''Tillie'' is a 1922 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-g ...

directed by

Frank Urson Frank John Urson (March 21, 1887 – August 17, 1928) was an American silent film Film director, director and cinematographer from Chicago, Illinois. Originally a photographer, he moved on to cinematography and film directing for the Thanhouser Co ...

and starring

Mary Miles Minter Mary Miles Minter (born Juliet Reilly; April 25, 1902Louisiana Birth Certificate, Caddo Parish, No. 119, Book A, Page 97, Birth Date: April 25, 1902, Name: Mary M. Reilly ic – Original Caddo birth record was recorded as "J.H. Riley's Child" ...

. The scenario was written by

Alice Eyton Alice Eyton (1874 – November 3, 1929), sometimes credited under her married name Alice von Saxmar, was a New Zealand–born journalist, screenwriter, playwright, and novelist active in Hollywood between 1918 and 1922. Biography Origins ...

, based on the novel ''Tillie, the Mennonite Maid'' by

Helen Reimensnyder Martin Helen Reimensnyder Martin (October 18, 1868 – June 29, 1939) was an American author. Early life and education Martin was born on October 18, 1868, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She was the fifth child born to Reverend Cornelius and Henrietta ...

. ''Tillie'' reunited Minter with

Allan Forrest Allan Forrest Fisher (September 1, 1885 – July 25, 1941) was an American silent film actor. Life and career Allan Forrest Fisher starred in 119 films, mostly silent, between 1913 and 1932. He appeared in films such as '' The Torch Bearer'', ...

, her most frequent leading man from her time at

Mutual Film Mutual Film Corporation was an early American film conglomerate that produced some of Charlie Chaplin's greatest comedies. Founded in 1912, it was absorbed by Film Booking Offices of America, which evolved into RKO Pictures. Founding Mutual's ...

and the American Film Company, for the first time since their 1919 picture

Yvonne from Paris ''Yvonne from Paris'' is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by Emmett J. Flynn and starring Mary Miles Minter, Allan Forrest, and Vera Lewis. It was Minter's last film with the American Film Company; she signed a contract with Realart ...

. As with many of Minter's features, ''Tillie'' is thought to be a

lost film A lost film is a feature or short film that no longer exists in any studio archive, private collection, public archive or the U.S. Library of Congress. Conditions During most of the 20th century, U.S. copyright law required at least one copy o ...

Plot

As described in various

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 ...

reviews, Tillie Getz (Minter) is a girl living in a community of

Mennonites Mennonites are groups of Anabaptist Christian church communities of denominations. The name is derived from the founder of the movement, Menno Simons (1496–1561) of Friesland. Through his writings about Reformed Christianity during the Radic ...

with her harsh father Jacob Getz (Beery), who treats her little better than a slave. Tillie longs for education and for an escape from the drudgery of her life, but only the kindly Doc Weaver (Littlefield) understands her ambitions. Unbeknownst to Tillie, an elderly relative has willed her a small fortune, but only if she should enter into the Mennonite church by the time she has turned eighteen. Her father pressures her into joining the church, but Tillie resists, just as she resists the efforts of a local lawyer (Cooper) to push her into marriage with the undesirable Absalom (Anderson). The lawyer and Absalom are both aware of the terms of the will, and plot to share Tillie's fortune between them once they have convinced her to wed. One day, Jack Fairchild (Forrest) comes to the town and finding himself captivated by Tillie, he takes up the position of the local schoolmaster so that he can remain close to her. In this way, the ambitions of Tillie's father, the lawyer and Absalom are all thwarted, and Tillie finds love with Jack and freedom from the Mennonite way of life.

Cast

as Tillie Getz *

Noah Beery, Sr. Noah Nicholas Beery (January 17, 1882 – April 1, 1946) was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 until his death in 1946. He was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Wallace Beery as well as the father of prominen ...

as Jacob Getz *

as Jack Fairchild *

Lucien Littlefield Lucien Littlefield (August 16, 1895 – June 4, 1960) was an American actor who achieved a long career from silent films to the television era. He was noted for his versatility, playing a wide range of roles and already portraying old men befor ...

as Doc Weaver *

Lillian Leighton Lillianne Brown Leighton (May 17, 1874 – March 19, 1956), known professionally as Lillian Leighton, was an American silent film actress. Leighton started her career in Chicago. Leighton was born in Auroraville, Wisconsin, on May 17, 187 ...

as Sarah Oberholtzzer *Marie Trebaol as Sallie Getz *Virginia Adair as Louisa * Robert Anderson as Absalom Puntz * Edward Cooper as Lawyer

References

External links

* 1922 films 1920s English-language films Silent American drama films 1922 drama films Paramount Pictures films American black-and-white films American silent feature films Films directed by Frank Urson Mennonitism in films 1920s American films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub