Volume II: Filmography

THE HIGHER THE FEWER

November 14, 1911 (Tuesday)

Length: 900 feet

Character: Comedy

Cast: Edward Genung (male lead)

Location: Aviation scenes filmed in Long Island, New York, under the watchful eyes of Thomas Baldwin and Augustus Post, pilots who instructed the Thanhouserites in the basic techniques of flying.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, November 4, 1911:

"A prizefighter carries away in an airplane an unwilling sweetheart, because the higher you go the fewer the rivals."

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, November 11, 1911:

"A prize fighter who inherits a mania for airplanes and a title loves a cultured girl. He determines that this 'swell dame' should carry his name through life. So he carries her off in an aeroplane and cinches things up in the air - for the higher he went the fewer thoughts his sweetheart had of his rivals. A number of delicate comedy situations punctuate the story. The 'big scene' shows a prize fighter dressed in a frock coat and silk hat, going up with a 'swell dame' at his side, defying the laws of gravitation."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, November 4, 1911:

"When the Thanhouser directors had in preparation The Higher the Fewer, an aeroplane elopement which is to be released Tuesday, November 14th, there was a question of either dropping the whole production or else getting a real aeroplane and an instructor to teach one of the Thanhouser players the science of aeronautics. Without realism it was decided that the force of the humor of this comedy would be considerably weakened. The directors knew if they wished to make effective the scene where the 'Yorkshire Kid,' a prize fighter, carries off the girl he loves in an airplane, from under the very nose of a rival, the picture had to show the kid and his sweetheart in actual flight.

"Actors are people who usually can act, but it is at this date too much to expect that they should know the intricacies of a flying machine. The problem, therefore, was how much it cost to hire a real airplane and a man who could instruct a Thanhouser star. After jockeying a bit, arrangements were finally consummated with Captain Thomas A. Baldwin and Augustus Post. They undertook to run a kindergarten for the benefit of the Thanhouser Company, and give up the use of their machine. Of course, there were many interesting incidents and narrow escapes during the time of training. Chief among those incidents was the experience with a farmer on Long Island who demanded a thousand dollars because a Thanhouser actor alighted on his property. A thousand dollars from the actor! You might as well ask the moon for a Swiss cheese sandwich.

"There are many comedy situations in The Higher the Fewer that would make William Collier envious. In his haste to evade his rival and get to a parson, the Yorkshire Kid goes up in the air in a Prince Albert and a silk hat. This incongruity, coupled with the astonishment of the girl when she unexpectedly finds herself defying the laws of gravitation, produces a motion picture that is clean and at the same time infectious. The sight of the rival trying to follow by auto the eloping couple also presents an unusual scene."

Note: This article also appeared in The Moving Picture News.

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, March 30, 1912:

"PATRON DENOUNCES A PICTURE PUBLICLY. The unusual sight of a patron of a house rising in a seat to denounce the picture took place recently at the Mikado on Easton Avenue, St. Louis, one of the Crawford houses. Thanhouser's The Higher the Fewer, a religious picture, was being shown when Patrick Flood rose in his seat and publicly denounced the picture as being a travesty and a fling at the Catholic church. Mr. Laumann, manager of the house, remonstrated with Mr. Flood and took the stand that the picture had been shown at his house two weeks before and had caused no comment. When asked by Mr. Laumann why he had not made his objection in person to him, Mr. Flood stated that as the picture had been shown publicly he was within his rights in denouncing it in the same manner. In an interview with the Moving Picture World man, Mr. Laumann stated that he had made a diligent canvass among his Catholic patrons, and with the result that with but few exceptions the picture which had been passed by the National Board of Censorship, found very little if any disfavor."

A follow-up to this appeared in The Moving Picture World issue April 6, 1912:

"THANHOUSER PICTURE NOT DENOUNCED. There was an item printed in these columns in last week's issue, coming from St. Louis, to the effect that a St. Louis picture patron arose in his seat at the Mikado Theatre and publicly denounced the Thanhouser picture entitled The Higher the Fewer. The patron took exception to the picture on grounds that it was a travesty and a fling at the Catholic church. It appears that the Thanhouser picture of that name is an uproarious comedy dealing with a young pugilist in an aeroplane and not bearing in the remotest way to a religion of any kind. So far we have not learned the real name of the picture that was denounced, but we do know that our correspondent was misinformed as to the titles."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, November 11, 1911:

"'The Yorkshire kid' is a clever little bantamweight prizefighter, who is blissfully unaware of his antecedents. All he knows is that when he was very young he had 'folks' who came from England, but they all died so long ago he does not even remember them. He is perfectly contented with his lot, and knocks out his man joyfully every time he gets a chance. Love, however, deals him an uppercut. He meets, while out on the road training, the daughter of a wealthy merchant, whom he worships from afar. He is in the depths of despair, realizing that a prize fighter can never meet a 'swell dame' who has her own benzine buggy. Suddenly he is confronted with the news that through the death of an old man in England he is now a belted earl, instead of a belted prize fighter, with independent fortune on the side.

"With wealth and a title, he easily obtains an introduction to the lady he adores. With most girls his title would have been enough to make a conquest easy, but this particular young woman is not at all dazzled by his high position. She is rather inclined to like him, if it were not for the fact that he is decidedly undersized and she thinks him a typical, anemic little lord. The secret of his former profession 'the kid' guards jealously. He discovers that he can look the part of an earl, if he does not give himself away often by opening his mouth. The effect upon others is that they think him a timid little man, unduly silent. He woos the American girl persistently, but she refuses to take him seriously. Not until he forcibly carries her off in an airship and knocks out his brawny rival in a fistic encounter does she even deign to notice him. When, however, he proves himself a man of action and resource, to say nothing of an exceedingly strong right arm, she decides that the British Peerage is not as puny as it has been painted, and determines to join the ranks of the aristocracy."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, November 19, 1911:

"Rather illogical in its basic plot this picture play is nevertheless entertaining because of its story and the creditable manner in which it is told. But a typical prize fighter could hardly win a girl of refinement, even after he has inherited title and money in so short a time and by such high banded means. A bantamweight fighter sees a maid and adores her from afar, then comes news that he is an earl by inherited right, with millions to back up his estate. He secures an introduction and woos her ardently, at last winning her by sheer audacity."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, November 25, 1911:

"If a man can only get his girl in an aeroplane and get up high enough there will be less competition in romance making. That is what 'London Kid' did. It worked. He and the girl were engaged when the third man caught up with him. The Kid had been a prizefighter and had seen the girl and fallen hopelessly in love with her. He learned that he was heir to a fortune and a title.... He and the third man took her to an aviation meet. When this third man catches up with him after the flight, the Kid knocks him down, much to the delight of the girl, but the necessity for it was not quite clear. The picture has elements that are popular and is interesting, but it isn't a great picture."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, November 22, 1911:

"An extremely unique comedy has been evolved around an equally unique and interesting background, which includes the flight and maneuvers of an airship. The production is well played and developed, though one is apt to question the ending. The 'kid' had proved himself a thoroughly obnoxious person, though amusing to the spectator, therefore one does not feel that he quite deserved the girl, nor does one believe that she was really quite convinced that she did love him. At least she should have shown it in previous scenes if such was the case. The 'kid' was evidently a prizefighter, but when he was left a fortune, he tried to break into the best society. The film shows his successful efforts to win a young lady of position. When they visit the aeroplane field, he takes her up in the air to carry her off and marry her. The rival follows in an automobile. He arrives before they enter the parson's, but the 'kid' gives him a knockout blow, which causes this well-bred girl to promptly transfer her affections from the rival to the 'kid' and go in with the latter to be married. The film is replete with amusing situations."

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