the same name by Jacques Futrelle, a writer who perished with the sinking of the Titanic in 1912.
The White Heather is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Holmes Herbert, Ben Alexander and Ralph Graves. It was based on an 1897 play of the same title by Cecil Raleigh and Henry Hamilton. The future matinee idol John Gilbert appeared in a supporting part.
In the Name of the Law is a 1932 French crime film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Marcelle Chantal, Régine Dancourt and Gabriel Gabrio. It was based on a novel by Paul Bringuier. The film was well received by critics. Variety considered Marcelle Chantal's performance "her best so far in talkers".
Fun in the Barracks is a 1932 French comedy film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Raimu, Jean Gabin and Fernandel. It was based on a play by Georges Courteline and Edouard Nores. Tourneur was remaking the story, having previously filmed a silent version in 1913. The film was one of the most expensive made by Tourneur and was a popular commercial hit.
Jealous Husbands is a 1923 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Earle Williams, Jane Novak, and Ben Alexander.
The Foolish Matrons is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Clarence Brown and Maurice Tourneur and starring Hobart Bosworth, Doris May, and Mildred Manning. It is also known by the alternative title of Is Marriage a Failure?.
The Broken Butterfly is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Lew Cody, Mary Alden, and Pauline Starke.
Trilby is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Wilton Lackaye, Clara Kimball Young, and Paul McAllister. It is an adaptation of the 1894 novel Trilby by George du Maurier. The film's sets were designed by art director Ben Carré.
After Love is a 1948 French drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Pierre Blanchar, Simone Renant and Giselle Pascal. The film is based on the 1924 play of the same title by Henri Duvernois and Pierre Wolff which has been adapted for the screen a number of times. Tourneur shot it in five weeks and came in under budget. It was the director's penultimate film, followed by Dilemma of Two Angels the same year.
The Crew is a 1928 French silent drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Jean Dax and Camille Bert. The film's sets were designed by the art director Robert-Jules Garnier. It is based on the 1923 novel of the same title by Joseph Kessel, later remade as a 1935 sound film The Crew directed by Anatole Litvak.
The Gaieties of the Squadron is a 1913 French silent comedy film directed by Joseph Faivre and Maurice Tourneur and starring Edmond Duquesne, Henry Roussel and Henri Gouget. It is a military-based farce adapted from the popular play by Georges Courteline. Tourneur later remade it as a sound film Fun in the Barracks (1932).
The System of Doctor Goudron is a 1913 French short silent horror film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Henri Gouget, Henry Roussel and Renée Sylvaire. It was adapted from a 1903 Grand Guignol play by André de Lorde, which was itself based on the 1845 short story The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether by Edgar Allan Poe. It has been called the first French feature-length horror film.
Born Rich is a 1924 American silent comedy film directed by William Nigh and written by Harriete Underhill and Walter DeLeon. It is based on the 1924 novel Born Rich by Hughes Cornell. The film stars Claire Windsor, Bert Lytell, Cullen Landis, Doris Kenyon, Frank Morgan, and J. Barney Sherry. The film was released on December 7, 1924, by First National Pictures.
The Unguarded Hour is a 1925 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Lambert Hillyer and starring Milton Sills, Doris Kenyon, and Claude King. The film's sets were designed by the art director Milton Menasco.
Figures de Cire is a 1914 French short silent horror film directed by Maurice Tourneur. The film stars Henry Roussel, and was based upon the short story of the same name by André de Lorde. De Lorde adapted the story from the stage play he wrote with Georges Montignac, which was first performed in 1912 at the Grand Guignol in Paris.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .