Poor Little Peppina

Poor Little Peppina is the story of a little girl who is kidnapped in the middle of the night by an escaped convict and his mafia. Her parents are led to believe that their daughter drowned with the convict who kidnapped her and are devastated. However, the girl was really sent to live in another home as Peppina, their daughter.

Years later, Peppina refuses to marry a disgusting old man that has paid for her hand in marriage, so she dresses as a boy and escapes.

For a 1916 film, this one has a surprisingly good plot filled with twists and turns. The photography is more advanced than one might expect; the film is not entirely shot far away from the actors.

Mary Pickford is good in her role, but her part is not very typical. Instead of being able to show off her vibrant personality, Pickford is restrained in the film, but effectively so.

Jack Pickford, Mary's brother, has a small part as her "brother" in the film, one of the few times the two were in a film together. In their scenes together, they seem genuinely close, but his character fades away near the end.

Most of the actors use elaborate stage gestures throughout the film, but this is appropriate since the characters are supposed to be Italian.

Overall, this is an engaging film.