Discord and Harmony
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''Discord and Harmony'' is a 1914 American silent short
romantic drama film Romance films or movies involve romantic love stories recorded in visual media for broadcast in theatres or on television that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate romantic involvement of the main characters. Typically their journey ...
directed by
Allan Dwan Allan Dwan (born Joseph Aloysius Dwan; April 3, 1885 – December 28, 1981) was a pioneering Canadian-born American motion picture director, producer, and screenwriter. Early life Born Joseph Aloysius Dwan in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Dwan, wa ...
and featuring
Murdock MacQuarrie Murdock MacQuarrie (August 25, 1878 – August 20, 1942) was an American silent film actor and director. His name was also seen as Murdock McQuarrie. MacQuarrie was born in San Francisco, California, and attended school there. He was the ...
, Pauline Bush, and
Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...
. The film's scenario, written by
Arthur Rosson Arthur Henry Rosson (24 August 1886 – 17 June 1960) was an English film director. From 1917 to 1948, Rosson directed 61 feature films (including co-direction of '' Red River''). He also worked on many major films as a second unit director ...
, was based on an event experienced by composer
Ludwig van Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. Beethoven remains one of the most admired composers in the history of Western music; his works rank amongst the most performed of the classic ...
. The film is now considered
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 ...
.


Plot

Joy reigns in a colony of struggling artists because Old Felix, a composer, has at last sold one of his symphonies. The night of its initial hearing at the Grand Opera House, the members of the colony turn out en masse. Too poor for orchestra seats, they gather in the gallery around the old composer. The old composer is happy almost to tears, and when the last note has died away there is a cry for the composer. Felix attempts to utter a few words of thanks, but is smothered with flowers. At his studio his friends have prepared for his welcome, and it is upon his arrival there that be feels the happiness which comes of success. However, at the other end of the hall a different drama is being enacted. A girl sits beside her stricken mother, and as the merriment in the studio reaches its height, her mother dies. After all of his friends have left, the disconsolate girl seeks Felix's Felix. The old musician is touched and he carries all of his flowers into the death room and agrees to lend the girl financial assistance. The following day, Felix legally adopts the girl as his ward. Lon, a sculptor, is impressed by her simplicity and beauty, and falls in love with her. Forrest, an artist, comes onto the girl and is rejected by her. Felix puts up the money for Lon to travel to Europe and study, and Lon secretly marries the girl before leaving, with Felix's consent. Forrest overhears when Lon and the girl are discussing their intimate plans, and unaware that they are now legally married, he spreads vicious gossip to discredit the girl's reputation, and finally on the eve of Lon's departure, he convinces Felix's friends that he is right. The old musician is utterly oblivious to what is going on; he scarcely notices that all of his friends are deserting him one by one. They decide to tell Felix exactly what kind of woman he has adopted. Old Felix drives them from his studio in anger. However, he is rendered feeble by the thought of losing all his old friends. He labors with feverish haste to complete his last symphony, but Life has taken too great a toll on him and he staggers into his bedroom and dies. The girl finds him there, and tells his old friends he is dead. They congregate around Felix's bedside, and play his last symphony one more time, hoping his soul will forgive them. Lon, the sculptor, returns from Europe, famous, and while the party of friends are still standing around the death-bed, Lon enters the room and greets the girl as his wife. Now the culprits understand the grave injustice of their treatment of Old Felix, and again gather around his bed in mourning.


Cast

*
Murdock MacQuarrie Murdock MacQuarrie (August 25, 1878 – August 20, 1942) was an American silent film actor and director. His name was also seen as Murdock McQuarrie. MacQuarrie was born in San Francisco, California, and attended school there. He was the ...
as Old Felix, the Composer *
Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...
as The Sculptor * Pauline Bush as The Girl *
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'', ...
as Forrest, the gossiping artist * James Neill as The Symphony Conductor * John Burton


Reception

"Motion Picture News" wrote "A very melancholy production somewhat similar in certain respects to a number of its predecessors, yet vastly different than others. Excellent make-up and good direction are responsible for its telling points.....A splendid finale is registered." "Moving Picture World" wrote "There is very little story here for a three-reel production; but while it fails to convince a critical spectator, it will pass very well indeed with the majority and will decidedly interest them. It has quality and plenty of it due to the players, to the atmosphere around artistic and musical people and perhaps most of all the beauty of its scenes."


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Discord And Harmony 1914 films 1914 romantic drama films 1914 short films 1914 lost films American romantic drama films American silent short films American black-and-white films American films based on actual events Films directed by Allan Dwan Films set in Europe Cultural depictions of Ludwig van Beethoven Lost American films Lost romantic drama films Universal Pictures short films 1910s American films Silent romantic drama films Silent American drama films