''The Christian'' (1914) is a

silent film A silent film is a film without synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, w ...

drama, directed by

Frederick A. Thomson Frederick Andrew Thomson (1869–1925), sometimes spelled Thompson, was a Canadian-born director of silent films in the United States. Biography Frederick Andrew Thomson was born in Montreal on August 7, 1869. He began his directing career in ...

, and costarring

Earle Williams Earle Williams (born Earle Raphael Williams; February 28, 1880 – April 25, 1927) was an American stage actor and film star in the silent era."EARLE WILLIAMS EXPIRES: Bronchial Pneumonia Ends Brilliant Career of Pioneer Filmland Favorite", ''L ...

and

Edith Storey Edith Storey (March 18, 1892 – October 9, 1967) was an American actress during the silent film era. Early life Storey was born on March 18, 1892, in New York City to William Chase Storey and Minnie Storey (née Thorn). Her younger brother, R ...

. The film is based on the novel ''The Christian'' by Hall Caine, published in 1897, the first British novel to reach the record of one million copies sold. The novel was adapted for the stage, opening on

Broadway Broadway may refer to: Theatre * Broadway Theatre (disambiguation) * Broadway theatre, theatrical productions in professional theatres near Broadway, Manhattan, New York City, U.S. ** Broadway (Manhattan), the street ** Broadway Theatre (53rd Stre ...

at the Knickerbocker Theatre 10 October 1898. This was the second film of the story; the first, ''The Christian'' (1911) was made in Australia.

Plot

John Storm decides to enter a monastery after his girlfriend Glory Quayle becomes a diva of London's stages. Not being able to forget Glory, John leaves the monastery to devote himself to the destitute and opens a refuge in the London slums. Glory, who has become his neighbour, tells him about her friend Polly who was pregnant by Lord Robert Ure, an aristocrat. As an unmarried mother Polly is disgraced and is dismissed from the hospital where she works as a nurse. John confronts Ure telling him to do his duty by marrying the girl. Ure, enraged by Storm's interference, marries Vera, a rich American woman. John publicly exposes Ure, but he takes his revenge by spreading the word that Storm makes catastrophic predictions and is announcing the end of the world on Derby Day. Riots break out in the slums. Glory manages to convince people that John is innocent of Ure's accusations. John and Glory decide to spend their lives together.

Production

''The Christian'' was produced by the

Vitagraph Vitagraph Studios, also known as the Vitagraph Company of America, was a United States motion picture studio. It was founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York, as the American Vitagraph Company. By 1907 ...

Company of America in association with the Liebler Company. It was the first eight reel film they made. Shooting was done in part at North Scituate in

Rhode Island Rhode Island ( ) is a state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Connecticut to its west; Massachusetts to its north and east; and the Atlantic Ocean to its south via Rhode Island Sound and Block Is ...

, at Winthrop Beach, in

Massachusetts Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...

and in several places between Boston and Philadelphia. Frederick Stanhope, assistant to Frederick A. Thomson, was the theatrical director who had performed the Broadway work for Liebler Co.

Viola Allen Viola Emily Allen (October 27, 1867 – May 9, 1948) was an American stage actress who played leading roles in Shakespeare and other plays, including many original plays. She starred in over two dozen Broadway productions from 1885 to 1916. B ...

, the show's star, wanted to play Glory Quayle in the film, but

wanted the role for herself. Caine wrote the film scenario, the first time ever that a famous author undertook a film scenario of their own work. Vitagraph staff writer Eugene Mullins followed Caine's scenario.

Distribution

Distributed by the Vitagraph-Liebler Feature Film Company, ''The Christian'' was released in US cinemas on 16 March 1914. It premiered in New York at the Manhattan Opera House. Vitagraph leased the Harris Theatre on West 42nd Street, for the purpose of exclusively showing their own films, opening with ''The Christian''. A new edition of it was made in 1917 by the Greater Vitagraph ( V-L-S-E, Incorporated).

Cast

- Glory Quayle * Carlotta De Felice - Polly Love *

Harry Northrup Harry Northrup (born Henri Stabo Wallace Northrup; 31 July 1875 – 2 July 1936), was an American film actor of the silent film, silent era. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1911 and 1935. He was born in Paris and died in Los Angeles, ...

- Lord Robert Ure *

Donald Hall Donald Andrew Hall Jr. (September 20, 1928 – June 23, 2018) was an American poet, writer, editor, and literary critic. He was the author of more than 50 books across several genres from children's literature, biography, memoir, essays, and inc ...

- Francis Horatio Drake *

Alberta Gallatin Alberta Gallatin (April 5, 1861 – August 25, 1948) was an American stage and film actress active in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. During her near forty-year career she acted in support of the likes of Elizabeth Crocker Bowers, James ...

- Mrs. MacCrae, a wealthy American widow *

Jane Fearnley Jane Fearnley (née Sadie J. Fearnley; –1952), was an American stage and film actress who appeared in silent films. Her name was sometimes spelled Jane Fernley. Early life and education Fearnley was born Sadie J. around 1885 in Fall River, M ...

- Vera MacCrae, her daughter * James Lackaye - Archdeacon Wealthy * Charles Kent - Father Lamplugh *

- John Storm * James Morrison - Brother Paul, Polly Love's brother *

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 ...

- Lord Storm, John Storm's father * J. W. Sambrook - Parson Quayle

References

External links

Review by Peter Milne
{{DEFAULTSORT:Christian (1914 film), The American silent feature films Films based on British novels Films based on multiple works Films based on works by Hall Caine Films set in England Films set in London 1914 films American films based on plays 1914 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films Vitagraph Studios films Films directed by Frederick A. Thomson 1910s American films 1910s English-language films English-language drama films