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The Scarlet Letter (1926)
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Overview
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Release Date:
8 January 1927 (USA)
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Plot:
In Puritan Boston, seamstress Hester Prynne is punished for playing on the Sabbath day; but kindly minister Arthur Dimmesdale takes pity on her...
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User Comments:
Anyone who considers silent film-making inferior to sound film-making needs to watch this film.
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Cast
(Complete credited cast)| Lillian Gish | ... | Hester Prynne | |
| Lars Hanson | ... | The Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale | |
| Henry B. Walthall | ... | Roger Chillingworth | |
| Karl Dane | ... | Master Giles | |
| William H. Tooker | ... | The Governor | |
| Marcelle Corday | ... | Mistress Hibbins | |
| Fred Herzog | ... | The Jailer | |
| Jules Cowles | ... | The Beadle | |
| Mary Hawes | ... | Patience | |
| Joyce Coad | ... | Pearl | |
| James A. Marcus | ... | A Sea Captain |
Additional Details
Parents Guide:
Runtime:
Sweden:115 min | 98 min (2000 restored version)
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Aspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1 more
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Certification:
USA:Passed (National Board of Review)
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Trivia:
Lillian Gish learned that her mother had had a stroke in London and her sister, Dorothy Gish, urged her to get there on the first available boat. When Lillian informed director Victor Sjöström of the need to finish the film quickly, he created a shooting schedule that crammed two weeks worth of shooting into three days of non-stop work. The crew worked without complaint so that she could finish the film early and catch the earliest possible train to New York.
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Movie Connections:
Referenced in "MGM: When the Lion Roars" (1992)
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I watched this 1926 silent version and the 1934 sound version back to back, projected in a theater. The 1926 version was not only a more artfully shot film, but the depth of the characters and their relationships were immeasurably better. The story structure and additional focus on the developing relationship between Hester Prynne and Reverend Dimmesdale created enormous empathy, and the introduction of Roger Chillingworth was absolutely haunting and palpable. The 1934 sound version was deflated and unemotional by comparison. The 1926 film is very well cast, solidly structured, skillfully directed, and beautifully shot. The film's final scene will leave one almost breathless and wondering what will happen next in the lives of these settlers. It perfectly wraps this must see example of masterful storytelling. Anyone who considers silent film-making inferior to sound film-making needs to watch this film. You may be enlightened.