''The First Degree'' 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 ...

from 1923 directed by

Edward Sedgwick Edward Sedgwick, Jr. (November 7, 1889 – May 7, 1953) was an American film director, screenwriter, writer, actor and film producer, producer. Early life He was born in Galveston, Texas, the son of Edward Sedgwick, Sr. and Josephine Walker, ...

. The film is a rural

melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...

starring Frank Mayo,

Sylvia Breamer Sylvia Poppy Bremer (9 June 1897 – 7 June 1943), known professionally as Sylvia Breamer, was an Australian actress who appeared in American silent motion pictures beginning in 1917. Childhood and early career in Australia Sylvia Poppy Bremer ...

, and

Philo McCullough Philo McCullough (June 16, 1893 – June 5, 1981) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 250 films between 1914 and 1969. He was born in San Bernardino, California, and died in Burbank, California. McCullough's film debut came in 1912 ...

. A

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

production, it is one of the

Carl Laemmle Carl Laemmle (; born Karl Lämmle ; January 17, 1867 – September 24, 1939) was a German-American film producer and the co-founder and, until 1934, owner of Universal Pictures. He produced or worked on over 400 films. Regarded as one of the ...

-endorsed “The Laemmle Nine,” nine films released from Christmas 1922 to February 19, 1923. The screenplay by

George Randolph Chester George Randolph Chester (January 27, 1869 – February 26, 1924) was an American writer and screenwriter, film editor, and director. Biography Chester was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 27, 1869. He was the author of such popular works su ...

is based on the short story “The Summons” by George Pattullo (published in ''

The Saturday Evening Post ''The Saturday Evening Post'' is an American magazine published six times a year. It was published weekly from 1897 until 1963, and then every other week until 1969. From the 1920s to the 1960s, it was one of the most widely circulated and influ ...

'' in 1914). The cinematography is by Benjamin H. Kline. Long thought to be a

lost film A lost film is a feature film, feature or short film in which the original negative or copies are not known to exist in any studio archive, private collection, or public archive. Films can be wholly or partially lost for a number of reasons. ...

, a complete, partially-tinted 35mm domestic distribution print of the film was discovered at Chicago Film Archives in June 2020 in the Charles E. Krosse Collection, a collection of mostly agricultural and

sponsored film Sponsored film, or ephemeral film, as defined by film archivist Rick Prelinger, is a film made by a particular sponsor (commercial), sponsor for a specific purpose other than as a work of art: the films were designed to serve a specific pragmatic p ...

s produced and distributed by C.L. Venard Productions of

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Illinois River, the city had a population of 113,150 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Ill ...

. CFA has since digitally preserved the film.

Plot

Sam Bass receives a call from the grand jury of Lincoln County. He is wanted to give testimony in a case involving the theft of his sheep, but before he learns this, he makes a confession regarding the murder of his half-brother Will the previous night. The jury learns the myriad ways his brother has wronged him over the last several years, motivated out of a mutual affection for a woman named Mary. Through flashback, Sam tells the room of how Will had him sent to jail for a year for a bank robbery he did not commit. While in jail, Sam studied law, and he starts life afresh when released. Sam runs for county prosecutor, and all is going well with him until Will arrives, threatening blackmail to exposes his past, which forces Sam to again leave town. Sam gets another start, and he is successful as a sheep farmer in a rural town when Will again appears and blackmails him. A fight takes place, and Sam assumes that he has killed his brother in the scuffle. As he finishes his testimony before the grand jury, much to the surprise of the members, sheriff brings the prisoner in the sheep-stealing case, who is Will.''Exhibitors Trade Review'' (vol. 13, no. 11), February 10, 1923: 574.

Cast

* Frank Mayo as Sam Bass *

as Mary *

as Will Bass * George A. Williams as Sheriff * Harry Carter as District Attorney

References

External links

* * *
Charles E. Krosse Collection
a
Chicago Film Archives
{{DEFAULTSORT:First Degree Film 1923 films 1923 drama films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films 1920s rediscovered films American black-and-white films American silent feature films Films directed by Edward Sedgwick 1920s melodrama films Rediscovered American films Silent American drama films Surviving American silent films Universal Pictures films English-language drama films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links