''Cyclone Higgins, D.D.'' is a 1918 silent American comedy-drama film, directed by

Christy Cabanne William Christy Cabanne (April 16, 1888 – October 15, 1950) was an American film director, screenwriter, and silent film actor. Biography Born in 1888, Cabanne (pronounced CAB-a-nay) started his career on stage as an actor and director. He a ...

. It stars

Francis X. Bushman Francis Xavier Bushman (January 10, 1883 – August 23, 1966) was an American film actor and director. His career as a matinee idol started in 1911 in the silent film ''His Friend's Wife.'' He gained a large female following and was one of the ...

Beverly Bayne Beverly Bayne (born Pearl Beverly Van Name; November 11, 1894 – August 18, 1982) was an American actress who appeared in silent films beginning in 1910 in Chicago, Illinois, where she worked for Essanay Studios. Early life Born in Minneapoli ...

, and Baby Ivy Ward, and was released on May 13, 1918.

Cast list

as Cyrus "Cyclone" Higgins, D.D. *

as Sally Phillips * Baby Ivy Ward as Dorothea *

Charles Fang Charles Fang was an American actor and comedian who was active in Hollywood primarily during the silent era. He was active on Broadway from 1930 to 1935. He was known during his time as "the greatest Chinese actor in America." Biography Fang w ...

as Johnathon Moses Chi Wu Lung * John Prescott as Jasper Stone *

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 Mary Higgins * Eugene Borden as Owen Chase * Sue Balfour as The Widow Pryor * Pop Kennard as Old Settler * Robert Carson as Sheriff

Plot

Cyrus Higgins, an itinerant preacher, arrives in Yellville, accompanied by his faithful Chinese servant, Johnathon Moses Chi Wu Lung. He meets Sally Phelps, the town belle, and is immediately smitten with her. When he sees the deputy sheriff, Jasper Stone, trying to take advantage of Sally, Higgins intervenes and forces Stone to apologize, earning the deputy's enmity. When the sheriff begins to put pressure on his deputy to solve the recent series of burglaries, Stone frames Sally's father, Abner, for the crimes. With her father in jail, Stone goes to the Phillips home to abduct Sally, but she has fled, finding sanctuary at Higgins' home. Being a gentlemen, Higgins and Wu Lung sleep outside in the back yard, leaving the house to Sally. However, Stone spreads rumors that the two spent the night together. This leads to a fight between the two men, which Higgins wins handily, earning him the nickname, "Cyclone". Afterwards, Sally is taken under the wing of Higgins sister, Mary, who sends her off to school. In her absence, Higgins realizes the depth of his feelings for her, and when she returns, the two are married.

Production

In May 1918, Metro announced that

would be appearing in the film. Shortly after, it was revealed that

would be his co-star and the film was scheduled for a May 13 release.

was set to write the screenplay, and four-year old "Baby Ivy Ward" was also scheduled to appear in the film. Others said to be cast were

, one of the few Chinese actors working in film at the time, John Prescott,

, Eugene Borden, Sue Balfour, and Robert Carson. A replica of a Tennessee mountain village was re-created in Rockland County, New York for filming the movie's exterior scenes.

Reception

'' Motion Picture News'' gave the film a positive review, calling it a "Another triumph for Bushman and Bayne", and they called Cabanne's screenplay a "masterpiece". ''

Photoplay ''Photoplay'' was one of the first American film (another name for ''photoplay'') fan magazines. It was founded in 1911 in Chicago, the same year that J. Stuart Blackton founded '' Motion Picture Story,'' a magazine also directed at fans. For mo ...

'' also gave the film a good review, praising Bushman and Bayne, calling it the "finest entertainment of their long careers", and also singled out Baby Ivy Ward for her performance.

References

External links

* * * Films directed by Christy Cabanne Metro Pictures films American silent feature films American black-and-white films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films Silent American comedy-drama films {{silent-comedy-drama-film-stub