The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England

Last updated
The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England
Thewishingring-1915-newspaperadvert.jpg
Newspaper advertisement.
Directed by Maurice Tourneur
Written byMaurice Tourneur (scenario)
Based onThe Wishing Ring
by Owen Davis
Produced by William A. Brady
Shubert family
Starring Vivian Martin
Cinematography John van den Broek
Distributed by World Film Company
Release date
  • November 9, 1914 (1914-11-09)
Running time
54 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England is a 1914 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Vivian Martin. Based on the 1910 play of the same name by Owen Davis that ran on Broadway starring Marguerite Clark, [1] [2] the film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey by the World Film Corporation. [3]

Contents

The film was thought to have been lost but a 16mm print of the film was rediscovered by film historian Kevin Brownlow in England. [4] In 2012, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". [5] [6] [7]

Plot

Giles is the rowdy son of the respected Earl of Bateson, and he routinely sends his father letters while he is away at school, assuring his father that he is achieving good marks in his classes. However, despite these assurances, Giles is kicked out of school for "Gross Misconduct", and he returns home to his father in disgrace.

Giles is given a tutor, but when the tutor falls asleep, Giles sneaks out to visit his Godfather, Mr. Annesley. Annesley has been having troubles himself with someone stealing his roses, and as he is about to leave town, he asks Giles to watch his rose garden for him while he is away. Giles soon learns that Sally, the parson's daughter, has been taking the roses, but when he confronts her about it, he realizes that her motives were pure, and she soon wins him over. Sally thinks he is simply a gardener, and she takes him to meet her father as the two become better acquainted.

One day, Giles pays some Gypsies to give Sally a silver ring, which they call a "Wishing ring" that will grant the wish of whoever wears it, and later, he sneaks behind Sally and kisses her after she wishes for "A kiss from her true love". After a few days, Giles receives word that Annesley is coming back, and he asks Giles to invite all of the neighbors to a lawn party to welcome him home. However, when Giles tells Sally, she realizes that she does not have the proper clothes for a fancy party. Undeterred, Giles goes out to buy her a new dress and shoes, and sneaks it into her home without her noticing, writing "From the Wishing Ring" on the box.

Before the party, Giles receives a letter from his father, telling him that he knows where he is, and that he does not wish to see him until he can earn a half-crown to prove his diligence. Later, at the party, the letter falls out of Giles pocket, and Sally and her father find the note and read it, unbeknownst to Giles. Sally, with her pure heart, takes it upon herself to reconcile the relationship between father and son, and she goes to the home of the Earl, quickly befriending him as they play chess together. In fact, Sally visits him every day, and she becomes very sad for him as he is pained by a serious case of Gout. She decides to ask the Gypsies about a cure for the Earl, and they tell her to visit the "Devils Cliff" at midnight, by the light of the moon, where she will find a magic herb that cures all disease.

That night, Sally leaves her house in the middle of the night at travels to Devils cliff, but the next morning, she is found seriously injured, having fallen off the cliff in the dark. As Sally is taken to her home, word spreads quickly that she has been injured, and the Earl immediately runs out of his house (with his gout) to make his way to her. Along the way though, his horse goes lame and he stops to borrow another horse, paying the man he borrows it from a half-crown. However, the horse actually belongs to Giles, and the man gives Giles the half crown while simultaneously telling him about Sally's fall.

Much like his father, Giles immediately runs to Sally, getting there just before his father, and the two briefly chat before the Earl arrives. Giles at first hides as his father comes in to check on Sally, but soon Giles comes out, angering his father. However, Sally tells the Earl that he must forgive his son, as he has fulfilled his conditions and earned a half-crown. The two smile and embrace each other, and all is well.

The film ends with a celebratory feast at the wedding of Sally and Giles.

Cast

Related Research Articles

<i>Harold and Maude</i> 1971 film by Hal Ashby

Harold and Maude is a 1971 American romantic black comedy-drama film directed by Hal Ashby and released by Paramount Pictures. It incorporates elements of dark humor and existentialist drama. The plot follows the exploits of Harold Chasen, a young man who is intrigued with death, and who rejects the life his detached mother prescribes for him. Harold develops a friendship, and eventual romantic relationship, with 79-year-old Maude who teaches Harold about the importance of living life to its fullest.

<i>Five Easy Pieces</i> 1970 US drama film by Bob Rafelson

Five Easy Pieces is a 1970 American road drama film directed by Bob Rafelson, written by Rafelson and Carole Eastman, and starring Jack Nicholson, Karen Black, Susan Anspach, Lois Smith, and Ralph Waite. The film tells the story of surly oil rig worker Bobby Dupea (Nicholson), whose rootless blue-collar existence belies his privileged youth as a piano prodigy. When Bobby learns that his father is dying, he travels to his family home in Washington to visit him, taking along his uncouth girlfriend (Black).

<i>Idylls of the King</i> Cycle of twelve narrative poems by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Idylls of the King, published between 1859 and 1885, is a cycle of twelve narrative poems by the English poet Alfred, Lord Tennyson which retells the legend of King Arthur, his knights, his love for Guinevere and her tragic betrayal of him, and the rise and fall of Arthur's kingdom.

<i>Days of Wine and Roses</i> (film) 1962 film by Blake Edwards

Days of Wine and Roses is a 1962 American romantic drama film directed by Blake Edwards with a screenplay by JP Miller adapted from his own 1958 Playhouse 90 teleplay of the same name. The film was produced by Martin Manulis, with music by Henry Mancini, and features Jack Lemmon, Lee Remick, Charles Bickford and Jack Klugman. The film depicts the downward spiral of two average Americans who succumb to alcoholism and attempt to deal with their problems.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert, 1st Earl of Gloucester</span> Illegitimate son of Henry I of England

Robert FitzRoy, 1st Earl of Gloucester was an illegitimate son of King Henry I of England. He was the half-brother of the Empress Matilda, and her chief military supporter during the civil war known as the Anarchy, in which she vied with Stephen of Blois for the throne of England.

<i>Alice in Wonderland</i> (1985 film) 1985 two-part film directed by Harry Harris

Alice in Wonderland is a 1985 American two-part made-for-television adventure family fantasy musical film of Lewis Carroll's books Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871). An Irwin Allen production, it used a huge all-star cast of notable actors and actresses. The title role was played by Natalie Gregory, who wore a blonde wig for this miniseries. Alice in Wonderland was first telecast December 9, 1985, and December 10, 1985, at 8:00pm EST on CBS.

<i>Everwood</i> American drama television series

Everwood is an American drama television series created by Greg Berlanti. Berlanti, Mickey Liddell, Rina Mimoun, Andrew A. Ackerman and Michael Green served as executive producers. The series aired on The WB from September 16, 2002, to June 5, 2006, with a total of 89 episodes spanning four seasons. It was co-produced by Berlanti-Liddell Productions, in association with Warner Bros. Television.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ashley Thomas</span> Fictional character from Emmerdale

Ashley Thomas is a fictional character from the British soap opera Emmerdale, played by John Middleton. He made his first screen appearance during the episode broadcast on 5 December 1996. It was announced on 22 October 2015 that Middleton would be departing as Ashley at the end of his contract after the character was diagnosed with vascular dementia in the episode aired on that day. The contract was later extended in order for the storyline to be extended. It was revealed that Ashley would be killed off at the end of the storyline. Middleton filmed his final scenes in March 2017 after his contract ended, and Ashley died on-screen on 7 April 2017, ending his 21 years on Emmerdale. Ashley appeared in further episodes in home movie scenes, making his final appearance on 13 February 2018.

<i>House</i> & <i>Garden</i> (plays) Two plays written by Alan Ayckbourn to be performed simultaneously

House and Garden are a diptych of plays written by the English playwright Alan Ayckbourn, first performed in 1999. They are designed to be staged simultaneously, with the same cast in adjacent auditoria, and were published together as House & Garden. House takes place in the drawing room, and Garden in the grounds, of a large country house. Each play is self-contained, and they may be attended in either order. As is typical of his work, Ayckbourn portrays the mostly bittersweet relationships between more or less unhappy, upper-middle-class people. The title is a tongue-in-cheek reference to the magazine House & Garden, in which country houses and gardens are often portrayed as idyllic, peaceful places.

<i>Top Banana</i> (film) 1954 film by Alfred E. Green

Top Banana is a 1954 American musical film based on the musical of the same name, starring Phil Silvers, and featuring Rose Marie, Judy Lynn, Jack Albertson and Joey Faye, all of whom reprised their roles from the Broadway production of the musical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vivian Martin</span> American actress (1893–1987)

Vivian Martin was an American stage and silent film actress.

<i>Young Dracula</i> British teenage horror drama television series

Young Dracula is a British children's horror drama comedy television series which aired on CBBC, loosely based on Young Dracula, a 2002 children's book by Michael Lawrence. It is also based on the epistolary novel Dracula, written by Bram Stoker and published in 1897.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sally Salisbury</span> English prostitute

Sarah Pridden, commonly known as Sally Salisbury, was a celebrated prostitute in early 18th-century London. She was the lover of many notable members of society, and socialised with many others.

<i>Sounder</i> (film) 1972 film by Martin Ritt

Sounder is a 1972 American drama film directed by Martin Ritt and adapted by Lonne Elder III from the 1969 novel by William H. Armstrong. The story concerns an African-American sharecropper family in the Deep South, who struggle with economic and personal hardships during the Great Depression. It stars Cicely Tyson, Paul Winfield, and Kevin Hooks. Taj Mahal composed the film's blues-inspired soundtrack, and also appears in a supporting role.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alec B. Francis</span> English actor

Alec B. Francis was an English actor, largely of the silent era. He appeared in more than 240 films between 1911 and 1934.

<i>Wild Boys of the Road</i> 1933 film by William A. Wellman

Wild Boys of the Road is a 1933 pre-Code Depression-era American drama film directed by William Wellman and starring Frankie Darro, Rochelle Hudson, and Grant Mitchell. It tells the story of several teens forced into becoming hobos. The screenplay by Earl Baldwin is based on the story Desperate Youth by Daniel Ahern. In 2013, the film was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

<i>The Mate of the Sally Ann</i> 1917 film by Henry King

The Mate of the Sally Ann is a 1917 American silent comedy-drama film directed by Henry King and starring Mary Miles Minter. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.

<i>Beautiful Kate</i> 2009 Australian film by Rachel Ward

Beautiful Kate is a 2009 Australian drama film directed by Rachel Ward and starring Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, Maeve Dermody and Sophie Lowe.

<i>Girl Loves Boy</i> 1937 film

Girl Loves Boy is a 1937 American drama film directed by W. Duncan Mansfield and written by W. Duncan Mansfield and Carroll Graham. The film stars Eric Linden, Cecilia Parker, Roger Imhof, Dorothy Peterson, Pedro de Cordoba and Bernadene Hayes. The film was released on March 27, 1937, by Grand National Films Inc.

Cordell Annesley was an English courtier.

References

  1. ↑ The Wishing Ring at silentera.com database
  2. ↑ Soister, John T. (2012). American Silent Horror, Science Fiction and Fantasy Feature Films, 1913-1929. McFarland. p. 329. ISBN   978-0-786-48790-5.
  3. ↑ Fort Lee: Birthplace of the Motion Picture Industry. Arcadia Publishing. 2006. p. 78. ISBN   0-738-54501-5.
  4. ↑ "2012 National Film Registry". cbsnews.com. 19 December 2012. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
  5. ↑ King, Susan (December 19, 2012). "National Film Registry selects 25 films for preservation". Los Angeles Times .
  6. ↑ "2012 National Film Registry Picks in A League of Their Own". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
  7. ↑ "Complete National Film Registry Listing". Library of Congress. Retrieved 2020-05-15.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.