''The Mystic'' is a 1925 American MGM 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- ...

directed by

Tod Browning Tod Browning (born Charles Albert Browning Jr.; July 12, 1880 – October 6, 1962) was an American film director, film actor, screenwriter, vaudeville performer, and carnival sideshow and circus entertainer. He directed a number of films of vari ...

, who later directed MGM's '' Freaks'' (1932). It was co-written by Browning and

Waldemar Young Waldemar Young (July 1, 1878 – August 30, 1938) was an American screenwriter. He wrote for more than 80 films between 1917 and 1938. Biography He was born in Salt Lake City, Utah and died in Hollywood, California from pneumonia. Waldemar ...

, writing a similar storyline to their earlier 1925 hit film ''The Unholy Three''. Browning was unable however to hire his favorite star

Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

this time around, and ''The Mystic'' wound up a little-known film with a cast of now-forgotten names. Aileen Pringle's gowns in the film were by already famous Romain de Tirtoff (known as Erté).
Eaker, 2016: “the luxurious costumes for The Mystic were the work of legendary French designer Erté. Erté said it was a thrilling experience to collaborate with such a distinguished surrealist as Tod Browning.” A print of the film exists.

Plot

As described in a film magazine reviews, Zara is a gypsy rogue who joins with Confederate Zazarack to aid Michael Nash, the crooked guardian of heiress Doris Merrick, to gain control of her estate by way of fake seances. Jimmie Barton with the aid of Zara and her gypsies succeeds in swindling the Wall Street financier out of his fortune. Jimmie tries to tell Zara that he loves her. In a fight with her confederates, he proves his love for her. Zara and her band are captured by the police, and Jimmie escapes with the loot. Zara’s suitor tries to get her to marry him, but seeing the hopelessness of his cause, he notifies Jimmie. They are reconciled after Jimmie returns the stolen money.

Cast

Footnotes

References

*Eaker, Alfred. 2016.
Tod Browning Retrospective
'. Retrieved 26 February 2021.

External links

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at silenthollywood.com 1925 films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1925 drama films Films directed by Tod Browning Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub