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Where Are My Children? (1916)
Topic Started: May 11 2012, 07:04 AM (445 Views)
mort bakaprevski
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Balcony Gang, Foist Class
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Last nite, I went to the Billy Wilder Theatre of the Armand Hammer Museum in Westwood to see TRAFFIC IN SOULS (1913) & WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN (1916). The double-feature was part of the Universal Pictures 100th Anniversary celebration.

Unfortunately, due to a surfeit of Merlot during dinner, I fell asleep during TRAFFIC IN SOULS. But, I definitely stayed awake for Lois Weber's WHERE ARE MY CHILDREN? Here's brief bit I cadged from the festival's site about Ms. Weber:

Though little known today, except in film academic circles, Lois Weber was one of the most powerful women in Hollywood in this time period. She was an outspoken feminist and social reformer who consciously used her films for social advocacy, and like D.W. Griffith, controlled every aspect of production from script to post-production. In 1916 alone, Weber directed no less than 10 films for Universal. The success of Children and other films allowed Weber to become the first American woman to own her own film studio, while continuing to distribute through Universal.

The film centers around the city's district attorney (Tyrone Power's father, billed here as "Mr. Tyrone Power") who seems to lead an idyllic life in a mansion with his wife. Unfortunately, Mr. Power desperately wants children & is constantly mooning over his neighbor's (& anyone elses) wee bairn. However, unknown to him, his wife doesn't share his desire for a brood & has visited "Dr. Malfit" a number of times to avoid such a possibility.

The maid's sister comes to visit her sibling in the manse & Ms. D.A.'s dastardly brother seduces her... with the expected results. Ms. D.A. takes her to Dr. Malfit, BUT this time he bungles the job & the girl dies. Mr. Power then prosecutes the good doctor who subsequently gets a 15 year sentence.

However, in the course of his investigation, he reviews the Dr.'s books & finds numerous payments ($50 & $75) from his wife. And it isn't just his wife. Seems all of her friends have been to visit the doctor as well. At this point, he confronts his wife with the film's title question. She's ashamed & decides to mend her evil ways. Unfortunately, as the title card informs us, she has cheated nature so many times she is now unable to bear children.

The film ends with the D.A. & his wife sitting (& ageing) in front of the fire while they are visited by the ghostly images of the children they didn't have.

Lois Weber was supposed to be a champion of birth control, but dead set against abortion. Although the film begins with the D.A. supporting a doctor convicted of sending birth control literature through the mails (a subplot based on the sensational 1915 trial of suffragette and feminist Margaret Sanger), the majority of the film deals with the abortion issue.

I can imagine how controversial this film must have been back in 1916. It was actually banned in some states, though film critics generally praised the film for its sensitive handling of difficult moral and social issues. Where Are My Children? was also Universal’s biggest moneymaker of 1916.

I was a bit disappointed in UCLA's restoration. They usually do a terrific job, but this had many frames with white spots all over them. Didn't care much for the pianist accompanying the film, but I was spoiled many years ago by the late Chauncey Haines.
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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Frank Hale
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“Where Are My Children?” was included in the 3rd set of “Treasures from American Film Archives”. Not my cup of tea, but definitely of its time.
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panzer the great & terrible
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Who was the pianist, mort?

Lois Weber's importance in the industry at that time can hardly be overstated. DeMille and Griffith were duking it out for the number one spot, but Weber was number three (among directors who didn't act, that is -- Chaplin and Pickford were powerful to say the least).

Weber's pictures suffered a long neglect, i think because they were aimed at women. They were serious, were issue-driven and are dated without a doubt, but were amazing in their day. It's lucky that what's left of her work is getting some attention at last. Like most silents, they are best on a real screen with live accompaniment. The Blu-Ray releases are much better than the DVDs, but they're still not the real deal. It's academic anyway because I doubt if we'll ever get a Blu-Ray of a Weber picture.

So how many merlots make up a surfeit? Youth wants to know.
Life is just a bowl of cherries, it's too mysterious, don't take it serious...
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Frank Hale
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According to the DVD liner notes, the UCLA restoration was pieced together from 35 & 16mm US and Danish sources, using a continuity provided by Kevin Brownlow. And given that it was a Universal, it’s probably fortunate anything survives.

Mr. Brownlow did a book on the genre, “Behind the Mask of Innocence”. I have a copy but never finished it. Undoubtedly a good read for anyone interested in the subject.
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mort bakaprevski
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Unfortunately, I didn't get the pianist's name... & he's not mentioned in the program.
Actually, he wasn't bad.... just somewhat simplistic.

Many decades ago, when I frequented the L.A. County Art Museum, if we didn't get Chauncey Haines, we got either Gaylord Carter or Ann Leaf. A fearsome trio for anyone to try to measure up to. Of the three, only Haines would compose on the spot & his musicianship was fabulous.

Well, "a surfeit of Merlots" depends upon a variety of things. In this case, it was a Manhattan followed by 2 Merlots with an Italian dinner & a flower-less chocate cake with ice cream for dessert. Turned out that was quite sufficient!
"Nov Shmoz Ka Pop."
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