''Three Word Brand'' is a 1921 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 distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film and television production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the main namesake division of Paramount Global (formerly ViacomCBS). It is the fifth-oldes ...

that was directed by

Lambert Hillyer Lambert Harwood Hillyer (July 8, 1893 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director and screenwriter. Biography Lambert Harwood Hillyer was born July 8, 1893, in Tyner, Indiana. His mother was character actress Lydia Knott. A graduate of ...

and starred

William S. Hart William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integ ...

and

Jane Novak Jane Novak (born Johana Barbara Novak; January 12, 1896 – February 3, 1990) was an American actress of the silent film era. Background Jane Novak was born Johana Barbara Novak in St. Louis, Missouri to Bohemian immigrant Joseph Jerome Novak a ...

. Hart plays three roles in the film.

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 ...

, pioneer Ben Trego (Hart) sends his twin baby sons on the trail while he turns to fight Indians in the wilds of Utah. When they close in on him, he commits suicide by igniting a keg of gunpowder, slaying several of the assailants in the explosion. His sons are picked up by riders who take them to the nearest settlement where they are adopted by different families. One of the boys (both played by Hart) becomes a rancher known as the Three Word Brand due to his sparsity of speech while the other becomes governor of the state. Neither knows of the other. The rancher is in partnership with George Barton (Bingham) who is accused of murder, but Brand believes in his innocence. At the same time Governor Marsden has been asked to sign a water bill which will deprive the ranchers in the valley of their supply of water. The governor decides to visit the valley and is seen by Brand, who notices the resemblance and hatches a plan to free his partner of the murder charge. Brand has his foreman lead the governor on false trails for several days while he goes to the capital and takes the executive's place. While masquerading as the governor Brand vetoes the water rights bill and signs a pardon for his partner Barton. Meanwhile the governor is wounded on the ranch, where he is mistaken for Brand. Brand returns and the two twins meet. The reunion gives Brand a chance to confound his enemies and also convinces his partner's sister Ethel (Novak) that he is worthy of marriage.

Cast

as Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego *

as Ethel Barton * S. J. Bingham as George Barton * J. Gordon Russell as Bull Yeates * Ivor McFadden as Solly *

Herschel Mayall Herschel Mayall (July 12, 1863 – June 10, 1941) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1912 and 1935. Biography He was born in Bowling Green, Kentucky, and died in Detroit, Mic ...

as Carroll * Collette Forbes as Jean *

George C. Pearce George C. Pearce (June 26, 1865 – August 13, 1940) was an American stage and film actor, primarily of the silent film, silent era. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1914 and 1939. He was born in New York, New York, and died in Los ...

as John Murray *

Leo Willis Leo Willis (5 January 1890 – 10 April 1952) was an American actor who began his career in the silent era. He played mainly tough guys and comic villains, notably opposite Harold Lloyd, Charley Chase, and Laurel and Hardy at the Hal Roach Stud ...

as McCabe

Survival status

A copy of ''Three Word Brand'' is 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 is ...

and

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street between Fifth and Sixth Avenues. It plays a major role in developing and collecting modern art, and is often identified as one of ...

film archives.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Three Word Brand''
at silentera.com

References

External links

* * {{allmovie, 49761, Synopsis 1921 films 1921 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films Films directed by Lambert Hillyer Silent American Western (genre) films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films