''Enlighten Thy Daughter'' is a 1917 American silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...

directed and written by Ivan Abramson.

Plot

The

exploitation Exploitation may refer to: *Exploitation of natural resources *Exploitation of labour **Forced labour *Exploitation colonialism *Slavery **Sexual slavery and other forms *Oppression *Psychological manipulation In arts and entertainment *Exploita ...

/sexual hygiene film warns against the dangers of premarital sex. Lillian Stevens (played by Zena Keefe) is young woman who ends up having sex with Harold Winthrop (played by

James W. Morrison James W. Morrison (November 15, 1888 – November 15, 1974) was an American actor and author. He appeared in 187 films between 1911 and 1927. Biography Morrison was born in Mattoon, Illinois, United States, on November 15, 1888. He went to th ...

) after both are caught in an unexpected storm during a date. Of course, she gets pregnant. Mom does not realize Lillian has been out all night due to her own gambling addiction. The same young man later starts dating Lillian's cousin Ruth (played by

Rubye De Remer Rubye De Remer (born Ruby Burkhard; January 9, 1892 – March 18, 1984) was an American dancer and actress in silent films. She began her stage career with the ''Midnight Frolic'', a Florenz Ziegfeld show, in New York City. Film actress Her fir ...

). They get engaged, but Lillian's pregnancy—and the identity of the father—is revealed when she dies from an illegal

abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pregn ...

, and Ruth breaks off the engagement.Langman, Larry.
American Film Cycles: The Silent Era
', p. 325 (1998)

Cast

* Frank Sheridan as Daniel Stevens *

Katharine Kaelred Katharine Kaelred (May 9,1882 - March 26, 1942) was an actor on stage and screen. She was from England. The National Portrait Gallery in London has several images of her by Alexander Bassano. The Library of Congress has a glass negative of her. S ...

as Mrs. Daniel Stevens * Zena Keefe as Lillian Stevens *

Arthur Donaldson Arthur William Donaldson (13 December 1901 – 18 January 1993) was a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party (SNP) politician. He was leader of the Scottish National Party from 1960 to 1969. Early years Donaldson was born in Dundee, ...

as Richard Stevens *

Marie Shotwell Marie Shotwell (March 21, 1880 – September 18, 1934) was an American actress of the stage and screen. Biography Shotwell was in motion pictures beginning in 1915 with roles in ''God's Witness'', ''The Taming of Mary'', ''Under Southern Skies ...

as Minna Stevens *

as Ruth Stevens (credited as Ruby De Remer) *

as Harold Winthrop *

Violet Horner Violet Horner (1892 – 1970) was an American silent film actress. She had several starring roles including in one of the Lena Rivers films (based on the Mary Jane Holmes novel) released in 1914 and a series of films made with Billy Quirk for ...

as Mrs. Laurence *

Runa Hodges Runa Hodges was a child actor during the silent film era in the U.S. She toured and appeared in person at some of the theater showings of her film series with Reliance. Hodges was born around 1907 or 1908. According to a newspaper article in ''Th ...

as Nina *Walter Gould as Walter *

Mathilde Brundage Mathilde Brundage (September 22, 1859 – May 6, 1939) was an American actress. She appeared in 87 films between 1914 and 1928. Also known as Bertha Brundage, she was born in Louisville, Kentucky. For much of her life, her family thwarted her de ...

as Mrs. Winthrop

Reception

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' was critical of the film, calling it an "inept and melodramatic variant of the theme of the danger that lurks in the failure to apprise the young of dangers by which they are beset."(29 January 1917)
The Newest Film Crusade: "Enlighten Thy Daughter" an Inept Movie Melodrama.
''

'' Other reviews were not as unkind, however, calling it a "remarkable drama, tense and thrilling,"(1 September 1917)
"Enlighten Thy Daughter": Sensational New York Film Success Comes to Park Theatre
''Youngstown Vindicator'' and agreeing with the movie's advertising claim to be "the most tremendous moral force the screen has ever known."(23 June 1919)
Enlighten Thy Daughter Returns
''Calgary Herald'' The movie was a box office success, and has been described as director Abramson's biggest hit.Slide, Anthony
Early American cinema
p. 204 (1994) A remake of the same title was released in 1934 (the only Abramson film ever remade).Koszarski, Richard
Hollywood on the Hudson
p. 302 (2008)

References

External links

* * {{Commons category, Enlighten Thy Daughter (1917 film) 1917 films American black-and-white films American silent feature films American exploitation films Films directed by Ivan Abramson 1910s exploitation films Silent American drama films 1917 drama films 1910s American films