''Golden Rule Kate'' is a 1917 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 i ...

film starring

Louise Glaum Louise Glaum (September 4, 1888 – November 25, 1970) was an American actress. Known for her roles as a vamp in silent era motion picture dramas, she was credited with giving one of the best characterizations of a vamp in her early care ...

William Conklin William Conklin (December 25, 1872 – March 21, 1935) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 80 silent films between 1913 and 1929. He was born in Brooklyn, New York, and died in Hollywood, California. Partial filmography * ''Ariz ...

, Jack Richardson,

Mildred Harris Mildred Harris (April 18, 1901 – July 20, 1944) was an American stage, film, and vaudeville actress during the early part of the 20th century. Harris began her career in the film industry as a child actress when she was 10 years old. She was a ...

, and John Gilbert. It was

directed Director may refer to: Literature * ''Director'' (magazine), a British magazine * ''The Director'' (novel), a 1971 novel by Henry Denker * ''The Director'' (play), a 2000 play by Nancy Hasty Music * Director (band), an Irish rock band * ''D ...

Reginald Barker Reginald C. Barker (April 2, 1886 – February 23, 1945) was a pioneer film director. Biography Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, Barker's family moved to Scotland when he was an infant and then to the United States. Living in California, ...

from a story written by Monte M. Katterjohn and

produced Producer or producers may refer to: Occupations *Producer (agriculture), a farm operator *A stakeholder of economic production *Film producer, supervises the making of films **Executive producer, contributes to a film's budget and usually does not ...

and

distributed Distribution may refer to: Mathematics *Distribution (mathematics), generalized functions used to formulate solutions of partial differential equations *Probability distribution, the probability of a particular value or value range of a varia ...

by the

Triangle Film Corporation Triangle Film Corporation (also known as Triangle Motion Picture Company) was a major American motion-picture studio, founded in July 1915 in Culver City, California and terminated 7 years later in 1922. History The studio was founded in July ...

. The

title role The title character in a narrative work is one who is named or referred to in the title of the work. In a performed work such as a play or film, the performer who plays the title character is said to have the title role of the piece. The title of ...

in this

feature length A feature film or feature-length film is a narrative film (motion picture or "movie") with a running time long enough to be considered the principal or sole presentation in a commercial entertainment program. The term ''feature film'' originall ...

western was a big departure for Glaum. One of the leading vamps of the mid 1910s—who played wicked dance hall girls in several westerns opposite William S. Hart—she stars here as the heroine, playing a female Bill Hart, with two pistols, before such roles were common among women.

Plot

The

setting Setting may refer to: * A location (geography) where something is set * Set construction in theatrical scenery * Setting (narrative), the place and time in a work of narrative, especially fiction * Setting up to fail a manipulative technique to ...

is the

Old West The American frontier, also known as the Old West or the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that began with European colonial ...

town of Paradise, Nevada, where a young woman, Mercedes Murphy (played by

), co-owns and operates a combination saloon and dance hall called the Red Hen with her business partner, Slick Barney (played by Jack Richardson). Her little half-sister, Olive "Live" Sumner (played by

), who is crippled, lives with her and she makes every effort to protect the child. A tough, but good-hearted businesswoman, Mercedes shows a tender side at home with Live. Her partner, Slick, and a cowboy called the Heller (played by John Gilbert), who has a heart of gold, are both interested in Live. A reform movement comes to Paradise with the arrival of Reverend Gavin McGregor (played by

), who wants to clean up the town and sets up a church next to the saloon and dance hall. Initially, Mercedes is opposed to the church and there is immediate antagonism between her and the reverend. He and Mercedes come to respect each other, however, and she is so impressed by his sermons that she closes down her business. When her little sister is sexually abused, Mercedes blames the reverend and is filled with wrath. She begins a vigorous attack on the church and goes gunning for him. But the Heller discovers that it was actually Mercedes' partner, Slick, who compromised Live's virtue and shoots him dead. After Mercedes learns that it was Slick and not the reverend who betrayed Live, she and the reverend become friends. She closes down the saloon and dance hall permanently and prepares to leave town with Live. The reverend then professes his love for her and begs her to stay.

Cast in credits order

as Mercedes Murphy aka "Golden Rule Kate" *

as Reverend Gavin McGregor * Jack Richardson as "Slick" Barney *

as Olive "Live" Sumner, Kate's half-sister * John Gilbert as the Heller

Uncredited cast listed alphabetically

Gertrude Claire Gertrude Claire (July 16, 1852 – April 28, 1928) was an actress of the American stage and Hollywood silent motion pictures. Biography Claire was born in Chicago, Illinois, and began appearing onstage at the age of 16. She played minor roles i ...

as Mrs. McGregor * Josephine Headley as Vegas Kate * J.P. Lockney as "Nose Paint" Jonas *

Milton Ross Milton Ross (December 2, 1876 – September 6, 1941) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1914 and 1948. Selected filmography * '' The Green Swamp'' (1916) * '' The Gunfighter'' (1917) * ''The Desert Man'' ...

as Jim Preston

Reviews

A ''

Los Angeles Times The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the ...

review A review is an evaluation of a publication, product, service, or company or a critical take on current affairs in literature, politics or culture. In addition to a critical evaluation, the review's author may assign the work a content rating, ...

of Sunday, August 12, 1917, reads:

"Attention to details in the modern photoplay is strenuous work, and particularly is this the case since motion picture "fans" are keenly critical of the most minute errors. Woe to the director who lets hero leave the house with a fedora hat and arrive at the cafe with a derby, or perform any other such discrepancy. In "Golden Rule Kate," in which Louise Glaum is being starred at Clune's Broadway this week, Director Reginald Barker had all the trials that such alternating of scenes necessitates. The production is a big dramatic western play of the Bill Hart type, and all the exteriors were filmed at the Santa Monica ranch studios of the Triangle, where a complete western town has been built for productions of this nature. All through the production the action shifts from the dance hall to the church and from various interiors to the western street. Needless to say that the director and actors had a busy time of it, remembering all the infinitesimal details that combine to make the picture as artistically perfect as possible. Miss Glaum in this new production has a role radically different from her usual "siren" parts. It is a sort of feminized Bill Hart character she portrays as "The Sage Brush Hen," owner of a saloon and dance hall in Paradise, Nev. The picture is full of striking dramatic situations, tense moments and acting. It makes a strong human interest appeal, combining rapid-fire action, romance and comedy. Jack Gilbert, Jack Richardson, Mildred Harris, William Conklin, Gertrude Claire and J. P. Lockney form a strong supporting cast for Miss Glaum.""Watch The Details --- Director Has Strenuous Time in the Louise Glaum Feature." ''Los Angeles Times''. Aug. 12, 1917. p. III 3.

A ''Times'' review of Wednesday, August 15, 1917, reads:

"Louise Glaum isn't "vamping" a single "vamp"—and she's wearing only one gown in "Golden Rule Kate" at Clune's Broadway, this week. I know this will sound to you just like announcing Bill Hart without Fritz, Mary Pickford without curls, the American people without a vote, or any other national calamity. Yet "Golden Rule Kate" is one of the most original piquant picture plays we've had in a blue moon, and Monte Katterjohn should mark up a red-letter day on his calendar. In this two-dimension drama, Miss Glaum plays the role of a young woman who, having come to a new Nevada mining camp with the gold rush, and finding no gold, courageously starts out to run a dance hall. She has her little sister, Mildred Harris, with her, and strives to have the child lead the sheltered life. Along comes a preacher, played with superior strength and sincerity by William Conklin, who in this role proves himself possessed in high degree of a nice sense of dramatic values. At once there is antagonism between Kate—who is a sort of Diana of the dance halls for personal chastity and a sense of justice—and the minister. He is lassoed in his pulpit and dragged to the dance hall, but Kate's sense of fair play is outraged by the act, and she makes the cowboys liberate him. He calls on her, and tells her he misses her at church. "And I've missed you at the dance hall," she says. "If you'll tend bar for me for an hour, I'll go to your church next Sunday," says Kate. And he takes her up, with a mixture of humor and devotion to the cause which makes a delicious combination of motive such as is seldom put over on the screen. Of course in the final film foot, she comes into the fold and the minister's embrace. There is some unusually good acting done in this picture, which is directed by Reginald Barker. Jack Gilbert plays "The Heller" with zest, not alone his acting, but his personality getting over wonderfully well. Gertrude Claire, one of the sweetest "mothers" in the films wins a golden place by her acting in this picture; and there is a drunk played by someone whose name I do not know that is an artistic creation in itself.""General Reviews --- Clune's Broadway." ''Los Angeles Times''. Aug. 15, 1917. p. II 3.

Censorship

Like many American films of the time, ''Golden Rule Kate'' was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors issued the film an Adults Only permit and required the following changes: reel 1, flash gambling scenes and cut all scenes of women embracing men at the bar or women drinking at the bar; reel 2, flash two gambling scenes and cut all but one scene of girl pointing gun at minister and all but one scene of girl with gun holding back crowd at saloon; reel 3, cut close-up of blonde woman and man drinking at bar; reel 4, flash all gambling scenes and cut 5 scenes of man and girl embracing at bar; and reel 5, cut scene of shooting man.

Preservation status

A print film still exists although possibly in an abridged form.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Golden Rule Kate''
at silentera.com

References

External links

*
''Golden Rule Kate''
at the AFI Catalog of Feature Films * {{Allmovie, 93520, Golden Rule Kate synopsis
Lantern slide and film stills
at silenthollywood.com 1917 films 1917 Western (genre) films 1917 drama films American black-and-white films Silent American Western (genre) films Triangle Film Corporation films Films directed by Reginald Barker 1910s American films