''The Right Way'' is a 1921 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 ...

distributed by Producers Security. It was directed by

Sidney Olcott Sidney Olcott (born John Sidney Allcott, September 20, 1872 – December 16, 1949) was a Canadian-born film producer, director, actor and screenwriter. Biography Born John Sidney Allcott in Toronto, he became one of the first great direc ...

and starred Joseph Marquis and Edwards Davis. It was sponsored by

Thomas Mott Osborne Thomas Mott Osborne (September 23, 1859 – October 20, 1926) was an American prison administrator, prison reformer, industrialist and New York State political reformer. In an assessment of Osborne's life, a ''New York Times'' book reviewer wrote ...

, former warden in

Sing Sing Sing Sing Correctional Facility, formerly Ossining Correctional Facility, is a maximum-security prison operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the village of Ossining, New York. It is about north of ...

prison and a leading advocate in America for prison reform and defender of the Mutual League.

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, a rich boy (Marquis) follows the path of gilded vice and on the day of his marriage to his sweetheart (Osborne), he uses his skill as a copyist and forges his father's name to obtain funds to satisfy the demands of a woman of the underworld. With its inevitable discovery, his Spartan father (Davis) allows the law to take its course and the rich boy is sent to prison. There he meets the poor boy (D'Albrook) serving time for burglary, and the two spend time under traditional prison system solitary confinement, ball and chain, and lockstep. The poor boy is released when his sentence expires, but is soon returned after a new crime. In the meantime a new warden (Brooks) has introduced reforms promoted by Osborne. With the establishment of an honor system and other changes, the two boys are soon transferred from sullen convicts to workers waiting for the expiration of their sentences. The two boys learn that a man is to be executed for a crime of which he is innocent, so they escape from prison, capture the Chinaman who committed the murder, and bring him to the prison. However, they are too late and the man was executed minutes prior to their arrival. At the end of their sentences, the two boys return to their mothers and sweethearts.

Cast

* Joseph Marquis as the rich boy *

Sidney D'Albrook Sidney D'Albrook (May 3, 1886 – May 30, 1948) was an American actor. He was born in Chicago, Illinois, a son of Harry Dahlbruck, a musician, and Jennie McGuire. He was working as an actor in Davenport, Iowa, in 1910, living with his sister Rut ...

as the poor boy *

Edwards Davis Cader Edwards Davis (June 17, 1873 – May 16, 1936) was an American actor, producer, and playwright of vaudeville and the silent film era, known as a character actor. Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, he was an ordained Christian mi ...

as the rich boy's father *

Helen Lindroth Helen Lindroth (December 3, 1874 – October 5, 1956) was a Swedish-born American screen and stage actress. Biography Lindroth acted on stage with the Boston Museum Stock Company and in New York City before entering motion pictures with the K ...

as the rich boy's mother *

Vivienne Osborne Vivienne Osborne (born Vera Vivienne Spragg; December 10, 1896 – June 10, 1961) was an American stage and film actress known for her work in Broadway theatre and in silent and sound films. Career Osborne began her career on stage when s ...

as the rich boy's sweetheart *Anniez Ecleston as the poor boy's mother *

Helen Ferguson Helen Ferguson (July 23, 1901 – March 14, 1977) was an American actress later turned publicist. Biography Born in Decatur, Illinois, in 1901, Ferguson graduated from Nicholas High School of Chicago and the Academy of Fine Arts. Ferguson wa ...

as the poor boy's sweetheart *

Elsie MacLeod Elsie MacLeod(1890 or 1894 - ?''date of death unknown'') was an American film actress who worked in Hollywood in the 1910s and early 1920s. She was primarily known for her starring roles in short Edison comedies. Biography According to contem ...

as the poor boy's sister *

Tammany Young Tammany Young (September 9, 1886 – April 26, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. Early life Born in New York City, Young appeared on Broadway in ''The Front Page'' (1928) by Ben Hecht and ''The New Yorkers'' (1930) by Herbert Fields ...

as the smiler *Thomas Brooks as the new warden

Production notes

Working title of the film was ''The Gray Brother''.

was a member of Mutual league for prisoners.

References

External links

* *
''The Right Way''
website dedicated to Sidney Olcott 1921 films American silent feature films Films directed by Sidney Olcott 1921 drama films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub