The White Sister (1923)

A young woman becomes a nun when she believes her sweetheart has been killed, but things get complicated when he returns alive.

Director:

Henry King

Writers:

Francis Marion Crawford (novel), George V. Hobart

Stars:

Lillian Gish, Ronald Colman, Gail Kane

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lillian Gish	...	Angela Chiaromonte
Ronald Colman	...	Capt. Giovanni Severini
Gail Kane	...	Marchesa di Mola
J. Barney Sherry	...	Monsignor Saracinesca
Charles Lane	...	Prince Chiaromonte
Juliette La Violette	...	Madame Bernard
Gustavo Serena	...	Prof. Ugo Severi (as Signor Serena)
Alfredo Bertone	...	Filmore Durand
Roman Ibanez	...	Count del Ferice
Alfredo Martinelli	...	Alfredo del Ferice
Ida Carloni Talli	...	Mother Superior (as Carloni Talli)
Giovanni Viccola	...	Gen. Mazzini
Antonio Barda	...	Alfredo's Tutor
Giacomo D'Attino	...	Solicitor to the Prince
Michele Gualdi	...	Solicitor to Count

Storyline

Lillian Gish is the daughter of a rich Italian count who is killed in a fall from his horse. Though Lillian stands to inherit a large estate, her older half-sister burns the will and thus inherits the property herself, throwing Lillian into poverty. Fortunately, she is engaged to marry the dashing officer Ronald Coleman, but he is captured by Arabs on an expedition to Africa. Dedicating her life to his memory, Lillian becomes a nun, unaware that her lover has escaped his captors and returning to Italy! The climax takes place against a backdrop of the eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

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Plot Keywords:

nun | italy | female protagonist | monsignor | convent | 

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Taglines:

LILLIAN GISH! What a flood of pleasant memories rushes along at the mere mention of her name! YOU sympathized with her in "The Birth of a Nation." YOU suffered with her in "Hearts of the World." YOU pitied her in "Broken Blossoms." YOU cried over her in "Orphans of the Storm." YOU actually cheered her in "Way Down East." Now when you see her in Henry King's production of "The White Sister" you will be thrilled, captivated, and exalted as never before.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 September 1923 (USA)

Also Known As:

Die weiße Schwester

Filming Locations:

Algeria

Box Office

Gross USA:

$657,532, 31 December 1924

Company Credits

Production Co:

Inspiration Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

143 min

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Quotes

Marchesa di Mola: Father, Father - I want to confess!

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Connections

Version of The White Sister (1933)

User Reviews

Brilliant Lillian Gish, surprising Ronald Colman; Catholic melodrama

This commendable silent has now apparently been restored by Turner and is available for sale - though not as yet for Netflix rental, so I can't comment on the image quality. Even given the less-than-luminous print I saw some years ago, the film deserves to be seen. Lillian Gish is brilliant. And Ronald Colman gives an emotionally charged, subtle performance unlike anything else I've seen of his work in film. The story is not to my taste: it is old-fashioned, sentimental melodrama, heavily laced with Catholic religious fervor. The real attractions, besides these two glorious stars, are the wonderful Italian locations, and - presumably - some beautiful black and white photography.