''Mid-Channel'' is a 1920 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...

based on the 1909 play of the same name written by Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. The film was produced and directed by

Harry Garson Harry Garson (1882 – September 21, 1938) was an American film director and producer. He directed 29 films between 1920 and 1934, and produced 11 films before that. He was born in Rochester, New York and died in Los Angeles, California. ...

and stars

Clara Kimball Young Clara Kimball Young (born Edith Matilda Clara Kimball; September 6, 1890 – October 15, 1960) was an American film actress who was popular in the early silent film era. Early life Edith Matilda Clara Kimball was born in Chicago on Septembe ...

. On Broadway the play starred Ethel Barrymore.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Mid-Channel''
at silentera.com

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 ...

, Zoe (Young) and Theodore Blundell (Glendon) have reached that period of married life when parties become monotonous to each other and find petty fault, forgetting the love of former years. Zoe yearns for children, and earlier in their married life they agreed to not have children until their financial status had improved. Now that they are wealthy they are forever at odds and rarely in each other's company. They quarrel and Zoe goes to her room and reads Pinero's ''Mid-Channel''. As Theodore is always busy, Zoe seeks diversion in the company of faithful friends, among whom are Theodore's partner Peter Mottram (Kimball) and Leonard Ferris (Grassby). Zoe's friend Mrs. Pierpont (Robinson) makes every effort to match her daughter Ethel (Griffith) with Leonard, and at first all seems to go smoothly. As the rupture between Zoe and Theodore reaches the breaking point, Zoe turns to Leonard for sympathy. The Blundells finally separate, and Zoe goes abroad. Theodore meets the designing widow Mrs. Annerly (Sullivan) who wins him. Zoe hears of that relationship and in despair turns to Leonard. After many months Zoe returns home and Leonard tells he to see her attorneys. She still loves her husband and Leonard is becoming somewhat of a bore, but she sees them anyway. Theodore, in the meantime, has broken up with Mrs. Annerly. Peter at this critical point attempts to patch things up between Zoe and Theodore. Theodore confesses to Zoe his relations with Mrs. Annerly. When Zoe confesses hers with Leonard, the reconciliation is cut short. Zoe goes to Leonard, who by this time has become engaged to Ethel. Forsaken by everyone, Zoe jumps out of a window to her death. The film then cuts back, and Zoe is seen shutting the book that contained the story she has been acting out in her mind. She goes to her husband and they work on a reconciliation.

Cast

as Zoe Blundell *

J. Frank Glendon J. Frank Glendon (October 25, 1886 – March 17, 1937) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1915 and 1936. He was born in Choteau, Montana, and died in Hollywood, California. Selected filmography * '' Canni ...

as Theodore Blundell *

Edward Kimball Edward Marshall Kimball (June 26, 1859 – January 4, 1938) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1912 and 1936. Like many older actors of the Victorian and Edwardian eras, he enjoyed a varied stage ...

as Honorable Peter Mottram *

Bertram Grassby Bertram Grassby (23 December 1880 – 7 December 1953) was an English actor. He appeared in more than 90 silent era films between 1914 and 1927. Grassby was married to American actress Gerard Alexander. He was born in Lincolnshire, England a ...

as Leonard Ferris * Eileen Robinson as Mrs. Pierpont * Helene Sullivan as Mrs. Annerly *

Katherine Griffith Katherine Kiernan Griffith (September 30, 1876Katherine Kiernan Griffith's birthdate varies in sources; September 30, 1876 is the date on her gravestone in Colma, California, via Ancestry, IMDB, and Find a Grave. – October 17, 1921), also seen ...

as Ethel Pierpont * Jack Livingston as Claude Roberts *

Frank Coghlan Jr. Frank Coghlan Jr. (March 15, 1916 – September 7, 2009) also known as Junior Coghlan, was an American actor who later became a career officer in the United States Navy and a naval aviator. He appeared in approximately 129 films and televis ...

(uncredited)

Survival status

The film has been released on DVD.

References

External links

* *
Lobby card
at stanford.edu 1920 films American silent feature films American films based on plays 1920 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films Films directed by Harry Garson 1920s American films {{1920s-US-film-stub