Blind Husbands
Also known as Die Rache der Berge (Blinde Ehemänner) in Austria
(1919) United States of America
B&W : Eight reels
Directed by Erich Stroheim (Erich von Stroheim)
Cast: Sam DeGrasse (Sam de Grasse) [Doctor Robert Armstrong, the husband], Francellia Billington (Francelia Billington) [Margaret Armstrong, the wife], Erich von Stroheim [Lieutenant Eric Von Steuben, the other man], T.H. Gibson-Gowland (Gibson Gowland) [‘Silent’ Sepp, the mountain guide], Fay Holderness [the jealous waitress], Ruby Kendrick [a village blossom], Valerie Germonprez [the honeymooning bride], Jack Perrin [the honeymooning groom], Richard Cummings [Doctor Brunner, the village physician], Louis Fitzroy [the village priest], William Duvalle [a man from ‘home’], Jack Mathes [a man from ‘home’], Percy Challenger [a man from ‘home’]; Bob the dog
The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated [Universal-Jewel Production de Luxe]. / Scenario by Erich Stroheim (Erich von Stroheim), from the adaptation by Erich Stroheim (Erich von Stroheim) of the story The Pinnacle by Erich Stroheim (Erich von Stroheim). Art direction by Erich von Stroheim. Assistant director, Eddy Sowders + [K.C. Stewart]. Cinematography by Ben F. Renolds (Ben F. Reynolds). Second cameraman, William Daniels. Film editors, Frank Lawrence and Eleanor Fried + [Erich von Stroheim, Viola Mallory and Grant Whytock]. Intertitles written by Lilian Ducey. Presented by Carl Laemmle. / © 21 October 1919 by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated [LP14317]. Premiered 7 December 1919 at the Capitol Theatre in New York, New York. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Working title: The Pinnacle. Stroheim’s first film as director. The production was shot in seven weeks at an approximate cost of $42,000. The film was cut from nine reels to eight reels before release. Stroheim hand-colored six prints in a scene with a candelabra, color-tinting the candle flames. The film was edited by 1365 feet [?] to six reels? and rereleased in the USA by Universal Pictures Corporation in 1924.
Drama.
Synopsis: Synopses available in AFI-F1 n. F1.0374, Hirschhorn-Universal p. 32, and in Weinberg-Stroheim pp. 4-6.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Museum of Modern Art film archive [35mm nitrate positive (1924 rerelease version), 35mm fine-grain preservation negative (1924 rerelease version), 35mm preservation positive (1924 rerelease version)]; in a European film archive [35mm color-toned nitrate positive (circa 1921-1922 Austrian release version)]; in the film holdings of Cohen Media Group (Raymond Rohauer collection) [35mm positive]; in the film holdings of Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum (EmGee Film Library collection) [16mm reduction positive]; and in private film collections [16mm reduction positives].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Americans (Abroad) - Animals: Dogs - Cards: Calling - Children - Death - Doctors: Surgeons - Furniture: Beds - Hotels - Italians - Italy - Jealousy - Kisses - Letters - Monocles - Mountain climbing - Mountain guides - Musical instruments: Pianos, Violins - Neglect - Seduction - Tobacco: Cigarettes, Pipes - Watches: Wrist - Womanizers
Listing updated: 3 December 2024.
References: Film credits, film viewing : AFI-F1 n. F1.0374; Baer-Film p. 28; Bardèche-History p. 288; Barry-Griffith p. 30; Bohn-Light pp. xxi, 86; Brownlow-Parade p. 417; Card-Seductive p. 45; Edmonds-BigU pp. 9, 105-106; Everson-American pp. 113, 187, 285, 370; Fell-History pp. 113, 114, 116; Higashi-Virgins pp. 142-144, 145, 146; Hirschhorn-Universal pp. 14, 32, 34; Leish-Cinema pp. 50-51; Limbacher-Feature p. 26; Shipman-Cinema pp. 66, 68; Sinyard-Silent p. 126; Sklar-Movie p. 96; Taylor-Hitchcock p. 41; Vermilye-Twenties p. 74; Weaver-Twenty p. 282; Weinberg-Stroheim pp. xi, xii, 3-19 : Website-NFPF.
Home video: DVD.
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