''The Six Best Cellars'' is a

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

1920 American silent comedy film directed by

Donald Crisp Donald William Crisp (27 July 188225 May 1974) was an English film actor as well as an early producer, director and screenwriter. His career lasted from the early silent film era into the 1960s. He won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor ...

and starring Bryant Washburn and

Wanda Hawley Wanda Hawley (born Selma Wanda Pittack; July 30, 1895 – March 18, 1963) was an American actress during the silent film era. She entered the theatrical profession with an amateur group in Seattle, and later toured the United States and Can ...

. It was produced by

Famous Players–Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was based on the 1919 nove
''The Six Best Cellars''
by

Holworthy Hall Holworthy Hall, in Harvard Yard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a historic dormitory for first-year students at Harvard College. History Holworthy was named in 1812 in honor of a wealthy English merchant, Sir Matthew Holworthy, who died in 1678 ...

, the pseudonym of Harold Everett Porter. The film was released just after prohibition in the United States went into effect on January 17, 1920.

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 ...

, Henry Carpenter (Washburn) finds his supply of liquor getting low and the price far too prohibitive once national prohibition goes into effect. At the same time, the social set to which he and his wife Millicent (Hawley) belong find liquor indispensable at dinner. An experiment in home brewing meets little success and the Carpenters are in danger of losing their social position when their set picks up with an ex-saloon keeper, who has a cellar full of choice liquors. Millicent's aunt finds four cases of what appears to be liquor in her cellar and turns it over to Henry to destroy. He immediately invites the set over to a big dinner, announcing that he has an abundance of wine. The guests arrive when he discovers that the cases contain "empties." To save the situation, he denounces liquor and says that he had decided not to serve any. Henry immediately becomes a "dry" hero, is made

vestryman A vestryman is a member of his local church's vestry, or leading body.Anstice, Henry (1914). ''What Every Warden and Vestryman Should Know.'' Church literature press He is not a member of the clergy.Potter, Henry Codman (1890). ''The Offices of Wa ...

at the church and a bank director, and is asked to run for Congress. Then his wife's aunt calls again, reporting that she has found twenty-four full and genuine cases. Henry debates whether to return to his social set with the liquor or remain the dry champion with a chance to go to Washington. The film ends as he faces the audience and asks, "What would you do?"

Cast

* Bryant Washburn as Henry Carpenter *

as Millicent Carpenter *

Clarence Burton Clarence Forrest Burton (May 10, 1882 – December 2, 1933) was an American silent film actor. Biography Burton was born in Fort Lyon, in Benton County, Missouri and started in show business at the age of 5, playing stock and musical comedy ...

as Ed Hammond *Elsa Lorimer as Mrs. Hammond *

Josephine Crowell Josephine Boneparte Crowell (January 11, 1859 – July 27, 1932) was a Canadian film actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 90 films between 1912 and 1929. Biography Crowell was born in Nova Scotia. Crowell debuted in the ...

as Mrs. Teak *

Frederick Vroom Frederick Vroom (11 November 1857 – 24 June 1942) was a Canadian actor of the silent film era. Vroom appeared in more than 70 films between 1912 and 1939, mostly in supporting roles and bit parts. He played featured roles in Buster Keaton' ...

as Mr. Teak *

Jane Wolfe Sarah Jane Wolfe (March 21, 1875 – March 29, 1958) was an American silent film character actress who is considered an important female figure in magick. She was a friend and a colleague of Aleister Crowley and a founding member of Agape Lodg ...

as Virginia Jasper *Richard Wayne as H. Sturtevant Jordan *

Julia Faye Julia Faye Maloney (September 24, 1892 – April 6, 1966), known professionally as Julia Faye, was an American actress of silent and sound films. She was known for her appearances in more than 30 Cecil B. DeMille productions. Her various roles ...

as Mrs. Jordan *

Howard Gaye Howard Gaye (23 May 1878 – 26 December 1955) was a British actor who worked mainly in the United States. He acted in 27 silent films, including D. W. Griffith's epics ''The Birth of a Nation'' (1915) as Robert E. Lee and ''Intolerance'' (1916 ...

as Tommy Blair *Zelma Maja as Mrs. Blair *J. Parker McConnell as Harris (credited as Parker MacConnell) *Ruth Ashby as Mrs. Harris *Allen Connor as McAllister (credited as Allan Connor) *Lorie Larson as Mrs. McAllister

References

External links

* * 1920 films Alcohol policy American silent feature films Lost American comedy films Paramount Pictures films Films directed by Donald Crisp 1920 comedy films Silent American comedy films American black-and-white films 1920 lost films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films English-language comedy films {{1920s-silent-comedy-film-stub