''The Border Legion'' is a 1918 American silent
Western
Western may refer to:
Places
*Western, Nebraska, a village in the US
*Western, New York, a town in the US
*Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia
*Western world, countries that id ...
film directed by
T. Hayes Hunter
Thomas Hayes Hunter (December 1, 1884 – April 14, 1944) was an American film director and producer of the silent era. He directed a total of 34 films between 1912 and 1934.
Early career
Hayes was born on December 1, 1884, in Philadelphia ...
and starring
Blanche Bates
Blanche Bates (August 25, 1873 – December 25, 1941) was an American actress.
Early years
Bates was born in Portland, Oregon, while her parents (both of whom were actors) were on a road tour. As an infant, she traveled with them on a t ...
, Hobart Bosworth, and
Eugene Strong
Eugene Strong (August 9, 1893 – June 25, 1962) was an American film actor and vaudevillian.
Career
Eugene Strong oscillated between stage and film work throughout his acting career. He played the lead role in the stage production of ' ...
. The film is based on the 1916 novel ''
The Border Legion'' by
Zane Grey
Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and dentist. He is known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American frontie ...
.
The film marked the screen debut of
Blanche Bates
Blanche Bates (August 25, 1873 – December 25, 1941) was an American actress.
Early years
Bates was born in Portland, Oregon, while her parents (both of whom were actors) were on a road tour. As an infant, she traveled with them on a t ...
.
''The Border Legion'' was released on August 28, 1918.
Following the acquisition of distribution rights by
Goldwyn Pictures
Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company that operated from 1916 to 1924 when it was merged with two other production companies to form the major studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was founded on November 19, 1 ...
, the film was rereleased in the United States on January 19, 1919.
[Hulse, p. 57.] It is not known whether the film currently
survives.
Progressive Silent Film List: ''The Border Legion''
at silentera.com
Plot
After Joan Randall (Blanche Bates
Blanche Bates (August 25, 1873 – December 25, 1941) was an American actress.
Early years
Bates was born in Portland, Oregon, while her parents (both of whom were actors) were on a road tour. As an infant, she traveled with them on a t ...
) accuses her fiancé Jim Cleeve (Eugene Strong) of being a coward, he joins a gang of outlaws called the Border Legion. Feeling guilty about how she treated him, Joan follows after Jim and is soon attacked by gang leader Jack Kells (Hobart Bosworth
Hobart Van Zandt Bosworth (August 11, 1867 – December 30, 1943) was an American film actor, director, writer, and producer.
Early life
Bosworth was born on August 11, 1867, in Marietta, Ohio. His father was a sea captain in the Civil Wa ...
), whom she shoots.
In the coming days, Joan nurses the outlaw back to health, earning his undying gratitude and a promise that he will always protect her. Later, when Jim reclaims her, Jack follows after the couple and threatens him. As the law closes in on the Border Legion, Jack tries to prevent the gang from using Joan as a hostage. During a confrontation, Jack is killed by his own gang. A posse soon arrives and save Joan and Jim.
Cast
* Blanche Bates
Blanche Bates (August 25, 1873 – December 25, 1941) was an American actress.
Early years
Bates was born in Portland, Oregon, while her parents (both of whom were actors) were on a road tour. As an infant, she traveled with them on a t ...
as Joan Randall
* Hobart Bosworth
Hobart Van Zandt Bosworth (August 11, 1867 – December 30, 1943) was an American film actor, director, writer, and producer.
Early life
Bosworth was born on August 11, 1867, in Marietta, Ohio. His father was a sea captain in the Civil Wa ...
as Jack Kells
* Eugene Strong
Eugene Strong (August 9, 1893 – June 25, 1962) was an American film actor and vaudevillian.
Career
Eugene Strong oscillated between stage and film work throughout his acting career. He played the lead role in the stage production of ' ...
as Jim Cleve
* Kewpie Morgan
Kewpie Morgan (born Horace Allen Morgan, February 1, 1892 – September 24, 1956) was an American silent film comedian who also performed in a few early sound films. He appeared in 99 films from 1915 to 1936. He appeared in the films of such comed ...
as Gorilla Gulden
* Russell Simpson as Overland Bradley
* Arthur Morrison as Sheriff Roberts
* Bull Montana
Lewis Montagna (born Luigi Montagna; May 16, 1887 – January 24, 1950), better known as Bull Montana, was an Italian-American professional wrestler, boxer and actor.
Biography
Born in Voghera, Italy, into a poor country family — and at a tim ...
as Red Pierce
* Richard Souzade as Bate Wood
* Kate Elmore as Mrs. Wood
Production
''The Border Legion'' marked the film debut of stage actress Blanche Bates
Blanche Bates (August 25, 1873 – December 25, 1941) was an American actress.
Early years
Bates was born in Portland, Oregon, while her parents (both of whom were actors) were on a road tour. As an infant, she traveled with them on a t ...
. ''The Border Legion'' was released on August 28, 1918. Following the acquisition of distribution rights by Goldwyn Pictures
Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company that operated from 1916 to 1924 when it was merged with two other production companies to form the major studio, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. It was founded on November 19, 1 ...
, the film was rereleased in the United States on January 19, 1919.
Critical response
The reviewer for the ''New York Times'' enjoyed the raw quality of the film:
Adaptations
Following this initial film adaptation of Zane Grey's novel ''The Border Legion'', three additional film adaptations were produced by Paramount Pictures. In 1924, a second silent film, '' The Border Legion'', was released, directed by William K. Howard
William K. Howard (June 16, 1899 – February 21, 1954) was an American film director, writer, and producer. Considered one of Hollywood's leading directors, he directed over 50 films from 1921 to 1946, including '' The Thundering Herd'' (1925), ...
and starring Antonio Moreno
Antonio Garrido Monteagudo (September 26, 1887 – February 15, 1967), better known as Antonio Moreno or Tony Moreno, was a Spanish-born American actor and film director of the silent film era and through the 1950s.
Early life and silent fi ...
and Helene Chadwick
Helene Chadwick (November 25, 1897 – September 4, 1940) was an American actress in silent and in early sound films.
Early life and career
Chadwick was born in the small town of Chadwicks, New York, which was named for her great-grandfathe ...
.[Hulse, p. 90.] In 1930, the first sound film adaptation was directed by Otto Brower
Otto Brower (December 2, 1890 – January 25, 1946) was an American film director. He directed more than 40 films between 1928 and 1946. He was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and died in Hollywood, California, from a myocardial infarction, ...
and Edwin H. Knopf
Edwin H. Knopf (November 11, 1899 – December 27, 1981) was an American film producer, film director, and screenwriter.
Biography
He was born in New York City and went to work early in his life in the editorial department of his brother Alf ...
, '' The Border Legion'', starring Jack Holt and Fay Wray
Vina Fay Wray (September 15, 1907 – August 8, 2004) was a Canadian/American actress best known for starring as Ann Darrow in the 1933 film ''King Kong (1933 film), King Kong''. Through an acting career that spanned nearly six decades, Wray a ...
.[Hulse, p. 165.] Finally in 1934, '' The Last Round-Up'' was released, directed by Henry Hathaway
Henry Hathaway (March 13, 1898 – February 11, 1985) was an American film director and producer. He is best known as a director of Westerns, especially starring Randolph Scott and John Wayne. He directed Gary Cooper in seven films.
Backgro ...
and starring Randolph Scott
George Randolph Scott (January 23, 1898 – March 2, 1987) was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. As a leading man for all but the first three years of his cinematic career, Scott appeared in a variety of ...
and Barbara Fritchie
Barbara Fritchie (née Hauer; December 3, 1766 – December 18, 1862), also known as Barbara Frietchie, and sometimes spelled Frietschie, was a Unionist during the Civil War. She became part of American folklore in part from a popular poem ...
.[''AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1921–30''. F2.0525 and F2.0526.][''AFI Catalog of Feature Films, 1931–40''. F3.2392.]
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
*
External links
*
*
lobby poster
{{DEFAULTSORT:Border Legion, The
1918 films
1918 Western (genre) films
Films based on works by Zane Grey
American black-and-white films
Films directed by T. Hayes Hunter
Films based on American novels
Silent American Western (genre) films
1910s American films
1910s English-language films