''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' is a 1927 American synchronized

sound In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the br ...

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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by Harry A. Pollard and released by

Universal Pictures Universal City Studios LLC, doing business as Universal Pictures (also known as Universal Studios or simply Universal), is an American filmmaking, film production and film distribution, distribution company headquartered at the 10 Universal Ci ...

. While the film has no audible dialog, it was released with a synchronized musical score with sound effects using the Western Electric

sound-on-film Sound-on-film is a class of sound film processes where the sound accompanying a picture is recorded on photographic film, usually, but not always, the same strip of film carrying the picture. Sound-on-film processes can either record an Analog s ...

process. The film is based on the 1852 novel ''

Uncle Tom's Cabin ''Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly'' is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in two Volume (bibliography), volumes in 1852, the novel had a profound effect on attitudes toward African Americans ...

'' by

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Elisabeth Beecher Stowe (; June 14, 1811 – July 1, 1896) was an American author and Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist. She came from the religious Beecher family and wrote the popular novel ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' (185 ...

and was the last version filmed without audible dialogue. This film is important historically as being Universal's first sound feature. In this version of the film, all of the major slave roles, with the exception of Uncle Tom himself, were portrayed by white actors. Actress Mona Ray played the slave Topsy in

blackface Blackface is the practice of performers using burned cork, shoe polish, or theatrical makeup to portray a caricature of black people on stage or in entertainment. Scholarship on the origins or definition of blackface vary with some taking a glo ...

while the slaves Eliza, George, Cassie, and Harry were all presented as having very light skin coloring because of mixed-race heritage. This film was released on DVD in 1999 by Kino. The film was re-released in 1958 with sound added and narration by

Raymond Massey Raymond Hart Massey (August 30, 1896 – July 29, 1983) was a Canadian actor known for his commanding stage-trained voice. For his lead role in '' Abe Lincoln in Illinois'' (1940), Massey was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor. He r ...

Cast

* Margarita Fischer as Eliza * James B. Lowe as Uncle Tom * Arthur Edmund Carewe as George Harris * George Siegmann as Simon Legree * Eulalie Jensen as Cassie * Mona Ray as Topsy * Virginia Grey as Eva St. Clare * Lassie Lou Ahern as Little Harry *

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 Lawyer Marks * Adolph Milar as Mr. Tom Haley *J. Gordon Russell as Tom Loker *

Gertrude Howard Gertrude Howard (October 13, 1892 – September 30, 1934) was an American actress of the silent film, silent and early sound film eras. Biography Born in 1892, Howard performed in the chorus of ''The Wife Hunters'' (1911) on Broadway. She broke ...

as Aunt Chloe, (Uncle Tom's wife) *

Jack Mower Jack Mower (September 5, 1890 – January 6, 1965) was an American film actor. He appeared in more than 520 films between 1914 and 1965. He was born in Honolulu and died in Hollywood. After studying at Punahou College, in Honolulu, Mower moved ...

as Mr. Shelby *

Vivien Oakland Vivien Oakland (born Vivian Ruth Andersen; May 20, 1895 – August 1, 1958), was an American actress best known for her work in comedies in Hollywood in the 1920s and 1930s, most notably with the Hal Roach Studios. Oakland appeared in 157 films ...

as Mrs. Shelby * John Roche as Augustine St. Clare * Aileen Manning as Aunt Ophelia Unbilled * Tom Amardares – Quimbo * Gertrude Astor – Mrs. St. Clare * Grace Carlyle – Mrs. Fletcher * Matthew Beard – Child *

Louise Beavers Louise Beavers (March 8, 1900 – October 26, 1962) was an American film and television actress who appeared in dozens of films and two hit television shows from the 1920s to 1960. She played a prominent role in advancing the lives of black Am ...

– Slave at Wedding * William Dyer – G.M. Beard – Auctioneer * Francis Ford – Captain * Eugene Jackson – Child * Carla Laemmle – Auction Spectator * Jeanette Loff – Auction Spectator *

Nelson McDowell Nelson McDowell (August 14, 1870 – November 3, 1947) was an American actor. He appeared in more than 170 films between 1917 and 1945. McDowell was born in Greenville, Missouri. His parents were N. B. McDowell and Anne Hampton. He attend ...

– Phineas Fletcher *

Rolfe Sedan Rolfe Sedan (born Edward Sedan; January 20, 1896 – September 15, 1982) was an American character actor, best known for appearing in bit parts, often uncredited, usually portraying clerks, train conductors, postmen, cooks, waiters, etc. Ea ...

– Adolph * Madame Sul-Te-Wan – Slave at Wedding * Dick Sutherland – Sambo * Clarence Wilson – Bidder at Eliza's Auction

Production

The title role was originally played by the notable stage actor Charles Gilpin, but he quit amid onset dissatisfaction with the depiction of the role and was replaced by James B. Lowe, re-shooting the scenes already filmed with Gilpin. ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' was partially shot on location in Plattsburg, New York.

Preservation

A print of ''Uncle Tom's Cabin'' is preserved at the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is a research library in Washington, D.C., serving as the library and research service for the United States Congress and the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It also administers Copyright law o ...

.''Catalog of Holdings The American Film Institute Collection and The United Artist Collection at The Library of Congress'', by The American Film Institute, c.1978

References

External links

* * * * 1927 films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films 1920s historical drama films 1927 drama films American black-and-white films American historical drama films American silent feature films Articles containing video clips Blackface minstrel shows and films Films about American slavery Films based on American novels Films based on works by Harriet Beecher Stowe Films directed by Harry A. Pollard Silent American drama films Surviving American silent films Uncle Tom's Cabin Universal Pictures films Synchronized sound films Films scored by Ernö Rapée Films scored by Hugo Riesenfeld English-language historical drama films {{1920s-silent-drama-film-stub

Cast

Production

Preservation

See also

References

External links