The Lonely Villa (1909) User Reviews

Not as suspenseful anymore

[peefyn · 5/10 · 30 April 2017]

Watching this movie today, it's one that's more interesting than it is entertaining. In addition to being an early piece of cinema (and one that uses editing to some extent), this is also the earliest surviving movie with Mary Pickford, and maybe natural place to start if you want to explore her career. She plays the damsel in distress, and, well, you can't fault her performance as it leaves little doubt that that's what she is.

I'm sure this was a thrilling watch back in the day, and I hope there are some written accounts of how the audience reacted to it. It's obvious that the suspense is there, but only temporary accounts can tell if it worked as intended.

Griffith's early real time thriller with editorial techniques of new proportions.

[SAMTHEBESTEST · 7/10 · 23 March 2021]

The Lonely Villa (1909) : Brief Review -

Griffith's early real time thriller with editorial techniques of new proportions. This is how suspense would have felt in 1909, and Yes it's still thrilling and intense for today's time. In the meantime, it reminded of many one-room thrillers or one-place thrillers made in 40s decade where the survival of people or the lead characters was at stake. What do we call it now, a Survival drama? It was Survival thriller i guess. The Lonely Villa is about a gang of thieves who lure a man out of his home so that they can rob it and threaten his wife and children. The family barricade themselves in an interior room, but the criminals are well-equipped for breaking in. When the father finds out what is happening, he must race against time to get back home. It wasn't much about acting, writting and dialogues in that time and The Lonely Villa is no different. Cinema was preparing to get rolled by inventing new techniques of filmmaking instead of focusing on screenplay and storytelling. DW Griffith does exactly what was needed for the time as he successfully invents cross cutting edits of the scenes while some of them were fastly moving. Apart from that, he keeps the audience guessing on what should happen in the end assuming the certain predictable Happy ending but how should it come on screen was a major invention by him. Those tight thrillers made after 30s and 40s in one room or at one place were highly influenced by The Lonely Villa. Basically, it was a beginning of this new genre, doesn't matter if it was shorter but it gave a hope to new kind of cinema and that's a great achievement in cinema history. Overall, The Lonely Villa is another gambling attempt won by cinematic genius DW Griffith just like he always did.

RATING - 7/10*

By - #samthebestest

Early Griffith's Cross Cutting Editing Technique Displayed

[springfieldrental · 7/10 · 30 January 2021]

Cross-cutting editing in movies builds suspense by going from one action to another. The film technique, still used in today's movies, illustrates events happening at the same time but in different locations. In D. W. Griffith's June 1909 "The Lonely Villa," the director advanced this particular editing craft from previous films. It was introduced as far back as the early 1900's, in particular Edwin Porter's "The Great Train Robbery (1903)."

After some prefunctory scenes in "The Lonely Villa" setting the stage of a father being called away for urgent business, Griffith then goes about following two storylines: the family home with just the mother and three daughters, the oldest being Mary Pickford, invaded by thieves while then cutting to the father going to the fake emergency site, only to discover the danger his family is in.

The rescue scenarios take on a quickened pulse as Griffith shortens each advancing clip by going back and forth between the two plots. The director's intention is to get his viewers' hearts beating faster and faster as the tension increases on the screen. Griffith would use this cross-cutting technique throughout the remainder of his film directing career, but with greater sophistication as his experience in movies gained more experience.

Decent Short Melodrama

[Snow Leopard · 12 August 2002]

This is a decent short drama that creates some fairly good suspense with a story of a mother and her children being attacked by a gang of deceitful and brutal thieves. For its time, the story is told pretty well, shifting scenes at times to heighten the suspense. It does get a bit choppy in places, and things don't always fit together smoothly, whether due to the editing or perhaps simply due to its age. (It just doesn't seem to be as carefully pieced together as many of Griffith's short films.) But it's all watchable, and the story makes you want to find out what will happen. It should be interesting enough for anyone who likes these early short melodramas. A young Mary Pickford also has a small role.

Hanging on the Telephone

[wes-connors · 4/10 · 5 November 2007]

Three burglars (Owen Moore, Herbert Prior, and Anthony O'Sullivan) lurk outside the Cullison estate. When the family butler and maid leave on a date, the burglars trick master-of-the-house David Miles (as Robert Cullison) into vacating the premises; Mr. Miles doesn't know it, but the lurking trio are planning a robbery. After Miles leaves, the thieves terrorize helpless Marion Lenard (as Mother Cullison) and the three Cullison girls - Mary Pickford, Gladys Egan, and Adele DeGarde. As the burglars bust in, Ms. Leonard's uses her telephone to desperately call for help…

For its time, "The Lonely Villa" likely packed an audience pleasing punch; but it's rather ordinary, when compared to director D.W. Griffith's later revisitations of its story/situation. The location footage is a highlight, and the cutting of the Cullisons' telephone cord is a nice touch. Ms. Pickford, with her relatively small stature, makes a convincing little girl. Real little girl Egan shines as the first Cullison who notices something is not quite right…

**** The Lonely Villa (6/10/09) D.W. Griffith ~ David Miles, Marion Leonard, Mary Pickford

It'll keep you on the edge of your seat

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 21 February 2014]

This was not the only film like this that D.W. Griffith made, as he later made a very similar one with the Gish sisters in similar straights. Regardless, it is very exciting and holds up well today.

The film begins with a husband being lured from his home by some evil thieves. As soon as he's gone, the crooks break in and the wife takes her three daughters (one is Mary Pickford) into an adjoining room to safety. There she barricades the door against the three scum-bags. Just then, the husband calls and the wife tells him of their plight--and he rushes home to try to save them. Will he be too late? This is a very, very simple plot and works effectively. The acting is reasonable and the action exciting. A very good film for its day.

From the moment the picture starts all is expectancy

[deickemeyer · 2 October 2014]

"Thank God, they're saved!" said a woman behind us at the conclusion of the Biograph film bearing the above title. Just like this woman, the entire audience were in a state of intense excitement as this picture was being shown. And no wonder, for it is one of the most adroitly managed bits of bloodless film drama that we have seen. From the moment the picture starts all is expectancy. Indeed, when we saw the picture at Fourteenth street, the house literally "rose" at the story, it is so closely, effectively and convincingly told. As good a piece of sharp, rapid, decisive, dramatic work as we have seen. As is usual nowadays, with all Biograph stories, and the Biograph Company certainly have the art of getting hold of good stories, this one is finely photographed. The acting, too, is of a high order. The villains are villainous, the husband very realistic in his agony, especially at the telephone, whilst the Biograph heroine is as handsome and graceful as ever. We really felt inclined to kick that burglar man for so unceremoniously stripping the jewels from this fair lady's neck. "Lonely Villa" is another Biograph success. – The Moving Picture World, June 19, 1909

Better than Panic Room

[TKuusisto · 8/10 · 13 October 2002]

This is a good example of an idea that Hollywood uses nowadays. Panic Room was an attempt to make this into a full length film, but it dragged too much to be very exciting. But this short silent film shows the same plot, but without all the unimportant excess. What is left is the original, good idea, and that makes up the whole film. Suspense is retained throughout. Quality film making and innovation that is all too rare now, almost 100 years later.

Suspense 1909 Style

[PamelaShort · 8/10 · 2 September 2014]

This 1909 Biograph drama cleverly uses a telephone to heighten the stories suspense. A gang of thieves pick a well to do family to rob, by luring the husband away from his home, leaving his wife and three young daughters alone. Watching the husband leave, the gang breaks into the home as the wife and her daughters run to safety into another room, they start barricading the door with furniture. Meanwhile, the car the husband was being chauffeured in breaks down in front of an Inn, as the chauffeur starts to check out the car's motor, the husband notices a sign advertising a telephone inside. He decides to call his wife and tell her about his delay, luckily the room she and her daughters are trying to keep the crooks from breaking into has a telephone. She frantically tells her husband what is taking place, then one of the robbers cuts the telephone line. The husband rushes madly outside and finds a gypsy wagon, he and a group of men race home just in time to save his family. For 1909 audiences watching someone using a telephone was very exciting in itself, and it's use in this manner helps to heighten the viewers anticipation. D.W Griffith keeps the action flowing, making good use of Fort Lee, New Jersey for the outdoor location scenes. The Biograph actors all portray their characters adequately and Mary Pickford fans will instantly recognize the young actress as one of the daughters and Owen Moore as the villain who delivers the letter that summons the husband away from his home. This silent drama is a perfect example of what kept early silent film audiences excitement growing for this popular new form of entertainment.

intense

[Quinoa1984 · 10/10 · 25 November 2016]

So many director's could learn from this. White-knuckle suspense, an excellent set-up and pay-off, and it keeps things barebones enough so that you know just enough about the characters to care about them (perhaps unconsciously the children are all dressed in white to emphasize the innocence, might seem obvious or not to some but it's visually a wise decision), and how Griffith keeps up the tension between the woman calling up her man to get help, the attackers breaking in to each successive room, it seems as if this is a landmark in a lot of ways. It's directed without an inch of story fat, and the stakes keep getting tighter as the men go from one room to the next and the women can't keep them out. It may be resolved just a little too quickly, but maybe not. It seems to end at just the point it's supposed to. I love it and it's one of the best of the earliest short films out there (and hey, Mary Pickford!)

2 by Griffith

[Michael_Elliott · 29 February 2008]

Lonely Villa (1909)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A gang lures a father away from his house so that they can rob it and terrorize his wife and three daughters. There's some great editing at the end that builds up the suspense but the direction isn't tight enough for it to work all the way through. Mary Pickford plays one of the children.

Son's Return, The (1909)

*** (out of 4)

A son goes off to the big city to make big bucks. Years later he returns and ends up staying at his parents inn but they've forgotten him but when they see his cash, they plan to rob him. This Griffith short certainly goes "out there" in its story but I always enjoy these downbeat films where the director could do whatever he wanted and didn't always have to add a happy ending onto the film. Mary Pickford has a small part as the man's love.

Dramatic, suspenseful Griffith feature

[martinpersson97 · 9/10 · 19 November 2023]

This early short feature by the ever legendary Griffith, is definitely a highlight in his career, and a great and ever interesting delving into the early history of cinema.

The script is pretty good, and the idea of narrative films are taking forms and becoming more complex, utilized in suspenseful and ever interesting ways. The actors all do a great job with the little runtime they have.

The cinematography, cutting and editing is great, and you can recognize Griffith's style taking form in splendid ways.

Overall, indeed an incredible exploration, and great film to look into for any lover of film!

Excellent early drama! Griffith exceling at early film-making...

[mmipyle · 9/10 · 10 March 2021]

"The Lonely Villa" (1909) is just a tad less than ten minutes in length. Directed by D. W. Griffith, this is an exciting early Biograph single reeler where the owners of a "villa" are unknowingly being set up to be robbed and... David Miles, the head of the house, leaves to do something, has an automobile breakdown, calls his wife, and discovers from his wife that she hears people trying to break in the house. Then they get in while she's on the phone. Then the phone goes dead. The wife is played by Marion Leonard. Her three children are Mary Pickford, Gladys Egan, and Adele DeGarde. The "burglars" are Owen Moore, Herbert Prior, and Anthony O'Sullivan. Most of the typical Griffith early film cast members are also in attendance in the film, from Florence Lawrence, Arthur V. Johnson to Frank Powell, James Kirkwood, and Bobby Harron. Very well done. Beautifully presented as an extra and in tip-top condition on the new Grapevine Blu-Ray release of "Rosita" along with two other short films. "The Lonely Villa" has musical accompaniment with an excellent score written by Ed Lorusso.

Evil Under the Open Roofs.

[rmax304823 · 25 August 2013]

I'm not going to rate this short film because it's more than one hundred years old, so how can we judge it properly? (Was Napoleon a better general than Alexander the Great?) In 1909 the automobile and telephone had only just stopped being novelties. Films themselves were primitive. No roofs, so the shots could use available light. Most of the elements of a modern film are there -- a camera, sets, actors, cross cutting -- but too many are missing -- sound most of all.

It's a melodrama in which a man, presumed to be a doctor, is called away from his home by a false alarm from three thieves. Once the pater familias is out of the house, the three sneaky-looking robbers break into the back room where the safe is. They have to force their way through three -- count 'em, three -- locked or barricaded doors. The terrified wife and the three lovely little daughters in white huddle together. Two of the miscreants make a bee-line for the safe, while the third assaults the wife.

The helpless family is save by deus ex telephone, that marvelous and mysterious invention, for which this film is a kind of advertisement, like Dirty Harry's .44 magnum. The head of the house and some friends burst in and nab the robbers. Fade out on the father with his arms around his shivering but now safe family.

The story reflects the values of D. W. Griffith, and the prevailing values of the period for all I know. I was just a child at the time. The wife is almost as helpless as the little tykes (all female). They need a man to protect them. Grown women are pure. Children are even purer -- pristine, in fact, or else why are they all dressed in white? There are good guys who are men of honor and there are bad guys, with little in between "good" and "evil". Things were only a bit more complicated by 1915 and "The Birth of a Nation."

This short film is an historical curiosity, true, but carry me back to 1909. If only issues were quite as clear as the movies -- then and now -- make them out to be.

Oh, also, at one on-line site at least, while you watch this, you're treated to a great rendition of Bach's magnificent and aptly dramatic Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.