Orphans of the Storm (1921)

Henriette and Louise, a foundling, are raised together as sisters. When Louise goes blind, Henriette swears to take care of her forever. They go to Paris to see if Louise's blindness can be... See full summary »

Director:

D.W. Griffith

Writers:

Adolphe d'Ennery (novel), Eugène Cormon (novel),

Stars:

Lillian Gish, Dorothy Gish, Joseph Schildkraut

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lillian Gish	...	Henriette Girard
Dorothy Gish	...	Louise Girard
Joseph Schildkraut	...	Chevalier de Vaudrey
Frank Losee	...	Count de Linieres
Katherine Emmet	...	Countess de Linieres
Morgan Wallace	...	Marquis de Praille
Lucille La Verne	...	Mother Frochard
Sheldon Lewis	...	Jacques Frochard
Frank Puglia	...	Pierre Frochard
Creighton Hale	...	Picard
Monte Blue	...	Danton
Sidney Herbert	...	Robespierre
Lee Kohlmar	...	King Louis XVI
Marcia Harris	...	Henriette's Landlady
Adolph Lestina	...	Doctor

Storyline

Henriette and Louise, a foundling, are raised together as sisters. When Louise goes blind, Henriette swears to take care of her forever. They go to Paris to see if Louise's blindness can be cured, but are separated when an aristocrat lusts after Henriette and abducts her. Only Chevalier de Vaudrey is kind to her, and they fall in love. The French Revolution replaces the corrupt Aristocracy with the equally corrupt Robespierre. De Vaudrey, who has always been good to peasants, is condemned to death for being an aristocrat, and Henriette for harboring him. Will revolutionary hero Danton, the only voice for mercy in the new regime, be able to save them from the guillotine?

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Plot Keywords:

french revolution | blindness | aristocracy | guillotine | 18th century | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-G

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

1922 (Poland)

Also Known As:

Ai dyo orfanai

Filming Locations:

Florence, Tuscany, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

D.W. Griffith Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lifelong Republican Lillian Gish was thrilled to be invited to the White House by President Warren G. Harding following the premiere of Orphans of the Storm.

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Connections

Version of The Two Orphans (1910)

User Reviews

Often Exciting, Often Moving, & A Triumph For the Gish Sisters

The story is often exciting and often moving, yet the chance to see Lillian and Dorothy Gish together might be the best reason of all to watch Griffith's silent classic, "Orphans of the Storm". The story combines the tumultuous backdrop of the French Revolution with a worthwhile melodrama involving the ordeals of two sisters who are practically alone in the world.

The French Revolution used to be a frequent setting for some fine films

• between the ideas involved and the upheavals that it brought, it's

almost ready-made for cinema. Here, as the two sisters, Lillian and Dorothy are struggling to help each other when they are caught up in the turmoil around them, and they find themselves involved with everyone from the lowest classes of society up to some of the best-known personalities of the Revolution.

The historical background is often stylized, and it is mainly there to lend drama to the story about the sisters, rather than to provide an accurate look at history. The characterizations of some of the revolutionary leaders are interesting, but they are not always accurate. Yet from a purely dramatic viewpoint it works well. The involved story, along with the personal appeal of Gish sisters, combine to win the audience's sympathy quickly, and to heighten the tension as the story plays out. It's a well-acted and memorable melodrama.