Volume II: Filmography Volume II: Filmography
July 15, 1913 (Tuesday)
Length: 3 reels
Character: Drama
Director: Lucius J. Henderson
Scenario: From Richard Wagner's opera of the same name
Cast: James Cruze (Tannhäuser), Marguerite Snow (Princess Elisabeth [Elizabeth in a subtitle]), Florence LaBadie (Venus), William Russell (Wolfram), Burton Law
Notes: 1. Perhaps it was inevitable that Thanhouser should produce the opera, Tannhäuser. This may have led to the widespread but erroneous notion, corrected several times in the inquiries columns of The Motion Picture Story Magazine and elsewhere, that the "h" in Thanhouser was silent. 2. As evidenced by a print preserved in The National Film Archive (London), Thanhouser consistently misplaced the umlaut in the subtitles in the film, giving it curiously as Tannhaüser! 3. In the film James Cruze and Florence LaBadie embrace passionately for a long period of time, a scene which undoubtedly perturbed certain censors at the time.
BACKGROUND OF THE SCENARIO: Tannhäuser, an opera in three acts, was from the pen of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) and was one of a number of his operas taken from old legends, dramatized with action, and set to music. Tannhäuser had its premiere at the Dresden Opera on October 19, 1845. Its American premiere occurred at the Stadt Theatre, New York City, on April 4, 1859, thus marking the first Wagner opera to be produced in the United States. In 1861 Julian Henry Charles Fane and Edward Robert Bulwer-Lytton produced Tannhäuser in verse in the English language. This later version became very popular. Characters in the opera include Hermann, Landgrave Thuringia; Elisabeth, his niece; Tannhäuser, minstrel knight; Wolfram von Eschenbach, his friend; Venus; a young shepherd; minstrel knights; nobles; bacchantes; ladies; nymphs; and pilgrims. The play is set in the early 13th century in Thuringia and the Wartburg.
ARTICLE, Motography, August 9, 1913:
"Flo LaBadie of the Thanhouser forces is a great favorite with Los Angeles audiences, and when the film Tannhäuser was given at the Garrick Theatre her appearance from the introductory curtain was the signal for a round of applause. She...possesses the gift of personality. The film was made in Los Angeles under Lucius J. Henderson."
SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, July 19, 1913:
"Elizabeth, daughter of the Landgrave of Thuringia, a pretty princess who reigned during the middle ages, was noted for her beauty and goodness. In those days, when chivalry ruled the world, minstrels were held in high repute and great nobles sang with their lady loves and competed in minstrel tournaments for their favor. A minstrel tournament was held at the Landgrave's castle. There were many competitors, but all conceded that Wolfram, a young noble, would surely win the prize. And he would have succeeded if another contestant had not entered at the last moment, and the young knight, Tannhäuser, a stranger to the Thuringen court. Great as was Wolfram, Tannhäuser was his master, and he received the laurel crown of victory from Elizabeth's fair hands.
"Love came to Elizabeth and Tannhäuser, but the Landgrave had other plans for her, and betrothed his niece to Wolfram. Tannhäuser, broken-hearted, wandered away from court. In the forest he married the pagan goddess, Venus, who ruled in her dominion beneath the earth. She cast a spell over the young knight and conducted him to her kingdom, where for a year he lived, charming Venus and her nymphs by his wonderful singing. Finally he grew weary of the life, prayed heaven for forgiveness, and in a moment found himself in the forest which he had left a year before. Tannhäuser made his way back to the court, where he found that Wolfram, discovering that Elizabeth loved Tannhäuser, had freed her from the betrothal. Arrangements were made for the early marriage of the two lovers when Tannhäuser, under the magic influence of Venus, praised her in song and was accused of blasphemy. The only way that he could secure pardon was to journey to Rome with a band of pilgrims and implore forgiveness from the Pope. The Pope was a kindly man, but when he heard the sin of which Tannhäuser was guilty, he wrathfully refused absolution, declaring that not until his staff should bloom would Tannhäuser's lost soul be saved. Tannhäuser, broken-hearted, fled into the wilderness.
"News was brought to Elizabeth of Tannhäuser's plight. She fell ill, but constantly prayed for him, and a miracle was wrought, for leaves appeared upon the Pope's staff. He recalled his words and sent a message to find Tannhäuser and deliver his pardon to him. Tannhäuser was found, and joyfully hastened to Elizabeth with the news. His joy was changed to sorrow when he arrived at the castle and found that Elizabeth had died, praying to the last for him. Overcome by grief, the minstrel knight fell lifeless beside the body of his loved one."
REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, July 20, 1913: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.
REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, July 26, 1913:
"A three-reel production, following the story of the opera fairly well. Although carefully costumed, the chorus was too large to appear to the best advantage in the opening scenes, as it had a rather huddled effect. The woodland scenes were striking and attractive, but some of the barefooted nymphs were rather scantily clothed and not as young and tender as might have been expected. Marguerite Snow appeared as Princess Elizabeth, Florence LaBadie as Venus, James Cruze as Tannhäuser, and William Russell as Wolfram. The production holds the interest and should succeed very well, accompanied by the well-known Tannhäuser music."
REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, July 30, 1913:
"Adopted from the German opera by Wagner, this picture, in three reels, has been produced with the excellent taste and elaborateness characteristic of the Thanhouser Company. Marguerite Snow and James Cruze are cast in the lead roles, with William Russell, Flo LaBadie, and Harry Benham in the supporting cast. In the exterior scenes, showing how and where the hero comes under the evil spell of Venus, the backgrounds are beautiful, and the poetic atmosphere, heightened by the host of dancing maidens, is perfect. Some of the interior scenes are not nearly so well managed. There is a tendency to crowd the 'supers' and principals. It is the kind of picture, however, that is going to appeal strongly to those fond of the poetic spirit, beautiful scenery and finished acting combined in the story of fair interest. The plot is too well known to require repetition."
TESTIMONIALS, Reel Life, August 30, 1913:
"Gloversville, N.Y., August 20th, 1913
"To: Western Film Exchange
"Gentlemen:
"Last Thursday, August 14, 1913, I played Tannhäuser, the most beautiful three-reel of the season, and it made such an impression with my patrons that I would like to play a return date on it just as soon as you could possibly give it to me. I ask as a special favor that you do what you can for me in this matter, and let me know about what time you could best do it.
"Yours truly, C.J. ROSE
"Hippodrome Theatre, Gloversville, N.Y."
"Salina, Kansas, August 15, 1913
"Mutual Film Co., Empress Theatre Bldg., Kansas City, Mo.
"'Tannhäuser' great picture; big business. We are pleased with your program.
"ARCHIE W. BLUE
"9:03 a.m."
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July 18, 1913 (Friday)
No release due to three-reeler of preceding Tuesday.
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Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.