''The Johnstown Flood'' is a 1926 American silent
epic 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
Irving Cummings
Irving Caminsky (October 9, 1888 – April 18, 1959) was an American movie actor and director.
Career
Born in New York City, Cummings started his acting career at age 16 in ''Diplomacy''. His Broadway, performances included ''In the Long ...
, that addresses the
Great Flood of 1889 in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The film stars
George O'Brien,
Florence Gilbert
Florence Gilbert (born Florence Ella Gleistein; February 20, 1904 – February 27, 1991) was an American silent film actress of the 1920s. She was renowned for playing supporting roles alongside such actors as William Fairbanks and Jack ...
, and
Janet Gaynor
Janet Gaynor (born Laura Augusta Gainor; October 6, 1906 – September 14, 1984) was an American film, stage, and television actress.
Gaynor began her career as an extra in shorts and silent films. After signing with Fox Film Corporation (late ...
.
Plot
Tom O'Day becomes engaged to Gloria Hamilton even though Anna has love for Tom, unbeknownst to him. Gloria's father, John Hamilton, owns a lumber camp outside of Johnstown, Pennsylvania and has control of the dam upriver. To satisfy obligatory contracts he has to make sure he clears as much trees as possible. To do this, John has made sure the water level behind the dam is at maximum capacity but Tom knows there is a fault in the dam. Tom has to do everything he can to convince John to open the flood gates before disaster strikes Johnstown in the valley below.
Cast
Preservation
''The Johnstown Flood'' is a surviving film with a print held in the
George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection
The George Eastman Museum Motion Picture Collection in Rochester, New York comprises about 28,000 titles, including features, shorts, documentaries, newsreels, and experimental moving images. The collection is renowned for its holdings of silent f ...
.
Progressive Silent Film List: ''The Johnstown Flood''
at silentera.com
References
External links
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Lantern slide ''The Johnstown Flood''
1926 films
American silent feature films
American epic films
American black-and-white films
Fox Film films
Films directed by Irving Cummings
1926 drama films
Silent American drama films
Films with screenplays by Robert Lord (screenwriter)
1920s American films
Silent adventure films
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