''The Adopted Son'' is a 1917 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 ...

directed by

Charles Brabin Charles Brabin (April 17, 1882 – November 3, 1957) was a British-American film director. Biography Born in Liverpool, England, he was educated at St. Francis Xavier College. Brabin sailed to New York City in the early 1900s and, while hold ...

and starring Francis X. Bushman, Beverly Bayne, and

Leslie Stowe Leslie Stowe (November 1867 – July 16, 1949) was an American actor. He appeared on stage and screen. He played the evil Herman Wolff character in ''Bolshevism on Trial''. Anthony Slide praised his performance as the film's villain. Stowe was bo ...

. It was released on October 29, 1917.

Plot

In the hills of Tennessee, a feud has existed for many years between the Conover's and the McLane's. Once a year, during the annual county fair, there is a truce between the families. As the truce ends, George Conover is ambushed by Henry McLane and killed. "Two Gun" Carter, who has just arrived in the area from Texas, witnesses the murder and carries the dead McLane back to his family. The entire clan is overcome by grief for the death of their kinsman, and the dead man's sister, Marian Conover, pleads with Carter to be adopted into their clan. Marian and Carter fall in love with one another, and eventually Carter proposes that he and Henry McLane fight a duel in order to end the feud. When Henry refuses to fight Carter, the leader of the McLane clan, Tom, agrees to take Henry's place. As the contest is being set up, Carter learns that he is actually a member of the McLane clan. He and Marian also make plans to marry. The day of the contest, Carter explains to Tom his heritage, but as they are talking, word comes to them that Henry has abducted Marian. The duel forgotten, Carter charges off to rescue Marian. During the course of the rescue, Henry falls off a cliff. Marian and Carter announce their plans to marry, and Tom let's everyone know that Carter is a McLane, thus ending the feud.

Cast list

* Francis X. Bushman as Two Gun Carter * Beverly Bayne as Marian Conover *

as Tom McLane * J. W. Johnston as Henry McLane * John Smiley as Luke Conover *

Gertrude Norman Gertrude Norman (May 19, 1848 or 1851 – July 20, 1943), was an English/American theater and Hollywood silent film actress. She is credited with being in 44 films between 1911 and 1936. She was also a screenwriter and director for early silent ...

as Mrs. Conover * Pat O'Malley as George Conover

Production

In August 1917 it was announced that Metro had obtained the rights to an unpublished, untitled story by

Max Brand Frederick Schiller Faust (May 29, 1892 – May 12, 1944) was an American writer known primarily for his Western (genre), Western stories using the pseudonym Max Brand. He (as Max Brand) also created the popular fictional character of young ...

. This was one of several films which paired Bushman with Bayne, and was produced in

Ithaca, New York Ithaca is a city in the Finger Lakes region of New York, United States. Situated on the southern shore of Cayuga Lake, Ithaca is the seat of Tompkins County and the largest community in the Ithaca metropolitan statistical area. It is named ...

. In September 1917 it was announced that Bushman and Bayne had gone on location to film sequences for the picture, which was at that time still untitled. The original working title for the film was ''God's Outlaw''. By mid-October the film's titled had been changed to ''The Adopted Son''. The story, by Max Brand, was scheduled to be published simultaneously in ''

All-Story Weekly ''Argosy'', later titled ''The Argosy'', ''Argosy All-Story Weekly'' and ''The New Golden Argosy'', was an American pulp magazine from 1882 through 1978, published by Frank Munsey until its sale to Popular Publications in 1942. It is the first ...

'' with the picture's release. The magazine's cover art featured Bushman and Bayne. The film was released on October 29, 1917.

Reception

While not complimentary of Bushman's performance, '' Photoplay'' felt that this film was "...one of the best feud stories the screen has recorded." They felt the exterior shots were magnificent, and found the performances of the supporting cast, particularly that of J. W. Johnston, were exemplary.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Adopted Son Metro Pictures films 1917 drama films 1917 films Silent American drama films American black-and-white films American silent feature films Films directed by Charles Brabin 1910s English-language films 1910s American films