''Selfish Yates'' is a 1918 American
silent Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
film starring
William S. Hart
William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integ ...
. It was directed by and co-produced by Hart along with
Thomas H. Ince
Thomas Harper Ince (November 16, 1880 – November 19, 1924) was an American silent era filmmaker and media proprietor.
Ince was known as the "Father of the Western" and was responsible for making over 800 films.
Ince revolutionized the motion p ...
. Paramount Pictures handled distribution.
This is a surviving Hart western at the
Museum of Modern Art
The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...
.
Plot
As described in a
film magazine
Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...
, Mary Adams (Novak), her sister Betty (Salter), and her dying father arrive at the town of Thirsty Center which is ruled by "Selfish" Yates. After the death of her father, Mary scrubs the floors of the dance hall and cooks for Yates. However, soon her finer qualities awaken a spark of manhood in Yates and he sets her to work teaching his protege Hotfoot. After rescuing Mary from his unscrupulous manager, Yates decides to dispose of his dance hall and devote the rest of his life to righteous living and making Mary happy.
Cast
*
William S. Hart
William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integ ...
as "Selfish" Yates
*
Jane Novak
Jane Novak (born Johana Barbara Novak; January 12, 1896 – February 3, 1990) was an United States of America, American actress of the silent film era.
Background
Jane Novak was born Johana Barbara Novak in St. Louis, Missouri to Bohemian immigr ...
as Mary Adams
*
Bert Sprotte
Bert Sprotte (9 December 1870 – 30 December 1949) was a German actor. He appeared in more than 70 American films between 1918 and 1938. He was born in Chemnitz, Saxony, and died in Los Angeles, California.
Selected filmography
* '' Selfi ...
as "Rocking Chair" Riley
*
Harry Dunkinson
Harry Dunkinson (December 16, 1876 – March 14, 1936) was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in more than 140 films between 1912 and 1935. He was born in New York City and died in California.
Dunkinson began acting on stage when ...
as "Oklahoma Hog"
* Ernest Butterworth as "Hotfoot"
* Thelma Salter as Betty Adams
Reception
Like many American films of the time, ''Selfish Yates'' was subject to restrictions and cuts by
city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors cut, in Reel 1, young woman at bar drinking with men, the intertitle "His protege, the nameless waif of a departed dance hall girl", Reel 3, Mexican shooting man, Reel 4, closeup of Riley as he is about to spring at young woman as she lies on ground, two closeups of Yates choking man, Reel 5, three intertitles "There's a rope waiting for you, Riley", "They're going to lynch Riley", and "You've got two minutes to pray", last two scenes of mob taking man from jail, scene of cowboy with rope in hand, and all scenes of man with rope around neck up to where young woman rescues him.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Selfish Yates
1918 films
1918 Western (genre) films
Films directed by William S. Hart
Paramount Pictures films
American black-and-white films
Silent American Western (genre) films
1910s American films
1910s English-language films
English-language Western (genre) films