Snow White (1916/I)

Director:

J. Searle Dawley

Writer:

Winthrop Ames (written by)

Release Date:

25 December 1916 (USA)

Genre:

Fantasy | Romance

Plot:

Snow White, a beautiful girl, is despised by a wicked queen who tries to destroy her. With the aid of dwarves in the woods...

Plot Keywords:

Snow White | Queen | Prince | Apple | Dwarf

Cast

Dorothy Cumming	...	Queen Brangomar / Mary Jane (as Dorothy G. Cumming)
Creighton Hale	...	Prince Florimond
Lionel Braham	...	Berthold, the Huntsman
Alice Washburn	...	Witch Hex
Marguerite Clark	...	Snow White

Runtime:

63 min (18 fps)

Country:

USA

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Georgia, USA

Company:

Famous Players Film Company

Trivia:

One of the 50 films in the 4-disk boxed DVD set called "Treasures from American Film Archives (2000)", compiled by the National Film Preservation Foundation from 18 American film archives. This film was preserved by the George Eastman House. This version has an uncredited piano music score and runs 63 minutes. Marguarite Clark starred in the play "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" by Jessie Braham White; it opened in New York on 7 November 1912 and ran for 72 performances. This movie's writer, Winthrop Ames, produced that play and no doubt was greatly influenced by it. Sketches of the sets and costumes from the play were used for this film.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: A crew member's shadow on the ground in front of Snow White during the scene in the forest after Berthold the Huntsman leaves her there.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Golden Anniversary of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (1987) (TV)

Camera Switching Seats

Adolph Zukor made a fortune distributing filmed plays, such as 'Queen Elizabeth' (1912) and this film. The major cinematic difference between these two photo plays is a vastly important step in the development of the medium, that is, scene dissection, or inter cutting. Of course, that didn't originate here (it had been in use a decade earlier). It's a simple technique and a somewhat overlooked one in film history, but it's probably the easiest way one can prevent a film from being completely boring. The story film began in the tableau vivant style, with a static camera shot of one scene followed by scenes in the same manner. It seems that filmed plays stayed in this style longer than story films in general, as it is theatrical. Watching these films could seem like watching actual theatre from your own seat, although like a stationary, deaf, colorblind camera. 'Queen Elizabeth' was one such photo play--very boring. 'Snow White,' on the other hand, is, at least, viewable. Here, the camera switches seats throughout.

Thus, 'Snow White' is theatrical, as expected, but the scene dissection, which is nothing extraordinary, allows one to view it to find something else worthwhile in the film. Additionally, there does appear to be missing footage, which explains the few sudden jumps between scenes. There are some jump cuts and flickering (common then, and the former is still common for amateur filmmakers), but I doubt that explains the sudden shifts in scenes that will alert a viewer. Also visible is some slight deterioration, but this is overall an excellent restoration.

I wasn't expecting much, and so I did like it in part. It's short, as well. It doesn't have the benefit of being made in 1937, but, as mentioned elsewhere, does retain elements of the original story (and play) that the Disney version doesn't. There's an animation shot, animal costumes and the seven dwarfs are humorous enough, adding some childishness. Marguerite Clark does as well as Mary Pickford ever did. Adequate, light entertainment for 1916.