Volume II: Filmography

SAINT, DEVIL AND WOMAN

Working title: WOMAN, SAINT AND DEVIL

(Pathé Exchange)

September 25, 1916 (Monday)

Length: 5 reels

Character: Drama; "Thanhouser Classic"; Pathé Gold Rooster Play

Director: Frederick Sullivan

Scenario: Philip Lonergan

Cameraman: Charles W. Hoffman

Cast: Florence LaBadie (playing multiple roles, including Florence Stanton), Hector Dion (Miguel Cordova, alias Alvarez), Claus Bogel (James Carter), Ethyle Cooke (Grace Carter), Wayne Arey (Dr. Gregory Deane), Blanche Davenport, Ernest Howard (William Stanton)

Location: New Rochelle and Port Chester, New York

Notes: 1. Advance publicity for this film used the working title of Woman, Saint and Devil; refer to several articles in The Moving Picture World, beginning early in 1916, and Reel Life, April 29, 1916, for examples. Sometimes "the" was inserted into the title: Woman, Saint and the Devil, for example in an article about Florence LaBadie in the September 24, 1916 issue of the New York Morning Telegraph. 2. The release date of this film was erroneously listed as September 24, 1916 in some schedules. 3. A scene from this film was used on the cover of the September 30, 1916 issue of The Moving Picture World. 4. Originally, according to publicity appearing during the first half of 1916, this film was to be the second "Thanhouser Classic" and was to be released on the Mutual Program. It was postponed and eventually appeared on the Pathé program as a Gold Rooster Play.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, September 23, 1916:

"This is an unusual and powerful story of a young girl with a dual personality - a saint when she is herself, a devil when under the hypnotic influence of an evil man. Like DuMaurier's famous 'Trilby' the theme is fascinating. The conflict of wills between the hero, a high-minded young doctor, and the villain will have your patrons breathless, asking 'Who will win?'"

ARTICLE, The New Rochelle Pioneer, April 29, 1916:

"Nearly 800 men and women, representing strike and strike-breakers, were used by the Thanhouser Corporation in taking a big feature picture at the Abendroth Foundry, Port Chester, this week. The principal roles were taken by Florence LaBadie, Wayne Arey, and Hector Dion."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, April 29, 1916:

Excerpt: "Quite different from The Fugitive is another classic: Woman, Saint and Devil. Here psychology is the act behind the action - a weird, freak psychology that parallels the famous case of medical record. With the threat of fictional circumstance woven into the story, Miss LaBadie has a vehicle suggesting The Case of Becky. Director Sullivan had made a particular effort to impress Mr. Dion, Miss Cooke, and the other players with the psychological significance of the plot."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, September 9, 1916:

"Saint, Devil and Woman, featuring Miss LaBadie, a play by Philip Lonergan and directed by Mr. Sullivan, is to be released on September 24.... Miss LaBadie is supported by Wayne Arey, Hector Dion, and Ethyle Cooke . Philip Lonergan has written a different sort of a play - a story of a girl of two natures controlled at different times by two men, one a good influence, the other an evil influence. Saint, Devil and Woman is crowded with suspense and truly big scenes. A sensational battle between railroad strikers and strikebreakers is one of the features. Miss LaBadie gives a splendid portrayal of the two-sided woman, showing deep appreciation of the psychological details. Before she played the part she spent several days in the New York Public Library reading authoritative works on the phenomena of dual personalities."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, September 16, 1916:

"A tale of a girl of triple personality, Saint, Devil and Woman, will be released by Thanhouser Film Corporation to the Pathé Exchanges on September 24. Florence LaBadie, the star, is supported by Wayne Arey, Hector Dion and Ethyle Cooke. The story, by Philip Lonergan, is based upon Dr. Morton Prince's famous treatise, 'The Dissociation of a Personality,' which discusses the case of Sarah Beauchamp, the first person of changing personality to be carefully investigated by scientists. Investigations by Boris Sidis and Dr. Hugo von Munsterberg also were used in making the play psychologically accurate. Florence LaBadie shows splendid appreciation of the character of a simple girl who is changed into a fiend by a chain of startling circumstances. A railroad strike plays a big part in the story, and director Frederick Sullivan has staged a thrilling battle between strikers and strikebreakers. The feature is of unusual timeliness because of the current conflict between labor and capital in the United States."

ARTICLE, The Pittsburgh Leader, October 27, 1916:

"One of David Belasco's biggest stage successes was called The Case of Becky. Sometimes the heroine was good, then suddenly she would become a fiend. Probably the most famous story of dual personality is Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, One of the most widely read stories in English literature is Trilby, In it, a beautiful girl struggles under the evil, hypnotic influence of a wicked man. With dual personality and hypnotism as his theme, and after a careful study of Dr. Morton Prince's The Dissociation of a Personality, and other famous books by Prof. Hugh Munsterberg, of Harvard University and Boris Sidis, Philip Lonergan, the scenario writer, has developed a powerful story under the title of Saint, Devil and Woman, It has been produced by the Thanhouser Company and released as a Pathé play. It begins an engagement at the Grand Opera House today, continuing tomorrow. Fresh from her life at a convent school, the strange heroine of this powerful drama serves as plastic material for a Spaniard, who, through her father's death, has become executor of the estate and moulds her to his hypnotic will. Gradually the saint becomes a devil, and aided by her great wealth is a menace to humanity. Then begins a conflict - a match of minds - between a young doctor, engaged in bettering the conditions in tenement districts owned by the girl, and the man, whose evil influence has changed her habits of thought. Who will win? This is the question you will ask breathlessly up to the last few moments.

"'Tell me what you read and I will tell you what you are,' So spoke some oracle whose name escapes us. Very well. Here is a young woman who is keenly interested in Dr. Morton Prince's The Dissociation of a Personality. Beside her are psychological works by Boris Sidis and Hugo von Munsterberg. Tell us, what is she? We shall divulge the secret. She is a motion picture star - Florence LaBadie, of the Thanhouser company. Let Miss LaBadie say why she was studying Dr. Morton Prince's The Dissociation of a Personality, when the interviewer was introduced:

"'I'm learning about dual personality," she explained. "I have to understand it for my picture, Saint, Devil and Woman. I have to play a girl who is normally a saint, but who, through a chain of startling incidents, becomes a fiend and in the end changes to a fine, normal woman," Miss LaBadie continued. "In order to portray the character correctly, I have to read up on dual personalities so that I won't offend any psychologists who might see the picture and be anxious to criticize my interpretation.'"

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, September 30, 1916:

"After her uncle's death, a young girl finds herself under the subtle spell of the executor of the estate, an uncanny Spaniard possessing a Mephistophelian nature and likeness. Fresh from her sheltered life in a convent school and inexperience with the ways of the world, she serves as plastic material for the Spaniard to mold to his hypnotic will and carry out his dictates to further evil in the world. Gradually the Saint becomes a Devil and aided by her great wealth becomes a menace to humanity. But the perverted soul and clouded life finally has an awakening. Through the strong personality of a young doctor engaged in bettering the deplorable conditions existing in the tenement districts, the dawn of her salvation begins. Brought in contact with him by chance he investigates her peculiar case further and then begins a battle of wills - the doctor against her devil self and the hypnotic subtleness of the Spaniard. The fate is finally won and from out of the vanquished evil self emerges the true woman - the shackles of sin severed and replaced by the bonds of love."

REVIEW by Dickson G. Watts, The Morning Telegraph, September 10, 1916:

"Although Saint, Devil and Woman progresses well until the fifth reel, it fails to become an exceptional feature because of the ultra-conventional handling of the end of an unconventional and novel theme. But taken as a whole, it provides good screen entertainment and allows Florence LaBadie a wide range for her histrionic ability. The star is surrounded by a capable cast, and furnished with some good stage effects, notably a terrific thunderstorm which has been very creditably handled.

"Florence Stanton, a young girl whose world has been limited to the confines of a convent, suddenly finds herself amazingly rich through the death of her wealthy uncle. Because of her innocence, she is a gullible fool in the hands of the rascally executor of the estate, a Spaniard named Alvarez. Through an article in the newspaper she finds that she is being condemned by society because of the terrible conditions which prevail in the tenements she owns and because of Alvarez's despicable method of securing control of an important railroad. Personally looking into the tenement conditions, she meets Dr. Deane, a settlement worker, and the two become fast friends. Florence is about to accept her guardian's proposal of marriage when she discovers that he is wanted for murder in Spain. She dismisses him and appeals to the courts for another executor. On the night of a terrible thunderstorm Alvarez goes to her house to murder her, when a stroke of lightning just outside the window affects her mind so that she has no memory of her identity. Quick to see his opportunity, Alvarez ingratiates himself with the girl, and under his evil influence Florence becomes a depraved creature, whose greatest pleasure is violence and cruelty. These scenes are well directed and acted. At this time the employees of the railroad owned by the estate demand an increase of wages. Florence, under the control of Alvarez, decrees a reduction instead, and surrounding the property with armed men, instructs them to shoot to kill should the employees strike.

"Hearing of Florence's illness, Dr. Deane calls upon her and at a glance discovers her condition. Through an effort of will he breaks the hold of the Spaniard over her, bringing back her memory and rendering her normal once more. She then averts the railroad strike by acceding to the demands of her employees. The fifth reel depicts a battle of wills between the Spaniard and the doctor to obtain lasting mastery over Florence. As presented the incidents are unconvincing and border on the burlesque. Alvarez, returning, subdues her with but a keen glance from his eyes. Then at the entrance of the doctor, with two conflicting wills brought to bear upon her, Florence turns from saint to devil with all the ease and speed of a chameleon changing color while crawling over a patchwork quilt. Of course, Dr. Deane wins in the end, and then the scenarioist must throw one more sop to convention, by returning the girl, frightened with the world, to the convent, from which in the last few feet, the doctor takes her as his wife. Eliminating the strike, and beginning with the discovery by the doctor of Florence's condition, a better ending could have been secured by emphasizing and prolonging the conflict between the Spaniard and Deane, showing the former's attempts to keep the girl in seclusion and under his control, and the latter's efforts to break into the house to rescue her. The acting of Miss LaBadie in her dual role is the best piece of work in the production. With every incentive to overact, she plays with repression and presents a convincing character study. Her support is good; Hector Dion portraying the part of Alvarez, in an original manner, and Wayne Arey making the most of his opportunities in the character of Deane."

REVIEW by Margaret I. MacDonald, The Moving Picture World, September 23, 1916:

"In the story of this production, written by Philip Lonergan, the featured member of the cast, Florence LaBadie, is called upon to portray in addition to the normal character of the orphan, Florence Stanton, two psychological changes brought about by hypnotic influence exercised by individuals of opposing nature. Miss LaBadie has been fairly successful in depicting these effects on the susceptible mind. Her support, including Walter Dion and Ethyle Cooke and other Thanhouser players, also do capable work. The story treats of how the executor of a wealthy man's estate uses his superior willpower for evil, so subordinating the will of the heiress of the estate that she becomes a mere tool under the power of his hypnotic influence. Later she develops the nature of a veritable demon, retaliating in her abnormal condition the cruelty which she undergoes from those about her. Another character of interest who enters the story in rather an unobtrusive fashion is a young doctor, whose attention is turned to tenement evils. During the course of the picture he meets Florence Stanton, discovers the evil work of the Spaniard who dominates her, and pitting his own willpower against that of the Spaniard finally succeeds in rescuing the girl, who, upon recovery, develops again her former sweet and womanly nature. The interest in the picture would have been aided largely had the subtitles been less active in telling the story ahead of the action of the play. In many instances the story has been depleted of suspense through this mistake."

REVIEW, Variety, October 20, 1916: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

REVIEW, Wid's Film and Film Folk, October 19, 1916: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

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