''Janice Meredith'', also known as ''The Beautiful Rebel'', is a silent film starring Marion Davies, released in 1924 and based on the book and play ''Janice Meredith'' written by Paul Leicester Ford and Edward Everett Rose. The play opened at the end of 1900 and was the first starring vehicle for stage actress Mary Mannering. The movie follows the actions of Janice Meredith, who helps

George Washington George Washington (, 1799) was a Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father and the first president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. As commander of the Continental Army, Washington led Patriot (American Revoluti ...

and

Paul Revere Paul Revere (; December 21, 1734 O.S. (January 1, 1735 N.S.)May 10, 1818) was an American silversmith, military officer and industrialist who played a major role during the opening months of the American Revolutionary War in Massachusetts, ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was the armed conflict that comprised the final eight years of the broader American Revolution, in which Am ...

Plot

Following a disappointment in love, Lord Brereton assumes the name of Charles Fownes, arranges passage to the American Colonies as a bondservant, and finds a place with Squire Meredith, a wealthy New Jersey landowner. When Charles falls in love with the squire's daughter, Janice, she is sent to live with an aunt in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

. Janice learns of the planned British troop movement to the Lexington arsenal and gives the warning that results in Paul Revere's ride. Charles reveals his true station and becomes an aide to Washington. When he is captured by the British, Janice arranges his escape and later helps him learn the disposition of the British troops at Trenton. Janice returns to her home and agrees to marry Philemon Hennion, an aristocrat of her father's choosing. Charles and some Continental troops halt the wedding and confiscate the Meredith lands. Janice flees to

Philadelphia Philadelphia ( ), colloquially referred to as Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania, most populous city in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania and the List of United States cities by population, sixth-most populous city in the Unit ...

, and Charles follows her. He is arrested but is freed when the British general, Howe, recognizes Charles as his old friend, Lord Brereton. Janice and her father retire with the British to Yorktown. During the bombardment by Washington's forces, Lord Clowes binds Janice and abducts her in his coach. Charles rescues her. With peace restored, Janice and Charles meet at Mount Vernon, where they are to be married in the presence of President Washington.

Cast

* Marion Davies as Janice Meredith * Holbrook Blinn as Lord Clowes *

Harrison Ford Harrison Ford (born July 13, 1942) is an American actor. Regarded as a cinematic cultural icon, he has starred in Harrison Ford filmography, many notable films over seven decades, and is one of List of highest-grossing actors, the highest-gr ...

as Charles Fownes * Macklyn Arbuckle as Squire Meredith * Joseph Kilgour as General George Washington *

Hattie Delaro Hattie Delaro (1861 – April 18, 1941) was an American actress. She had a career in theater, then became an actress in silent film in the 1910s and 1920s. Delaro was born in Brooklyn. Delaro debuted on stage in 1881 at Brooklyn's Grand Ope ...

as Mrs. Meredith * George Nash as Lord Howe * Tyrone Power, Sr. as Lord Cornwallis * May Vokes as Susie * W.C. Fields as A British Sergeant *

Olin Howland Olin Ross Howland (February 10, 1886 – September 20, 1959) was an American film and theatre actor. Life and career Howland was born in Denver, Colorado, to Joby A. Howland, one of the youngest enlisted participants in the Civil War, an ...

as Philemon * Helen Lee Worthing as Mrs. Loring *

Spencer Charters Spencer Charters (March 25, 1875 – January 25, 1943) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 220 films between 1920 and 1943, mostly in small supporting roles. Biography Charters was born in Duncannon, Pennsylvania. Until aroun ...

as Squire Hennion * Douglas Stevenson as Captain Mowbrary * Lionel Adams as Thomas Jefferson * Edwin Argus as Louis XVI * Lee Beggs as Benjamin Franklin * Nicolai Koesberg as Lafayette *

Ken Maynard Kenneth Olin Maynard (July 21, 1895 – March 23, 1973) was an American actor and producer. He was mostly active from the 1920s to the 1940s and considered one of the biggest Western (genre), Western stars in Hollywood. Maynard was also an occa ...

as Paul Revere * Burton McEvilly as Alexander Hamilton * Harlan Knight as Theodore Larkin * Walter Law as General Charles Lee *

Wilfred Noy Wilfred Noy (born Wilfred Noy Blumberg, 24 December 1883 – 29 March 1948) was an English film director, actor, screenwriter and film producer, producer of the silent film, silent era. Noy was the maternal uncle of Leslie Howard (actor), Le ...

as Dr. Joseph Warren *

Florence Turner Florence Turner (January 6, 1885 – August 28, 1946) was an American actress who became known as the "Vitagraph Girl" in early silent films. Biography Born in New York City, Turner was pushed into appearing on the stage at age three by h ...

as Maid

Production

In her 19th film, Marion Davies starred as Janice Meredith in a story about the American Revolution. As with '' Yolanda'', this film was not considered to be a hit, but the trade papers reported a record-breaking run at the Cosmopolitan Theater in New York. Exteriors were shot in New York with extended location shooting in Upstate New York. Hearst built a replica of Trenton, NJ, in Plattsburgh, and the Saranac River doubled for the Delaware. Other scenes were filmed on Lake Placid. Screenland noted that Hearst spent $80,000 on the recreation of the Battle of Lexington. The film received generally good reviews. The large cast included W.C. Fields in his feature film debut. Davies and Fields had worked together in the 1916 edition of the "Ziegfeld Follies." Lorusso, Edward (2017) ''The Silent Films of Marion Davies'', CreateSpace, pp. 104-105.

Survival status

The existing print is actually the British version, which was titled '' The Beautiful Rebel''.

References

External links