''A Message from Mars'' is a 1921 American silent

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction that involves supernatural or Magic (supernatural), magical elements, often including Fictional universe, imaginary places and Legendary creature, creatures. The genre's roots lie in oral traditions, ...

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Maxwell Karger Maxwell Karger (1879–1922)''The First One Hundred ...

and starring

Bert Lytell Bertram Mortimer Lytell (February 24, 1885 – September 28, 1954) was an American actor in theater and film during the silent film era and early talkies. He starred in romantic, melodrama, and adventure films. Background Born in New York ...

, Raye Dean, and Maude Milton. It is based on the 1899 play with the same name by Richard Ganthony. The film was released by

Metro Pictures Metro Pictures Corporation was a Film, motion picture production company founded in early 1915 in Jacksonville, Florida. It was a forerunner of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. The company produced its films in New York, Los Angeles, and sometimes at le ...

on April 11, 1921.

Plot

Wealthy young Horace Parker, who is an egoist agrees to financing a communicating device which allows for communicating with Mars. He is credited for the invention and he studies his plans rather than go to a party with his fiancée, Minnie. After falling asleep, a messenger from Mars appears to Parker who announces his intentions to convert Parker (who according to the messenger is the earth's most selfish man). Parker is then shown poverty and suffering by the messenger and Parker also overhears Minnie's reproval of him at the party. Parker awakens in a house fire inside the home of a soldier that he once refused help to. Parker ends up rescuing the woman and invites her and other unfortunate people to his home, which also pleases his fiancée.

Production

''A Message from Mars'' was shot at Metro's studio on 61st Street in Manhattan. No art director is credited for the film; M.P. Staulcup or Lester J. Vermilyea are held up as likely candidates by historian Richard Koszarski, as both were known to work on Metro's New York films.

Cast

as Horace Parker * Raye Dean as Minnie Talbot * Maude Milton as Martha Parker (*aka Maud Milton) * Alphonse Ethier as the messenger (credited as Alphonz Ethier) * Gordon Ash as Arthur Dicey *

Leonard Mudie Leonard Mudie (born Leonard Mudie Cheetham; April 11, 1883April 14, 1965) was an English character actor whose career lasted for nearly fifty years. After a successful start as a stage actor in England, he appeared regularly in the US, and made ...

as Fred Jones * Mary Louise Beaton as Mrs. Jones *

Frank Currier Frank Currier (September 4, 1857 – April 22, 1928) was an American film and stage actor and director of the silent era. Career Similar to Theodore Roberts, Kate Lester, Ida Waterman, and William H. Crane, Currier had a long and succe ...

as Sir Edwards * George Spink as The butler

Preservation

A print is prepared and preserved by MGM.American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: ''A Message from Mars''
/ref>

References

External links

* 1921 films 1921 comedy films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films 1920s fantasy comedy films 1920s science fiction comedy films American black-and-white films American fantasy comedy films American films based on plays American science fiction comedy films American silent feature films English-language fantasy comedy films English-language science fiction comedy films Films directed by Maxwell Karger Metro Pictures films Silent American comedy films Silent fantasy comedy films Silent science fiction comedy films Surviving American silent films {{Silent-comedy-film-stub