Volume II: Filmography

ST. ELMO .

March 22, 1910 (Tuesday)

Length: 860 feet

Character: Drama

Director: Barry O'Neil and/or Lloyd B. Carleton

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan from the novel of the same name by Augusta Evans Wilson

Cameraman: Blair Smith

Cast: Frank H. Crane (St. Elmo), Anna Rosemond (Agnes), Gertrude Thanhouser, Carey L. Hastings

Location: Filmed in a mansion built in 1759

BACKGROUND OF THE SCENARIO: St. Elmo, a novel from the pen of Augusta Jane Evans Wilson (1835-1909), was adapted into widely produced stage play. In producing it for the screen, Thanhouser sought to capitalize on its popularity. Wilson, one of eight children of a Southwest Texas pioneer couple, moved with her family to Mobile, Alabama at the age of 14, where she remained for the rest of her life. Her first novel, Inez, was published by Harper when she was 15, although she was not identified as the author. A fervent advocate of the Confederate cause, Augusta spent long hours as a volunteer in Southern army hospitals during the Civil War. She died suddenly at home in 1909.

St. Elmo, published in 1866, was her most popular work. The novel quickly achieved and subsequently maintained great popularity throughout the country, and went through many printings. The story of a young girl who by wisdom and virtue claims for herself a sophisticated and cynical lover, St. Elmo toured as a play in 1909. The Vaughan Glaser stock company's presentation of this play at the Academy Theatre, using a scenario prepared by John E. Ritter under the direction of Mrs. Wilson, was reviewed in detail in The New York Times, December 14, 1909. T.N. Heffron, who was to gain employment with the Thanhouser Company by 1911, played the part of Murray Hammond in the performance. God's Witness, a Thanhouser film released on May 20, 1915, was adopted from Wilson's novel, At the Mercy of Tiberius.

ADVERTISEMENT and testimonials, The Moving Picture World, April 16, 1910:

"I exhibited St. Elmo last night (Monday). My receipts doubled those of any Monday in two years. Just 100% increase. How's that for a record breaker? No other comment is necessary on your excellent films. Nuf ced. - William F. Niel, proprietor, Crescent Theatre, Chattanooga.

"Just a line to tell you that we ran your St. Elmo film last night, and were surprised and delighted with the excellent quality. We shall insist on our exchange sending all the Thanhouser films. We did a little extra advertising with St. Elmo and did a nice little business with the picture. - T.A. Rogers manager of the Edisonia Theatre, Jackson, Ohio.

"We can truthfully say that St. Elmo has met with our approval on every respect and that we were very much pleased with it, as were our customers. - R.A. Grombacher, Pacific Film Exchange, Seattle, Washington. March 25, 1910."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, March 19, 1910:

"St. Elmo, a wealthy young man, is betrothed to his cousin Agnes. Dick Hammond, St. Elmo's chum, is studying for the ministry. As soon as he is ordained he is to take charge of a church built for him by St. Elmo. Hammond, however, takes St. Elmo's friendship lightly and makes love to Agnes in secret. The affair is discovered by St. Elmo, who, in a rage at Hammond's perfidy, challenges him to a duel. The false friend loses his life in the ensuing combat. Edna, the granddaughter of the village blacksmith, strays upon the scene of the duel, an uninvited witness. St. Elmo is forced to flee the country. He is pursued by Agnes and the sheriff. Edna tells her first lie when she deceives St. Elmo's pursuers as to his direction and leads them completely off the trail. St. Elmo makes good his escape. On the day that Edna witnesses the duel her grandfather dies, leaving her alone in the world. She is adopted by St. Elmo's mother.

"Five years later the fugitive returns. Edna recognizes him as the victor of the dual but he does not remember having met her. He discovers that he loves the girl. Edna rejects his suit, declaring that she never would marry a man who had taken a human life. In desperation, St. Elmo attempts suicide, choosing as a spot the grave of Dick Hammond, but is swerved from his purpose by Edna, who relents and promises him her love and sympathy. St. Elmo decides that life is worth living if but for her sake."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, March 27, 1910. The review commenced with a synopsis, after which the following appeared:

"While the story is exactly as described by the manufacturer, yet not to discourage the good work of this new manufacturer, the story that he describes is told by the sub-titles in the film, and not so much by the acting. If there would be fewer sub-titles in this film and more acting to show the development of the story it would be a creditable production. In the duel scene Edna is seen lurking around the scene of action as if she were an insane person wandering about, with no object in view. There is only one strong scene, and that is when the duel occurs. The action of the rest of the film is weak. There is no complaint to make about the story."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, April 2, 1910:

"The second release of a new house and, unlike some producers, the second was better than the first. It is not what might be termed an engaging story which this firm undertook to present. The play is based upon Augusta Evans Wilson's novel of the same name. It is a religious novel and the dramatic company that has tried to play it has failed to satisfy in all places with one exception. Of course the film is an improvement over the spoken drama, since it is shortened and only the interesting scenes are retained. While the writer has no particular liking for either the story or the drama, he has no fault to find with the reproduction here. It is better than the drama because it eliminates much that is dreary and practically unnecessary to make the story comprehensible and leaves only the better and stronger scenes. The acting is sympathetic and the photographer has performed his part satisfactorily."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, April 2, 1910:

"This film adaptation of the popular novel or play of that name is told with remarkable clearness, considering the difficulty that many other producers have experienced in adaptations. However, it must be added that much of this cleverness is due to the numerous sub-titles, which introduce nearly every scene. The acting is excellent, although not yet showing enough expressive feeling, which does not prevent the film from proving a notable one among the Independent releases.

"The picture takes up the story with the introduction of Hammond to St. Elmo's cousin, Agnes. Then follows the love making of Hammond, his duel with St. Elmo and his death, followed by the flight of St. Elmo and his meeting with Edna, the blacksmith's daughter. Later, when St. Elmo returns, he is recognized by Edna, who had seen the duel. She has been taken into the family of St. Elmo's relatives. Falling in love with her, she refuses his suit because he had taken human life, but when he is about to commit suicide she stops him in time and consents to become his wife. In the duel scene the presence of Edna is too conspicuous to have logical appearance, and her approach when he is about to kill himself is not quite convincingly managed."

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