''Acquitted'' is a 1916 American silent

mystery film A mystery film is a genre of film that revolves around the solution of a problem or a crime. It focuses on the efforts of the detective, private investigator or amateur Detective, sleuth to solve the mysterious circumstances of an issue by means ...

produced by the

Fine Arts Film Company Fine Arts Film Company produced dozens of movies during the silent film era in the United States. It was one of the film production studios in Triangle Film Corporation, each run by one of the parent company's vice-presidents: D. W. Griffith, Thoma ...

and distributed by

Triangle Film Corporation Triangle Film Corporation (also known as Triangle Motion Picture Company) was a major American motion-picture studio, founded in July 1915 in Culver City, California and terminated 7 years later in 1922. History The studio was founded in July 1 ...

. Paul Powell directed a screenplay by Roy Somerville based on a 1907 short story by

Mary Roberts Rinehart Mary Roberts Rinehart (August 12, 1876September 22, 1958) was an American writer, often called the American Agatha Christie.Keating, H.R.F., ''The Bedside Companion to Crime''. New York: Mysterious Press, 1989, p. 170. Rinehart published her fir ...

Tod Browning Tod Browning (born Charles Albert Browning Jr.; July 12, 1880 – October 6, 1962) was an American film director, film actor, screenwriter, vaudeville performer, and carnival sideshow and circus entertainer. He directed a number of films of vari ...

served as an uncredited writer. This film marks the first starring role of

Wilfred Lucas Wilfred Van Norman Lucas (January 30, 1871 – December 13, 1940) was a Canadian American stage actor who found success in film as an actor, director, and screenwriter. Early life Lucas was born in Norfolk County, Ontario on January 30, 1871,US ...

, and may mark

Bessie Love Bessie Love (born Juanita Horton; September 10, 1898April 26, 1986) was an American-British actress who achieved prominence playing innocent, young girls and wholesome leading ladies in silent and early sound films. Her acting career spanned e ...

's film debut. The film is presumed

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 ...

, possibly due to the 1965 MGM vault fire.

Plot

The police accuse innocent bookkeeper John Carter ( Lucas) of having committed the murder of a cashier. A reporter, who is in love with Carter's daughter (

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

), proves that Carter is innocent. After a time, Carter's daughter convinces his former employer to hire him back.

Cast

Scene from the 1916 silent film Acquitted

Production

Bessie Love wore some of her own clothing as her wardrobe in the film.

Release and reception

The film was heavily censored in Ohio, with scenes of violence and drug sales and use removed before distribution. The film was well-reviewed. Wilfred Lucas received positive reviews for his performance in the lead role, as did Powell's direction. Bessie Love was positively likened to her contemporaries

Mary Pickford Gladys Marie Smith (April 8, 1892 – May 29, 1979), known professionally as Mary Pickford, was a Canadian-American stage and screen actress and producer with a career that spanned five decades. A pioneer in the US film industry, she co-founde ...

and

Mae Marsh Mae Marsh (born Mary Wayne Marsh; November 9, 1894U.S. Census records for 1900, El Paso, Texas, Sheet No. 6 – February 13, 1968) was an American film actress with a career spanning over 50 years. Early life Mae Marsh was born Mary Wayne M ...

References

;Citations ;Works cited *

External links

* * * * * 1910s mystery drama films 1916 lost films 1916 films American black-and-white films American silent feature films Films based on short fiction Films directed by Paul Powell (director) Films based on works by Mary Roberts Rinehart Lost American films American mystery drama films Triangle Film Corporation films Lost drama films 1916 drama films 1910s American films Silent American drama films Silent mystery films {{1910s-drama-film-stub