Youth's Endearing Charm | |
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Directed by | William C. Dowlan |
Written by | J. Edward Hungerford |
Based on | Youth's Endearing Charm by Maibelle Heikes Justice |
Starring | Mary Miles Minter Wallace MacDonald Harry von Meter |
Cinematography | David Abel |
Production company | American Film Manufacturing Company |
Distributed by | Mutual Film |
Release date |
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Running time | 6 reels |
Country | United States |
Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
Youth's Endearing Charm (also known as Youth's Melting Pot) is a 1916 American silent drama film directed by William C. Dowlan. The film stars Mary Miles Minter, Wallace McDonald, and Harry von Meter. The script for the film was adapted by J. Edward Hungerford from a novel of the same name written by Maibelle Heikes Justice. [1] This was Minter's first film with Mutual Film, having previously been with Metro Pictures. A print is preserved at the Library of Congress. [2]
As described in film magazines, [3] [4] [5] orphan Mary Wade (Minter) is taken in by Farmer Jenkins and his wife. After two years of drudgery and ill-treatment, she runs away to the city along with her faithful dog Zippy. With no means of supporting herself, Mary poses as a blind beggar. This ruse lands her in jail, where a fellow custodian is Harry Disbrow, a wealthy young man who has been arrested for drunkenness.
Harry is rapidly released, and, having taken an interest in Mary, he finds her employment in his parents' home as a servant. He rapidly falls in love with her, but he has been engaged to Maud Horton, the daughter of his father's business partner. At a ball given to celebrate this engagement, Mary decides to don a dress of Maud's and attend; Mrs. Disbrow passes off the girl as her niece.
It transpires that Maud's father, George Horton, has been systematically robbing from the family, including stealing a bundle of securities from a safe during the ball. When the theft is discovered, a fight ensues between Horton and Mr. Disbrow. When the pocketbook containing the securities falls from Horton's pocket, Mary takes the opportunity to seize the securities, and also to break a vase upon Horton's head. In gratitude for her bravery and for saving the family's fortunes, the Disbrows approve of Mary's marriage to Harry.
Harry von Meter was an American actor of stage and silent film. He starred in about 200 films in the period from 1912 through 1929. He retired from acting just as sound films were beginning.
Marguerite Olive Nichols was an American silent film actress. She starred in 21 films between 1915 and 1918. Actress Norma Nichols was her sister.
William C. Dowlan was an American stage performer and a film actor and director during the silent era. Most of his directorial projects were done in collaboration with his wife, screenwriter Leonora Ainsworth. Between 1915 and 1917 he and Ainsworth did extensive work together for Universal Film Manufacturing Company in Los Angeles and for the American Film Company at its facilities in Santa Barbara.
Wallace Archibald MacDonald was a Canadian silent film actor and film producer.
Gertrude Le Brandt was an American silent film actress.
Dulcie's Adventure is a 1916 American silent drama film, directed by James Kirkwood, and starring Mary Miles Minter and Bessie Banks. The script for the film was adapted by William Pigott from a novel written by R. Strauss. The film is notable for being the first time that Allan Forrest appeared as Minter's leading man; the two would make a further 19 features together, ending with The Heart Specialist. As with many of Minter's features, it is believed to be a lost film.
The Film Daily was a daily publication that existed from 1918 to 1970 in the United States. It was the first daily newspaper published solely for the film industry. It covered the latest trade news, film reviews, financial updates, information on court cases and union difficulties, and equipment breakthroughs.
The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is a 1923 American silent Western film directed by Charles Maigne and starring Mary Miles Minter. It was adapted by Will M. Ritchey from the play and novel of the same name by John Fox Jr. This was the second time that Maigne had directed Minter in an adaptation of a Fox novel, the first being 1920's A Cumberland Romance. This was Minter's final film; her contract with Paramount Pictures was not renewed, and she stated that she was "through" with films. As with many of Minter's features, The Trail of the Lonesome Pine is thought to be a lost film.
Judy of Rogue's Harbor is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by William Desmond Taylor and starring Mary Miles Minter. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Grace Miller White, with a scenario by Clara Beranger. It was produced by Famous Players–Lasky and distributed through Realart and Paramount Pictures. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
All Souls' Eve is a 1921 American silent drama film directed by Chester M. Franklin and starring Mary Miles Minter. The film is based on the mystical 1920 Broadway play of the same name by Anne Crawford Flexner, with a story by Elmer Blaney Harris. Much was made of the film's use of double, triple and quadruple exposures to enable Minter to play two parts within the same scenes. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
Moonlight and Honeysuckle is a 1921 American silent romantic comedy film directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Mary Miles Minter and Monte Blue. It was adapted by Barbara Kent from the 1919 stage play of the same name by George Scarborough. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
Nurse Marjorie is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by William Desmond Taylor and starring Mary Miles Minter. It is based on a 1906 play, Nurse Marjorie, by Israel Zangwill, with a scenario by Julia Crawford Ivers. It is one of approximately a dozen of Minter's films know to survive today, and one of even fewer readily available for the general public to view.
Don't Call Me Little Girl is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Mary Miles Minter. It was adapted by Edith Kennedy from the stage play "Jerry" by Catherine Chisholm Cushing. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
Her Winning Way is a silent comedy film directed by Joseph Henabery and starring Mary Miles Minter. The screenplay was written by Douglas Z. Doty, based upon the novel Ann Annington by Edgar Jepson and the play Ann by Lechmere Worrall. As with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
Jenny Be Good is a 1920 American silent romance drama film directed by William Desmond Taylor and starring Mary Miles Minter, based on a novel by Wilbur Finley Fauley and adapted for the screen by Julia Crawford Ivers. It is the last of Minter's films to also feature her older sister Margaret Shelby in a supporting role. As with many of Minter's features, it is believed to be a lost film.
A Cumberland Romance is a 1920 American silent drama film written and directed by Charles Maigne and starring Mary Miles Minter and Monte Blue, based on the 1899 novel A Mountain Europa by John Fox Jr. It is one of approximately a dozen of Minter's features still known to survive today.
Eyes of the Heart is a 1920 American silent crime film directed by Paul Powell and starring Mary Miles Minter. It was adapted by Clara Genevieve Kennedy from the story "Blindness" by Dana Burnet, published in the Ladies Home Journal. As is the case with many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
Sweet Lavender is a 1920 American silent drama film directed by Paul Powell and starring Mary Miles Minter. The scenario was adapted by Beulah Marie Dix from the 1888 play of the same name by Arthur Wing Pinero. Like many of Minter's features, it is thought to be a lost film.
The Little Clown is a 1921 American silent comedy film directed by Thomas N. Heffron and starring Mary Miles Minter, adapted by Eugene B. Lewis from a comedy play by Avery Hopwood. It is one of approximately a dozen of Minter's films which still survive today. A copy of the film was found in the Dawson Film Find in 1978 - although other copies survived in various holdings - and a few brief frames from this copy can be seen in 2016 documentary Dawson City: Frozen Time.
The Ghost of Rosy Taylor is a 1918 American silent comedy-drama film starring Mary Miles Minter and directed by Edward Sloman. The film is based on a Saturday Evening Post story of the same name, written by Josephine Daskam Bacon. It is one of approximately a dozen Minter films which are known to have survived - a print was found in New Zealand in the 1990s which is in possession of the BFI National Archive - and one of even fewer readily available for the general public to view.