''Salvation Nell'' is a 1931 American

Pre-Code Pre-Code Hollywood was the brief era in the Cinema of the United States, American film industry between the widespread adoption of sound in film in 1929LaSalle (2002), p. 1. and the enforcement of the Motion Picture Production Code censorshi ...

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 ...

produced and directed by

James Cruze James Cruze (born James Cruze Bosen; March 27, 1884 – August 3, 1942) was a silent film actor and film director. Early years Cruze's middle name came from the battle of Vera Cruz. He was raised in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

and distributed by Tiffany Films, a company then on the brink of ceasing operations. The film is based on Edward Sheldon's 1908 Broadway play which starred

Minnie Maddern Fiske Minnie Maddern Fiske (born Marie Augusta Davey; December 19, 1865 – February 15, 1932), but often billed simply as Mrs. Fiske, was one of the leading American actresses of the late 19th and early 20th century. She also spearheaded the fig ...

and

Holbrook Blinn Holbrook Blinn was an American stage and film actor. Early years Blinn was the son of Civil War veteran Col. Charles Blinn and actress Nellie Holbrook-Blinn. He was born in San Francisco and attended Stanford University before he began a career ...

. Two silent versions were produced: in 1915 with

Beatriz Michelena Beatriz Michelena (February 22, 1890 – October 10, 1942) was a Venezuelan American actress and singer during the silent film era, known at the time for her operatic soprano voice and appearances in musical theatre. She was one of the few La ...

and in 1921 with

Pauline Starke Pauline Starke (January 10, 1901Some sources say she was born in 1900. – February 3, 1977) was an American silent-film actress. Early years Pauline Starke was born on January 10, 1901, in Joplin, Missouri, the daughter of George W. Starke ...

Ralph Graves Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had alre ...

and

Helen Chandler Helen Chandler (February 1, 1906 – April 30, 1965) was an American film and theater actress, best known for playing Mina Seward in the 1931 horror film ''Dracula (1931 English-language film), Dracula''. Career Born in Charleston, So ...

star in this film. Actor

Matthew Betz Matthew Betz (September 13, 1881 – January 26, 1938) was an American film actor. Betz was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1881. Following an extended career in the U.S. Cavalry, Betz spent eight years in Vaudeville. His first stage play w ...

appeared in both this film and the 1921

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) or key lines of dialogue may, when ...

. After years of being thought 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 ...

, a print was shown at a film festival in 2001.''Salvation Nell'' as produced on Broadway by, ''Harrison Grey Fiske'', at the Hackett Theatre, November 17, 1908 to January 1909, 71 performances; IBDb.com
/ref>

Plot

Young Nell (Chandler) loses her job and home and her father is sent to prison. She joins the Salvation Army and tries to redeem him when he comes out of prison, bent on continuing his life of crime.

Cast

as Jim Platt *

as Nell Saunders *

Sally O'Neil Sally O'Neil (born Virginia Louise Concepta Noonan; October 23, 1908 – June 18, 1968) was an American film actress of the 1920s. She appeared in more than 40 films, often with her name above the title. Early years O'Neil was one of eleven child ...

as Myrtle *

Jason Robards Jason Nelson Robards Jr. (July 26, 1922 – December 26, 2000) was an American actor. Known as an interpreter of the works of playwright Eugene O'Neill, Robards received two Academy Awards, a Tony Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, and the Cannes ...

as Major Williams *

DeWitt Jennings DeWitt Clarke Jennings (June 21, 1871 – March 1, 1937) was an American film and stage actor. He appeared in 17 Broadway theatre, Broadway plays between 1906 and 1920, and in more than 150 films between 1915 and 1937. Biography He was born ...

as McGovern *

Charlotte Walker __NOTOC__ Charlotte Ganahl Walker (December 20, 1876March 23, 1958) was a Broadway theater actress. Early life Charlotte Ganahl Walker was born on December 20, 1876, in Galveston, Texas to Edwin A. Walker (1849–1889) and Charlisa (De ...

as Maggie *

as Mooney *

Rose Dione Claudine Rosalie Gras (1 January 1877 – 1 January 1936), professionally known as Rose Dione, was a French-American actress who appeared in numerous silent era and pre-code films. She appeared in more than 60 films between 1910 and 1 ...

as Madame Cloquette *

Wally Albright Wally Albright (born Walton Algernon Albright Jr.; September 3, 1925 - August 7, 1999) was an American actor, water sportsman, and businessman. As a child actor, he was best known for his role in the '' Our Gang'' film series. Career The son o ...

as Jimmy

References

External links

* * 1931 films American black-and-white films American films based on plays Films based on works by Edward Sheldon 1931 drama films Films directed by James Cruze Tiffany Pictures films 1930s rediscovered films Rediscovered American films 1930s English-language films 1930s American films The Salvation Army in fiction {{1930s-drama-film-stub