Volume II: Filmography

FIRES OF YOUTH

 

Working title: IRON-HEARTED PEMBERTON

(Pathé Exchange)

June 17, 1917 (Sunday)

Length: 5 reels

Character: Drama; Pathé Gold Rooster Play

Director: Emile Chautard

Assistant director: James Ewens

Scenario: Agnes Christine Johnston

Cameraman: Jacques Bizeul

Cast: Frederick Warde (Iron-Hearted Pemberton), Jeanne Eagels (Billy's sister), Helen Badgley (Billy), Ernest Howard (Billy's father), Robert Vaughn (Jim), James Ewens, Carey L. Hastings, Grace Stevens

Notes: 1. Articles in The Moving Picture World, June 9, 1917, and Exhibitors Herald, June 16, 1917, gave the release date erroneously as June 15, 1917. 2. A Butterfly five-reel film had as its working title The Fire of Youth and was released in mid-June 1917 as The Flame of Youth. 3. The surname Pemberton was also used by a character in A Modern Monte Cristo.

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, May 12, 1917. Excerpt from an article quoting Edwin Thanhouser:

"'So many people are curious to see Frederick Warde in his first modern play, Hinton's Double, that we have casted him for another minus doublet and hose. The Shakespeare fans throughout the country, who have organized Frederick Warde Shakespearean clubs, don't know what to make of it. But they all wish him well in the change, and their interest in his future pictures has increased for the very reason that the films will reveal a new Frederick Warde to them. We have not decided on a definite title for this feature as yet, but I might state that the cast consists of Mr. Warde, Jeanne Eagels, Robert Vaughn, Carey Hastings, James Ewens, Ernest Howard, Grace Stevens, and little Helen Badgley.'"

ARTICLE, The Morning Telegraph, June 3, 1917:

"Fires of Youth, the Thanhouser-Pathé Gold Rooster Play, released June 15, is conspicuous as the first production directed by the veteran Emile Chautard for the Thanhouser forces. Mr. Chautard is considered the dean of modern picture directors, having entered the business in France in its infancy and transformed the Eclair pictures from stereotyped photographs of drama to dramatic visualizations of unusual stories. The year 1914 saw the production in Paris of the first multiple reeler of its size made up to that time - L'Aiglon, in 13 reels. Chautard was the producer; Edmond Rostand, the noted author of this great work, had selected him from among a score of celebrated French directors for this important job. The French government, for the first time in history, permitted the actors of the Comedie Française to appear in a film production. Under Mr. Chautard's direction in the new Thanhouser-Pathé production are Frederick Warde, the Shakespearean stage star, and Jeanne Eagels, late leading woman for George Arliss."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, June 9, 1917:

"After a long absence from the Thanhouser studio, Helen Badgley, famous as the 'The Thanhouser Kidlet,' is back on the job. Of course the 'Kidlet' is much older now; in fact, is no longer really a 'kidlet.' She is eight years old! 'Oh yes, I have grown up,' says Helen, 'and I hope the people around this studio will call me 'Miss' now.' One thing must have indicated to Miss Badgley that the studio recognized she had grown up. She was given a separate dressing room. In old days she 'made up' with some older member of the stock company. Now she occupies her own room adjoining that of Jeanne Eagels, whom, with Frederick Warde, she supports in the new feature. 'Yes, Miss Eagels and I are in it,' concedes Helen. 'It,' by the way is Fires of Youth, Emile Chautard's first Thanhouser-Pathé Gold Rooster Play, which is released June 15."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, June 23, 1917:

"Peter Pemberton, a steel king, commonly called Iron-Hearted by his employees, spent the greater part of his life toiling to amass millions. He had given his boyhood and youth in exchange for his massive fortune, and now he discovered that his capacity for pleasure was gone. He wanted to play as he should have done long ago. Having forgotten how, he returned to the little factory town where he had spent his youth. Little Billy was told by his father that Pemberton was a human impersonation of the devil. Anxious to see him, Billy went to his home. Pemberton was trying to amuse himself by playing with a toy engine but came to the conclusion that he was too old, but Billy taught him how. Billy never dreamed that he was talking to Pemberton, as he mistook his valet for him. Billy won the heart of Pemberton.

"It was through Billy that Pemberton went down to the mills as the inexperienced Peter Brown. There he met Rose, and she seemed the incarnation of youth. The companionship of Rose and Billy, and the love of the factory people, made Pemberton happy. Peter, thinking that Rose cared for him, and that she did not consider him old, fostered the thought that someday he might bring her home as a wife. Returning one evening he discovered he was mistaken; it was Jim who Rose loved.

"Little Billy, fearing that Peter would be fired because he failed to go to work the next day, went to the factory to work his molds. A furnace exploded, letting forth a seething blaze of molten metal. He was not expected to live. This was the last straw; the men determined to have revenge. Pemberton must die. The men drew, and the one who drew the marked slip was to kill Pemberton. Rose drew for Jim. Pemberton was watching her. She drew back pale and trembling."

Note: The synopsis ends abruptly here at the end of page 1993 in The Moving Picture World; perhaps it was intended to continue it on another page, but this was not done.

REVIEW, Exhibitors Herald, June 30, 1917: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

REVIEW, Exhibitor's Trade Review, June 9, 1917:

"Once more through a master character portrayal Frederick Warde has been able to bring a plot of ordinary tendencies up to that of a feature of value. Fires of Youth offers a more than average program feature with a consistent plot development, vividly portrayed scenes, well maintained atmosphere, and a cast of exceptional worth. The action of the play is somewhat brisk at the very start, lags considerably during the second and third reels, but reaches its stride during the last. Through the entire production there runs a simple heart appeal that reaches its greatest sympathetic height at the time Billy is brought from the factory badly hurt. Careful attention was paid to detail, especially in the scenes in and about the poor section of the mill town.

"Throughout the five reels the strong and appealing acting of Frederick Warde is ever in prominence. From first to last it is his thorough understanding and power to convince the audience together with his unquestioned artistic ability that occupy the attention of one throughout. Jean Eagels as Billy's sister presents her part in a pleasing and charming manner, while Helen Badgley as little Billy does better in this production than in any of her previous productions. It is her childlike simplicity and avoidance of all overdrawn kiddish mannerisms that makes her role the valued part that it is. Fires of Youth is a typical Thanhouser production well worthy of the attention of the exhibitors who are looking for clean cut stories enacted by capable casts, but in this release the producer goes a step further and besides offering a well directed and sympathetic story there is also added a new little star that is gradually becoming one of the strongest box office attractions of today. There is no doubt but that The Fires of Youth is a meritorious photoplay."

REVIEW by Frances Agnew, The Morning Telegraph, June 3, 1917:

"Fires of Youth is a typical Thanhouser release. Its plot concerns real people, not the people in the slums nor in society, but the great middle-class folk who toll in the factories, make happy, modest homes and to the best of their ability live. It is a story that holds by its sympathetic human interest rather than strength of plot or development. It is not designed to thrill, but to appeal by its picturization of the life of a toiler and to entertain by its human situations. It fully achieves this purpose and is a feature that will win on any program, having a special interest for every age. Peter Pemberton has missed the joy of living by his ceaseless grind for money. He denies every right of the workmen in his mill and forces them to drop their strike. Finally he realizes that he has had no youth, no play time, but when he tries to relax he finds he has forgotten how to play. He returns to his old home in the little factory town, and there little Billy, the son of one of his workmen, teaches him how to play without realizing that he is touching the heart strings of Iron-Hearted Pemberton. Billy's sister Rose is in love with Jim, but after his brother has been brought home another victim of the unsafe factory conditions, Jim tells Rose he cannot ask her to become his wife and live under such worries. At the suggestion of Billy, Pemberton becomes an ordinary employee in his own factory and, as Peter Brown, knows and lives among people whom he holds with his iron hand.

"He realizes that Rose has that which he has lost - youth - and for a moment dreams of making her his wife. This is the only jarring note in the story, but he soon realizes that she loves Jim. He increases their wages and makes plans for safety devices. When he fails to go to the factory little Billy undertakes to do his work. He is badly burned in the explosion of a furnace. The men, thoroughly aroused, draw slips to see who shall kill Pemberton for revenge. Rose, drawing for Jim, gets the marked slip, but Pemberton takes it from her. Rose saves him from himself and the old man brings happiness where before he had ruled with cruelty. An excellent cast, with three to be featured, capable direction and good technical details, make Fires of Youth a commendable film. Frederick Warde does his usual finished work, Jeanne Eagels is a different type, attractive and pleasing, while Helen Badgley holds a big share of the interest around herself as Billy."

REVIEW by Edward Weitzel, The Moving Picture World, June 16, 1917:

"The opening scenes of Fires of Youth, a five-reel Thanhouser production, featuring Frederick Warde, and written by Agnes C. Johnston, are impressive and give promise of a truthful and well sustained tale of life among the workers. During the action of the drama, however, it undergoes several lapses from a logical development of character drawing and narrative in order that the iron-hearted Pemberton, a steel king noted for his utter disregard for the welfare and safety of some employees, may learn how to play and, incidentally, learn the greater lesson of his duty to his kind. Pemberton is lead by the little son of one of his employees and disguises himself as a workman and obtains a position in his own works. In this way he is made to realize that the lives of his workers are being sacrificed by his neglect and, the state being without factory laws, apparently, he proceeds to do his duty in the matter.

"The motive of the play is excellent, and it has many of the natural touches its author does so well. The theme, however, is worthy of a more consistent handling. Frederick Warde's efforts as Pemberton do much to make the part acceptable, and he enters into the spirit of both the comedy and the serious scenes with equal ardor and skill. Jeanne Eagels is natural and pleasing as a pretty and wholesome young factory girl, and Helen Badgley, who used to be one of the cute Thanhouser kids, shows marked ability as a ragged but quick-witted small boy. Ernest Howard and Robert Vaughn are well cast."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, June 9, 1917:

"It would seem as though Pathé were engaged in a commendable effort to picture labor conditions, and presenting the manner in which some capitalists regard the working class. For the second time in as many weeks that firm releases a labor problem picture in The Fires of Youth, produced at the Thanhouser studios. The former film was The Iron Heart [Astra-Pathé]. The latest production has Frederick Warde as star, assisted by Jeanne Eagels. Both films have virtually the same theme, but with an entirely different plot to illustrate it. A capitalist is too busy adding to his already large fortune to enjoy himself and is so ruthless in amassing wealth that he will not improve the working conditions of his employees. A little child revolutionizes his attitude toward life. But, as indicated, the working out of the theme is so different that an exhibitor could run the two pictures on consecutive days without misgivings as to their reception by his patrons.

"Emile Chautard's direction of The Fires of Youth, is exceptionally capable. The setting for each scene, whether it be exterior or interior, is highly pleasing to the eye, contains the correct atmosphere, and due consideration is given the action and dramatic value of each incident, and its relation to the climax. The acting of the entire cast is strong and especial credit should go to Jeanne Eagels for the manner in which she raises a conventional role out of the rut. She acts with judgment and makes a charming appearance. Frederick Warde is impressive as 'Iron-Hearted' Pemberton, creating a distinct character out of the elderly money-maker. But one fault is to be found with Mr. Warde's acting; in his dramatic moments he is prone to inject a Shakespearean atmosphere, which does not exactly fit into a labor play. Little Helen Badgley, in the role of the boy, Billy, helps in putting the picture over. The Fires of Youth will please a general audience. There are few communities which are not interested in a story that depicts the triumph of labor over capital. This theme, naturally, should form the basis of advertising, with due consideration of Frederick Warde, whose name will carry much weight."

REVIEW, Wid's Film and Film Folk, May 31, 1917:

"Figured as a program release, this gets a little above the ordinary because the producer has taken rather an old idea and dignified it by making a few of his dramatic moments truly impressive by close-ups, nice timing of emotions, and intelligent cutting and flashing. This was particularly true of the scene where the millionaire owner of the mills, who had been living with the workmen to get their viewpoint, found that the little boy who had led him to do this human thing had gone into the foundry to save his molds, so that the old man would not be fired for neglect. An accident had loosened the molten metal, burning the boy badly, and in that way it was brought home to the owner that his neglect had placed this child, who had become so dear to him, at death's door. The handling of this scene alone was enough to make the offering worthwhile. It was well done, the tempo was splendid, and I believe it will give a lump in the throat to the average audience.

"Considered as a whole, the story was very old stuff. The situation of hard-hearted mill owner being brought down among his employees, incognito, through the love or friendship of a child, has been done many times. There was nothing particularly new about it and we knew all the time that he was going to announce wonderful reforms on the finish, with everybody happy. With this handicap it was necessary for the director to make his action rather interesting and give some distinctive lightings in order that this production might have any chance whatever.

"Mr. Warde has a very pleasing personality in such a character, except when there is a trace of the actor slipping into his gestures. Opposite Mr. Warde was Jeanne Eagels, and this little lady has big possibilities, I believe, if she will be handled so that there will be no artificiality in any of her action. This was only her second picture, and in many of her scenes she was very effective, but occasionally there was a touch of 'acting' which didn't ring true, with the result that it marred her characterization at times. Little Helen Badgley, as the boy, had some good scenes and will make good with an audience because she is a clever youngster. The other members of the cast were ordinary, and some of the extras were very bad. The scene outside the mill owner's home where a group of extras were going to do violence was awful. They shoved one another around in the usual manner, with much arm waving, and of course there was one gink that wanted to fight his way through, and somebody wished on us the title 'Let me get at him!' Oh, boy - why will they do those things! Others in the cast were Ernest Howard and Robert Vaughn.

"The Box Office Angle: This has been sufficiently well done to justify your putting it over as a program offering, and I believe that the contrast between the three principal characters, Mr. Warde, Miss Eagels and little Miss Badgley as the boy, gives enough human interest to the action to make the average audience figure that they have spent their time to advantage. You might arouse some interest in this by such advertising as the following: 'Are you too old to play? See Fires of Youth.' 'Are you missing the joy of being young, no matter what your age? See Fires of Youth.' 'Should December wish for May? See Fires of Youth.'"

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Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.