![Beyond the Rocks (1922) 2](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/92/Beyond_the_Rocks_%281922%29_2.jpg)
''Beyond the Rocks'' is a 1922 American
silent romantic drama
Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...
film directed by
Sam Wood
Samuel Grosvenor Wood (July 10, 1883 – September 22, 1949) was an American film director and producer who is best known for having directed such Hollywood hits as ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'', ''A Day at the Races (fi ...
, starring
Rudolph Valentino
Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
and
Gloria Swanson
Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...
. It is based on the
1906 novel of the same name by
Elinor Glyn
Elinor Glyn ( Sutherland; 17 October 1864 – 23 September 1943) was a British novelist and scriptwriter who specialised in romantic fiction, which was considered scandalous for its time, although her works are relatively tame by modern stand ...
.
''Beyond the Rocks'' was long considered
lost
Lost may refer to getting lost, or to:
Geography
*Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland
* Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US
History
*Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...
but a
nitrate
Nitrate is a polyatomic ion
A polyatomic ion, also known as a molecular ion, is a covalent bonded set of two or more atoms, or of a metal complex, that can be considered to behave as a single unit and that has a net charge that is not zer ...
print of the film was discovered in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 2003. The film was restored and released on DVD by Milestone Film & Video in 2006.
Plot
![Beyond the rocks 1922](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b7/Beyond_the_rocks_1922.jpg)
Captain Fitzgerald (
Alec B. Francis), a retired guardsman on a modest pension, has to support three daughters: Theodora (Swanson) and her older half-sisters. Theodora's sisters pin their hopes on her marrying a wealthy man.
One day, Theodora goes out on a rowboat off the coast of
Dorset
Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...
and falls into the water. She is rescued by Lord Hector Bracondale (Valentino). He is young, handsome and wealthy, but "not the marrying kind". Out of a sense of duty to her beloved father, she reluctantly agrees to wed the middle-aged, short, stout Josiah Brown (
Robert Bolder
Robert Bolder (20 July 1859 – 10 December 1937) was an English film actor of the silent film, silent era. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1912 and 1936. He was born in London and died in Los Angeles, California. In the early par ...
), a former grocer's assistant who is now a multi-millionaire.
They honeymoon in the
Alps
The Alps () ; german: Alpen ; it, Alpi ; rm, Alps ; sl, Alpe . are the highest and most extensive mountain range system that lies entirely in Europe, stretching approximately across seven Alpine countries (from west to east): France, Sw ...
. By coincidence, Bracondale stops at the same inn. Rich American widow Jane McBride (
Mabel Van Buren
Mabel Van Buren (born Mabel Brown Southard; July 17, 1878 – November 4, 1947) was an American stage and screen actress.
Biography
As a theatrical performer she played the leading lady in both ''The Virginian'' and ''The Squaw Man'' (190 ...
) persuades the young bride to accompany her on a climbing excursion. Theodora slips and dangles precariously by her safety line over a cliff. Bracondale appears and climbs down to her, but they are too heavy for the others to pull up. Bracondale has them lower him and Theodora to a ledge below. While they wait for more help to arrive, Theodora tells Bracondale (who does not initially recognize her) where they last met.
They meet a third time in
Paris
Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...
, and finally acknowledge their love for each other. However, Theodora refuses to run away with Bracondale.
Bracondale strives to do the right thing. He asks his sister, Lady Anningford (
June Elvidge
June Elvidge (June 30, 1893 – May 1, 1965) was an early 20th-century silent film actress. She was of English and Irish descent.
Biography
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Elvidge attended Pennsylvania College and was a concert singer before ...
), to befriend Theodora. Lady Anningford invites the Browns to her country estate. Bracondale, however, cannot stay away. He tries once again to persuade Theodora to change her mind, without success. Meanwhile, Josiah is persuaded by another guest, renowned explorer Sir Lionel Grey, to fund his dangerous expedition. Bracondale leaves, and Josiah is called away on business. Theodora writes a letter to each; to Bracondale, she declares her love, but stresses once more that it cannot be fulfilled. Morella Winmarleigh (
Gertrude Astor
Gertrude Astor (born Gertrude Irene Eyster; November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone in a woman's band.
Early years
Gertrude Irene Eyster was born in Lake ...
), who desires Bracondale for herself, secretly opens the letters and, after perusing them, switches them.
After Bracondale reads the message meant for Josiah, he rushes to stop Josiah from reading his, but is too late. Josiah accuses Bracondale of stealing his wife, but the nobleman denies that Theodora has been unfaithful.
After further consideration, Josiah decides to put his wife's happiness ahead of his own and joins Grey's expedition to Northern Africa. His death makes it possible for the young lovers to be together.
Differences from the book
While the book mostly takes place at dinner parties, picnics and balls, the film version changes many of the events to take place during perilous outdoor sports. Relatedly, the book's Bracondale never saves Theodora's life, as there is no particular danger for her to get into. Josiah in the book is chronically ill and dies after a long period of health problems; in the film he dies relatively quickly during an ambush while in Africa. The film also has added historical sequences, inspired by
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille (; August 12, 1881January 21, 1959) was an American film director, producer and actor. Between 1914 and 1958, he made 70 features, both silent and sound films. He is acknowledged as a founding father of the American cine ...
's work. Director
Sam Wood
Samuel Grosvenor Wood (July 10, 1883 – September 22, 1949) was an American film director and producer who is best known for having directed such Hollywood hits as ''A Night at the Opera (film), A Night at the Opera'', ''A Day at the Races (fi ...
had been an assistant director for DeMille.
Cast
![Elinor Glyn & Rudolph Valentino - Project Gutenberg eText 16692](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9a/Elinor_Glyn_%26_Rudolph_Valentino_-_Project_Gutenberg_eText_16692.png)
*
Rudolph Valentino
Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
(credited as Rodolph Valentino) as Lord Hector Bracondale
*
Gloria Swanson
Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...
as Theodora Fitzgerald
*
Edythe Chapman
Edythe Chapman (October 8, 1863 – October 15, 1948) was an American stage and silent film actress.
Career
Born in Rochester, New York, Chapman began her stage career as early as 1898 when she appeared in New York City in ''The Charity Bal ...
as Lady Bracondale, Hector's mother
*
Alec B. Francis as Captain Fitzgerald
*
Robert Bolder
Robert Bolder (20 July 1859 – 10 December 1937) was an English film actor of the silent film, silent era. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1912 and 1936. He was born in London and died in Los Angeles, California. In the early par ...
as Josiah Brown
*
Gertrude Astor
Gertrude Astor (born Gertrude Irene Eyster; November 9, 1887 – November 9, 1977) was an American motion picture character actress, who began her career playing trombone in a woman's band.
Early years
Gertrude Irene Eyster was born in Lake ...
as Morella Winmarleigh
*
June Elvidge
June Elvidge (June 30, 1893 – May 1, 1965) was an early 20th-century silent film actress. She was of English and Irish descent.
Biography
Born in St. Paul, Minnesota, Elvidge attended Pennsylvania College and was a concert singer before ...
as Lady Anna Anningford
*
Mabel Van Buren
Mabel Van Buren (born Mabel Brown Southard; July 17, 1878 – November 4, 1947) was an American stage and screen actress.
Biography
As a theatrical performer she played the leading lady in both ''The Virginian'' and ''The Squaw Man'' (190 ...
as Jane McBride
*
Helen Dunbar
Helen Dunbar (born Katheryn Burke Lackey; October 10, 1863 – August 28, 1933) was an American theatrical performer and silent film actress.
Career
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Dunbar first appeared with the Weber & Fields Stock Co ...
as Lady Ada Fitzgerald
* Raymond Brathwayt as Sir Patrick Fitzgerald
*
Frank Butler (credited as F. R. Butler) as Lord Wensleydon
*
Gino Corrado
Gino Corrado (born Gino Liserani; 9 February 1893 – 23 December 1982) was an Italian-born film actor."Obituaries." ''Variety'' (Archive: 1905-2000); Los Angeles. Vol. 309, Iss. 10, (Jan 5, 1983): 78-79. Via Proquest. He appeared in more ...
as Guest at Alpine Inn (uncredited)
Preservation status
''Beyond the Rocks'' was considered a
lost film
A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress.
Conditions
During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...
. In the last years of her life Gloria Swanson professed a desire to see ''Beyond the Rocks'' with a modern audience primarily because much interest lingered for Valentino especially at the 50th anniversary of his death in 1976. The film was unavailable and considered lost at the time, save for a one-minute portion for the better part of the twentieth century until a print was found in the
Netherlands
)
, anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau")
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands
, established_title = Before independence
, established_date = Spanish Netherl ...
in 2003. Gloria Swanson died in 1983.
The film was restored by the
Nederlands Filmmuseum
Eye Filmmuseum is a film archive, museum, and cinema in Amsterdam that preserves and presents both Dutch and foreign films screened in the Netherlands.
Location and history
Eye Filmmuseum is located in the Overhoeks neighborhood of Amsterdam in t ...
and the Haghefilm Conservation. It turned up among about two thousand rusty film canisters donated by an eccentric Dutch collector, Joop van Liempd of
Haarlem
Haarlem (; predecessor of ''Harlem'' in English) is a city and municipality in the Netherlands. It is the capital of the province of North Holland. Haarlem is situated at the northern edge of the Randstad, one of the most populated metropoli ...
. It was given its first modern screening in 2005.
The restored version was released on DVD in 2006.
Gallery
Image:Swanson Francis Valentino 1922.jpg, Theodora Fitzgerald and her father Captain Fitzgerald (played by Gloria Swanson
Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...
and Alec B. Francis) talk to Lord Hector Bracondale (Rudolf Valentino
Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
) in ''Beyond the Rocks''
Image:Beyond the Rocks (1922) - 4.jpg, Gloria Swanson
Gloria May Josephine Swanson (March 27, 1899April 4, 1983) was an American actress and producer. She first achieved fame acting in dozens of silent films in the 1920s and was nominated three times for the Academy Award for Best Actress, most f ...
and Rudolph Valentino
Rodolfo Pietro Filiberto Raffaello Guglielmi di Valentina d'Antonguolla (May 6, 1895 – August 23, 1926), known professionally as Rudolph Valentino and nicknamed The Latin Lover, was an Italian actor based in the United States who starred ...
.
See also
*
List of rediscovered films
This is a list of rediscovered films that, once thought lost, have since been discovered, in whole or in part. See List of incomplete or partially lost films and List of rediscovered film footage for films which were not wholly lost.
For a fil ...
References
External links
*
*
The AFI Catalog of Feature Films:''Beyond the Rocks''(Joop's print viewed)
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beyond The Rocks (Film)
1922 films
1922 romantic drama films
1920s rediscovered films
American romantic drama films
American silent feature films
American black-and-white films
Famous Players-Lasky films
Films based on British novels
Films based on romance novels
Films directed by Sam Wood
Films set in England
Films shot in Los Angeles
Films set in Paris
Films set in Dorset
Paramount Pictures films
Rediscovered American films
1920s American films
Silent romantic drama films
Silent American drama films