''The Breaking Point'' is a 1924 American silent

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means of clues, i ...

directed by

Herbert Brenon Herbert Brenon (born Alexander Herbert Reginald St. John Brenon; 13 January 1880 – 21 June 1958) was an Irish-born U.S. film director, actor and screenwriter during the era of silent films through the 1930s. Brenon was among the early film ...

and written by Edfrid A. Bingham and Julie Herne. The film, based on the 1922 novel of the same name by

Mary Roberts Rinehart Mary Roberts Rinehart (August 12, 1876September 22, 1958) was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie.Keating, H.R.F., ''The Bedside Companion to Crime''. New York: Mysterious Press, 1989, p. 170. Rinehart published her fir ...

, stars

Nita Naldi Nita Naldi (born Mary Nonna Dooley; In this reference Naldi's birth name Nonna is mistakenly cited “Donna”. Naldi's birthname in this reference is also incorrectly cited as “Donna”. November 13, 1894 – February 17, 1961) was an Ameri ...

Patsy Ruth Miller Patsy Ruth Miller (born Patricia Ruth Miller; January 17, 1904 – July 16, 1995) was an American film actress who played Esméralda in ''The Hunchback of Notre Dame'' (1923) opposite Lon Chaney. Early years Miller was born and raised in St. ...

George Fawcett George Fawcett (August 25, 1860 – June 6, 1939) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. Biography Born in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1860, Fawcett graduated from the University of Virginia. His initial inclination was to ...

, Matt Moore, John Merkyl,

Theodore von Eltz Theodore von Eltz (November 5, 1893 – October 6, 1964) was an American film actor, appearing in more than 200 films between 1915 and 1957. He was the father of actress Lori March. Von Eltz was a Yale University professor's son. After 12 ...

, and

Edythe Chapman Edythe Chapman (October 8, 1863 – October 15, 1948) was an American stage and silent film actress. Career Born in Rochester, New York, Chapman began her stage career as early as 1898 when she appeared in New York City in ''The Charity Bal ...

. The film was released on May 4, 1924, by Paramount Pictures.

Plot

As described in a film magazine review, believing that he has killed the husband of Beverly Carlysle, an actress with whom he is infatuated, Judson Clark flees from the darkness of a ranch house in a western town into a snowstorm, is taken ill, and loses his memory. As Richard Livingstone, physician, he succeeds in New York City and becomes engaged to Elizabeth Wheeler. Ten years later while at a theater show, he is recognized from the stage by Beverly, who had thought her husband's killer had perished in the snow. He is taken to face justice back in Wyoming. There the real culprit confesses to the killing of Beverly's spouse. Judson finds happiness with Elizabeth.

Cast

Preservation

A complete copy of ''The Breaking Point'' is preserved in the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

collection.The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: ''The Breaking Point''
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References

External links

* * 1924 films American mystery films 1924 mystery films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Herbert Brenon American black-and-white films 1920s rediscovered films American silent feature films Films based on works by Mary Roberts Rinehart Rediscovered American films 1920s English-language films 1920s American films Silent mystery films {{mystery-film-stub