''M'Liss'' is a 1918 American silent

comedy drama film Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...

directed by

Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958) was an American actor. Early life Born in San Bernardino, California, Neilan was known by most as "Mickey." Following the death of his father, the eleven-year-old Mickey N ...

, written by

Frances Marion Frances Marion (born Marion Benson Owens, November 18, 1888 – May 12, 1973) was an American screenwriter, director, journalist and author often cited as one of the most renowned female screenwriters of the 20th century alongside June Mathis a ...

and based on a

Bret Harte Bret Harte (; born Francis Brett Hart; August 25, 1836 – May 5, 1902) was an American short story writer and poet best remembered for short fiction featuring miners, gamblers, and other romantic figures of the California Gold Rush. In a caree ...

story. The film was made previously in 1915 and was remade again in 1922 as ''

The Girl Who Ran Wild ''The Girl Who Ran Wild'' is a 1922 American comedy-drama film directed by Rupert Julian. It is a black and white silent film released by Universal which is based on the 1863 novella ''M’liss: An Idyll of Red Mountain'' by Bret Harte. It is a r ...

'', starring Gladys Walton. Another same-titled remake was released in 1936, starring

Anne Shirley Anne Shirley is a fictional character introduced in the 1908 novel '' Anne of Green Gables'' by L. M. Montgomery. Shirley is featured throughout the classic book series, which revolve around her life and family in 19th and 20th-century Prince Edw ...

Plot

The film takes place in the mining town of Red Gulch in the High Sierra. M'Liss (

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

) is one of the inhabitants whose father "Bummer" (

Theodore Roberts Theodore Roberts (October 8, 1861 – December 14, 1928) was an American film and stage actor. Early life Roberts was born in San Francisco, California. He was a cousin of the stage actress Florence Roberts. His choice of a career disapp ...

) lost his fortune in the gold mines. Now his only investment, which pays a dividend, is his chicken Hildegarde. M'Liss regards herself as a crook and robs Yuba Bill's stage coach. Yuba, however, is fascinated by the young lady and does not mind. M'Liss is the only person in Bummer's life, since his brother Jonathan, a wealthy pioneer, lives in

San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...

. One day, Jonathan turns his face toward the Sunset Trail. Clara Peterson (

Winifred Goodwin Winifred is a feminine given name, an anglicization of Welsh ''Gwenffrewi'', from ''gwen'', "fair", and ''ffrew'', "stillness". It may refer to: People * Saint Winifred * Winifred Atwell (1914–1983), a pianist who enjoyed great popularity in Bri ...

) has been his nurse for over three years and her brother Jim (

Val Paul Val Paul (April 10, 1886 – March 23, 1962) was an American actor and director of the silent era. He appeared in 99 films between 1913 and 1922. He also directed 10 films between 1920 and 1932. He was born in Denver, Colorado and died in ...

) finds out they will receive $500 each for their services after his death. He is outraged they will get only that small amount of money. M'Liss (1918) 1

Charles Gray (

Thomas Meighan Thomas Meighan (April 9, 1879 – July 8, 1936) was an American actor of silent films and early talkies. He played several leading-man roles opposite popular actresses of the day, including Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. At one point he co ...

) is the school teacher who wants M'Liss to go to school as well. M'Liss isn't interested in an education. Charles keeps on pursuing her and she finally decides to go. He demands her to mind her manners when she's at school. She talks back to the boards members and is expelled. Charles, however, is charmed by the brave young girl. That same day, Bummer gets stabbed in the back by an unknown person. The sheriff suspects Charles, since he was the last person to visit Bummer. When M'Liss is informed, she is crushed. She is invited to visit the murderer in jail and is shocked to find out it's Charles. Three weeks later, a murder trial starts. M'Liss is the only one believing in Charles' innocence. Clara Peterson reaches town to visit Bummer, finding him dead, she declares herself his long lost widow and asserts her claim to the will. M'Liss refuses to believe she is her mother. Finally, Charles is sent to jail for 60 years. M'Liss helps him escape, but the police follow him. M'Liss witnesses them shooting Charles, but does not know they went after the wrong guy and actually shot Jim. Jim and Mexican Joe, with the help of the sheriff, admit they killed Bummer for his will. The fortune now belongs to M’Liss, who reunites with a now free Charles.

Cast

as Melissa 'M'liss' Smith *

as John Benson "Bummer" Smith *

as Charles Gray *

Tully Marshall Tully Marshall (born William Phillips; April 10, 1864 – March 10, 1943) was an American character actor. He had nearly a quarter century of theatrical experience before his debut film appearance in 1914 which led to a film career spanning alm ...

as Judge Joshua McSnagley * Charles Ogle as Yuba Bill *

Monte Blue Gerard Montgomery Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was an American film actor who began his career as a romantic lead in the silent era; and for decades after the advent of sound, he continued to perform as a supporting player ...

as Mexican Joe Dominguez *

Winifred Greenwood Winifred Greenwood (January 1, 1885 – November 23, 1961) was an American silent film actress. Born in 1885 in Geneseo, New York, Greenwood studied to be a teacher but left New York Normal School to perform in vaudeville in the United St ...

as Clara Peterson * Helen Kelly as Clytemnestra Veronica McSnagley *

as Jim Peterson * William H. Brown as Sheriff Sandy Waddles * John Burton as Parson Bean * Charles A. Post as Butch Saunders *

Guy Oliver George Guy Oliver (September 25, 1878 – September 1, 1932) was an American actor. He appeared in at least 189 silent film era motion pictures and 32 talkies in character roles between 1911 and 1931. His obituary gives him credit for at l ...

as Snakebit Saunders

Reception

Like many American films of the time, ''M'Liss'' was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors required cuts, in Reel 5, of the intertitle "Say, sheriff, how about a little necktie party" and the scene of the sheriff looking up tree and dropping rope.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:M'liss (1918 Film) 1918 films 1918 drama films American black-and-white films American drama films American silent feature films Remakes of American films Articles containing video clips Censored films Paramount Pictures films Films with screenplays by Frances Marion Films directed by Marshall Neilan 1910s American films Silent American drama films 1910s English-language films