''The Bells'' is a 1926 American silent

crime film Crime films, in the broadest sense, is a film genre inspired by and analogous to the crime fiction literary genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and its detection. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine ...

directed by James Young, starring

Lionel Barrymore Lionel Barrymore (born Lionel Herbert Blythe; April 28, 1878 – November 15, 1954) was an American actor of stage, screen and radio as well as a film director. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in ''A Free Soul'' (1931) ...

and

Boris Karloff William Henry Pratt (23 November 1887 – 2 February 1969), better known by his stage name Boris Karloff (), was an English actor. His portrayal of Frankenstein's monster in the horror film ''Frankenstein'' (1931) (his 82nd film) established h ...

. It was based on an 1867 French stage play called ''Le Juif Polonais'' (''The Polish Jew'') by

Erckmann-Chatrian Erckmann-Chatrian was the name used by French authors Émile Erckmann (1822–1899) and Alexandre Chatrian (1826–1890), nearly all of whose works were jointly written.Mary Ellen Snodgrass, ''Encyclopedia of Gothic Literature''. New York, Facts ...

. The play was translated to English in 1871 by Leopold Lewis at which time it was retitled '' The Bells''. The English version of the play was performed in the U.S. in the 19th century by Sir

Henry Irving Sir Henry Irving (6 February 1838 – 13 October 1905), christened John Henry Brodribb, sometimes known as J. H. Irving, was an English stage actor in the Victorian era, known as an actor-manager because he took complete responsibility ( ...

. ''Le Juif Polonais'' was also adapted into an opera of the same name in three acts by

Camille Erlanger Camille Erlanger (25 May 186324 April 1919) was a French opera composer. He studied at the Paris Conservatory under Léo Delibes (composition), Georges Mathias (piano), as well as Émile Durand and Antoine Taubon (harmony).Jacobshagen, Arnold: "E ...

, composed to a

libretto A libretto (Italian for "booklet") is the text used in, or intended for, an extended musical work such as an opera, operetta, masque, oratorio, cantata or Musical theatre, musical. The term ''libretto'' is also sometimes used to refer to the t ...

Henri Cain Henri is an Estonian, Finnish, French, German and Luxembourgish form of the masculine given name Henry. People with this given name ; French noblemen :'' See the ' List of rulers named Henry' for Kings of France named Henri.'' * Henri I de Mon ...

. The play was adapted into a number of film adaptations; an Australian film in 1911 directed by

W. J. Lincoln William Joseph Lincoln (1870 – 18 August 1917) was an Australian playwright, theatre manager, film director and screenwriter in the silent film, silent era. He produced, directed and/or wrote 23 films between 1911 and 1916. One obituary calle ...

, a 1913 American film directed by

Oscar Apfel Oscar C. Apfel (January 17, 1878 – March 21, 1938) was an American film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He appeared in more than 160 films between 1913 and 1939, and also directed 94 films between 1911 and 1927. Biography Apf ...

, a 1918 American film ''The Bells'' (1918 film) directed by Ernest C. Warde, a 1925 British-Belgian film (aka ''Le juif polonais'') directed by

Harry Southwell Harry Southwell (born 1882, date of death unknown) was an Australian actor, writer and film director best known for making films about Ned Kelly. He was born in Cardiff, Wales and spent a couple of years in America, where he adapted some short ...

, the 1926 Hollywood film starring

and

, and a British film in 1931 which starred Donald Caltrop as Mathias.

remade the film again later in Australia as ''

The Burgomeister ''The Burgomeister'' is a 1935 Australian film directed by Harry Southwell based on the 1867 play ''Le juif polonais'' (aka '' The Bells'') by Erckmann-Chatrian, adapted into English in 1871 by Leopold Lewis, previously filmed a number of times ...

'' (1935). Footage from ''The Bells'' (1926) was re-used in two short films: ''The Mesmerist'', and ''Light Is Calling'' by Bill Morrison.

Plot

Mathias, an innkeeper with several other businesses, seeks to be burgomaster of a small Austrian hamlet. In order to gain favor with local leaders, he offers food and alcohol on credit, but often refuses to collect, much to the dismay of his wife Catharine. Mathias is deeply in debt to Frantz, who seeks Mathias' businesses. He will forgive the debt if Mathias allows him to marry his daughter, Annette. Mathias refuses, and is worried about the debt which will come due soon. One evening a Polish Jew enters Mathias' inn. The man displays a money belt filled with gold, which Mathias, having had much to drink with the man, eyes closely. When the man leaves in a blizzard, Mathias pursues and kills him; before he dies, the man shakes a set of horse bells at him. Having come into money through murder, Mathias pays off his debt, provides a dowry for his daughter to marry, and is elected burgomaster. However, he is haunted by the sound of bells and hallucinations of the man he killed. The man's brother comes and offers a reward, bringing a "mesmerist" to help find the murderer. Mathias is pursued by the mesmerist and his own guilt throughout the rest of the film. He suffers hallucinations and nightmarish dreams of the murdered man until the final reel, in which he confesses his crime aloud to the ghost, then collapses, dead.

Cast

as Mathias * Caroline Frances Cooke as Catharine *

Gustav von Seyffertitz Gustav von Seyffertitz (4 August 1862 – 25 December 1943) was a German film actor and director. He settled in the United States. He was born in Haimhausen, Bavaria, and died in Los Angeles, California, aged 81. Biography Gustav von Seyffertit ...

as Jerome Frantz *

Lorimer Johnston Lorimer Johnston (November 2, 1858 in Maysville, Kentucky – February 20, 1941 in Hollywood, California) was an American silent film actor and director. He was involved in the production of over 60 films in acting and directing and he also wr ...

as Hans * Eddie Phillips as Christian (as Edward Phillips) *

Lola Todd Lola may refer to: Places * Lolá, a or subdistrict of Panama * Lola Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, United States * Lola Prefecture, Guinea * Lola, Guinea, a town in Lola Prefecture * Lola Island, in the Solomon Islands People * Lola ...

as Annette *

Laura La Varnie Laura La Varnie (March 2, 1853 – September 18, 1939) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 80 films between 1913 and 1930. She was born in Jefferson City, Missouri and died in Los Angeles, California. Select ...

as Fortune teller (as Laura Lavarnie) *

as The Mesmerist * E. Alyn Warren as Jethro Koweski / Baruch Koweski * John George (uncredited)

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bells, The 1926 films 1920s crime thriller films American crime thriller films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by James Young Films set in Austria 1920s American films Silent thriller films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links