The Battle of Trafalgar (1911 film)
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''The Battle of Trafalgar'' 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 ...
1911 American silent docudrama film that portrayed the 1805 victory of Great Britain’s
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
over the combined naval forces of France and Spain during the
Napoleonic Wars The Napoleonic Wars (1803–1815) were a series of major global conflicts pitting the French Empire and its allies, led by Napoleon I, against a fluctuating array of European states formed into various coalitions. It produced a period of Fren ...
. The death of British Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson in that decisive sea battle was also depicted in this "
one-reeler A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...
", which was directed by
J. Searle Dawley James Searle Dawley (October 4, 1877 – March 30, 1949) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, stage actor, and playwright. Between 1907 and the mid-1920s, while working for Edison, Rex Motion Picture Company, Famous Player ...
and produced by
Thomas A. Edison, Inc. Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated (originally the National Phonograph Company) was the main holding company for the various manufacturing companies established by the inventor and entrepreneur Thomas Edison. It was a successor to Edison Manufacturin ...
The film starred Sydney Booth with
Herbert Prior Herbert Prior (2 July 1867 – 3 October 1954) was an English silent film actor. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1908 and 1934. He was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, and died in Los Angeles, California. Prior was married to actress ...
, James Gordon, Charles Ogle, and
Laura Sawyer Laura Sawyer (February 3, 1885 – September 7, 1970) was an American film actress on stage and in silent films. Early life Sawyer was born in Iron County, Missouri, the daughter of Alvah Hayden and Laurette Sawyer.Corpus Christi Times (Co ...
in supporting roles.


Plot

This film is described in 1911 trade publications as "a powerful historical drama" of the famous battle off the coast of Spain, at
Cape Trafalgar Cape Trafalgar (; es, Cabo Trafalgar ) is a headland in the Province of Cádiz in the southwest of Spain. The 1805 naval Battle of Trafalgar, in which the Royal Navy commanded by Admiral Horatio Nelson decisively defeated Napoleon's combined ...
, on October 21, 1805. The motion picture's opening scenes, according to plot descriptions in those publications, portrayed
Lord Nelson Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought a ...
(Sydney Booth) at the Board of Admiralty in London in the weeks prior to the conflict. There he reveals his "wonderful plan of attack" against the French fleet, which was supported by warships of its Spanish ally."'The Battle of Trafalgar' (Sept. 22)"
''
The Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...
'' (New York, N.Y.), September 16, 1911, p. 822. Internet Archive. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
After discussing the daring plan, Nelson and his fellow officers raise their drinking glasses to
toast Toast most commonly refers to: * Toast (food), bread browned with dry heat * Toast (honor), a ritual in which a drink is taken Toast may also refer to: Places * Toast, North Carolina, a census-designated place in the United States Books * '' ...
King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of the two kingdoms on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Br ...
and Britain's anticipated success against French Emperor
Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader wh ...
's naval forces. The photoplay then shifted to scenes at sea aboard , Nelson's flagship. It is the day before the battle and officers are writing letters, perhaps their final messages, to their families and sweethearts. Lieutenant Prescott (
Herbert Prior Herbert Prior (2 July 1867 – 3 October 1954) was an English silent film actor. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1908 and 1934. He was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, and died in Los Angeles, California. Prior was married to actress ...
) is shown writing his fiancée (
Laura Sawyer Laura Sawyer (February 3, 1885 – September 7, 1970) was an American film actress on stage and in silent films. Early life Sawyer was born in Iron County, Missouri, the daughter of Alvah Hayden and Laurette Sawyer.Corpus Christi Times (Co ...
), who appears as a vision with "beautiful scenic and photographic effect". Advancing to the next day, the film depicted Nelson making a final entry in his personal diary and later on ''Victory'' bidding farewell to Captain Hardy ( James Gordon) and other officers once the long line of enemy vessels is sighted on the horizon. Next, "splendidly portrayed" in the film,
signal flags International maritime signal flags are various flags used to communicate with ships. The principal system of flags and associated codes is the International Code of Signals. Various navies have flag systems with additional flags and codes, and ...
are hoisted aloft to relay the admiral's own simple but inspiring message to his crews across the British fleet: "
England expects that every man will do his duty "England expects that every man will do his duty" was a signal sent by Vice-Admiral of the Royal Navy Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson from his flagship as the Battle of Trafalgar was about to commence on 21 October 1805. During the batt ...
". Scenes then transitioned to the flagship's decks being cleared for action, followed by footage showing the battle itself with "the firing of the guns", "ships caught on fire", and close-up views of the battered ''Victory''. While the battle is raging, Nelson and Hardy are openly and calmly walking on the quarter deck giving commands. Suddenly, Nelson drops to his knees, struck down by a
musket ball A musket is a muzzle-loaded long gun that appeared as a smoothbore weapon in the early 16th century, at first as a heavier variant of the arquebus, capable of penetrating plate armour. By the mid-16th century, this type of musket gradually di ...
shot by a sniper aboard the adjacent French warship '' ''Redoubtable''''. Mortally wounded, Lord Nelson is quickly carried below decks to the ship's cockpit. There in the film's final scenes, described as replete with "grandeur" and "pathos", the heroic admiral dies, but not until Hardy brings him news of the British fleet's overwhelming defeat of Napoleon's Franco-Spanish fleet.


Principal cast

* Sydney Booth as Admiral Lord Nelson"Edison Films"
advertisement for four of the company's productions with cast listings in ''The Moving Picture World'', including ''The Battle of Trafalgar'', September 16, 1911, p. 802. Internet Archive. Retrieved June 6, 2020.
* James Gordon as Captain Thomas Hardy *
Herbert Prior Herbert Prior (2 July 1867 – 3 October 1954) was an English silent film actor. He appeared in more than 260 films between 1908 and 1934. He was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, and died in Los Angeles, California. Prior was married to actress ...
as Lieutenant Prescott * Charles Ogle as William Beatty, ship's surgeon on HMS ''Victory'' *
Laura Sawyer Laura Sawyer (February 3, 1885 – September 7, 1970) was an American film actress on stage and in silent films. Early life Sawyer was born in Iron County, Missouri, the daughter of Alvah Hayden and Laurette Sawyer.Corpus Christi Times (Co ...
as Lieutenant Prescott's " Affianced"


Production

The sets for staging the production, including basic replicas of several deck areas on , were built in New York City at Edison Studios, which was located at the intersection of Decatur Avenue and Oliver Place in the
Bronx The Bronx () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Bronx County, in the state of New York. It is south of Westchester County; north and east of the New York City borough of Manhattan, across the Harlem River; and north of the New Y ...
. The
extra Extra or Xtra may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media Film * ''The Extra'' (1962 film), a Mexican film * ''The Extra'' (2005 film), an Australian film Literature * ''Extra'' (newspaper), a Brazilian newspaper * ''Extra!'', an American me ...
s who performed as crewmen aboard the British flagship and on the French vessel ''Redoubtable'' were various Bronx residents hastily gathered by the studio from surrounding neighborhoods."Marc MacDermott: Movie '49er"
'' Photoplay'', October 1917, pp. 104, 106. Internet Archive. Retrieved June 8, 2020.
In 1917,
Marc McDermott Marcus McDermott (also credited as Marc MacDermott; 24 July 1871 – 5 January 1929) was an Australian actor who starred on Broadway and in over 180 American films from 1909 until his death.Nick Murphy at the Forgotten Australian Actors webs ...
, an Australian actor and featured Edison player at the time of this production's development, recalled how a mistake in a major scene by one of those inexperienced extras or " supers" forced Director J. Searle Dawley to reassemble the cast and crew days after filming to reshoot an entire combat sequence on the ''Victory'' set:


Release and reception

In the months after its release in September 1911, the film received positive reviews both nationally and internationally. The New York-based
trade publication A trade magazine, also called a trade journal or trade paper (colloquially or disparagingly a trade rag), is a magazine or newspaper whose target audience is people who work in a particular trade or industry. The collective term for thi ...
''
The Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...
'' in its September 9 pre-release review describes the Edison Company's film as "altogether creditable" and expresses admiration for the production's attention to detail in its sets: The assessments of the film by ''The Moving Picture World'' only continued to improve in later issues of the trade journal. It was so impressed with the "excellent" film that it even promoted the idea of utilizing it in classrooms: "It is a historic picture of unusual educational value and would be useful anywhere in teaching history." Evidently, some learning centers detected the same potential of using the film as a learning tool for young students. In November 1919, more than eight years after the motion picture's release, the public library in
Ottawa, Illinois Ottawa is a city located at the confluence of the navigable Illinois River and Fox River in LaSalle County, Illinois, United States. The Illinois River is a conduit for river barges and connects Lake Michigan at Chicago, to the Mississippi Ri ...
offered the presentation of ''The Battle of Trafalgar'' as part of its "Movies for children" series on Saturday afternoons and promoted it as "a vivid story of Admiral Nelson's last battle, which is full of thrilling scenes." A month after the film's release, the "Western Correspondent" for '' Moving Picture News'' reported from
Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the O ...
that his wife, who reviewed the picture, thought it "was about the best battle scene and military reel she has looked at in many days", adding that "Because it was historical in character she raved about it." In Chicago, film reviewer Charles A. Young, predicted that ''The Battle of Trafalgar'' would have strong appeal in foreign markets, especially in Canada. "The sentiment of the Canadian public", he observed, "is that too much Yankee heroism at present is being exhibited in the animated picture theaters in Canada", noting that "Edison's 'The Battle of Trafalgar,' etc., will be of great interest and value to the Dominion of Canada and England." Young's comment proved to be correct, for by October and November 1911, foreign newspapers were already reporting positive responses to the screen drama's presentation in select theaters in England, Ireland, Wales, and France; and by February 1912 the "spectacular picture" was being screened as far away from Edison Studios as Bombay (now Mumbai), India. It is noteworthy that in marketing ''The Battle of Trafalgar'' in France, French distributors changed the film's title to ''La Mort de l'Amiral Nelson'' ("The Death of Admiral Nelson").


"Lost" film status and later British silent productions

No copy of this production is listed in the film collection of 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 ...
, the
UCLA Film Archives The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is a public land-grant research university in Los Angeles, California. UCLA's academic roots were established in 1881 as a teachers college then known as the southern branch of the California St ...
, in the collection of moving images at the
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 ...
, the
George Eastman Museum The George Eastman Museum, also referred to as ''George Eastman House, International Museum of Photography and Film'', the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in ...
, the Library and Archives Canada (LAC), or in other major film repositories in the United States, Canada, or Europe. The film is therefore presumed to be lost. A major fire at Edison's Bronx facilities on March 28, 1914 devastated much of the studio, destroying sets, large collections of costumes, production equipment, and "many moving picture feature films". It is quite possible that any master negatives and prints of ''The Battle of Trafalgar'' stored there were among the losses in that fire. Later footage from other silent productions that include portrayals of the Battle of Trafalgar should not be confused with this 1911 Edison release. Two of those subsequent releases are much longer, far more elaborate British films. One, titled '' Nelson; The Story of England's Immortal Naval Hero'', is a 1918 two-hour biopic starring
Donald Calthrop Donald Esme Clayton Calthrop (11 April 1888 – 15 July 1940) was an English stage and film actor. Born in London, Calthrop was educated at St Paul's School and made his first stage appearance at eighteen years of age at the Comedy Theatr ...
. The other silent film, also a biopic and simply titled ''
Nelson Nelson may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey * ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers * ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
'', is a four-reeler released in 1926. It stars
Cedric Hardwicke Sir Cedric Webster Hardwicke (19 February 1893 – 6 August 1964) was an English stage and film actor whose career spanned nearly 50 years. His theatre work included notable performances in productions of the plays of Shakespeare and Shaw, and ...
. Both of these British films survive, and each contains scenes of the 1805 battle that in style and general content are likely very similar to some scenes in this Edison version, including rudimentary
special effects Special effects (often abbreviated as SFX, F/X or simply FX) are illusions or visual tricks used in the theatre, film, television, video game, amusement park and simulator industries to simulate the imagined events in a story or virtual wo ...
that employed the use of miniature models and painted silhouettes of warships, small-scale explosions, and tight camera framing to simulate the opposing fleets bombarding one another.Copies of the silent British biopics of Nelson can be viewed on the streaming service
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...

''Nelson; The Story of England's Immortal Naval Hero'' (1918)
Gran Bretaña, PELICULAS MUDAS / Silent cinema, uploaded January 30, 2018
''Nelson'' (1926)
fourth of four parts, ( British Pathé), uploaded August 13, 2014.


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Battle Of Trafalgar 1911 Film 1911 films 1910s historical films 1910s war drama films 1910s action drama films 1910s American films Silent American drama films Silent war films Silent adventure films American action drama films American war drama films American epic films American historical films Films about naval warfare Films set in 1805 Films set on ships Films shot in New York City Napoleonic Wars films Napoleonic Wars naval films Seafaring films War epic films Films directed by J. Searle Dawley Cultural depictions of Horatio Nelson