''Kick In'' is a 1922 American silent crime drama film produced by

Famous Players-Lasky Famous Players-Lasky Corporation was an American motion picture and distribution company formed on June 28, 1916, from the merger of Adolph Zukor's Famous Players Film Company—originally formed by Zukor as Famous Players in Famous Plays—and ...

, distributed by Paramount Pictures, and starring Betty Compson and

Bert Lytell Bertram Lytell (February 24, 1885 – September 28, 1954) was an American actor in theater and film during the silent film era and early talkies. He starred in romantic, melodrama, and adventure films. Background Born in New York City, Lyt ...

. The picture was directed by

George Fitzmaurice George Fitzmaurice (13 February 1885 – 13 June 1940) was a French-born film director and producer. Career Fitzmaurice's career first started as a set designer on stage. Beginning in 1914, and continuing until his death in 1940, he directed ...

, who previously directed a 1917 film version of the story. Both films are based on

Willard Mack Willard Mack (September 18, 1873 – November 18, 1934) was a Canadian-American actor, director, and playwright. Life and career He was born Charles Willard McLaughlin in Morrisburg, Ontario. At an early age his family moved to Brooklyn, New ...

's 1913 play that was produced on Broadway in 1914 starring

John Barrymore John Barrymore (born John Sidney Blyth; February 14 or 15, 1882 – May 29, 1942) was an American actor on stage, screen and radio. A member of the Drew and Barrymore theatrical families, he initially tried to avoid the stage, and briefly att ...

. The supporting cast features Charles Ogle, who had played the first screen

Frankenstein's monster Frankenstein's monster or Frankenstein's creature, often referred to as simply "Frankenstein", is a fictional character who first appeared in Mary Shelley's 1818 novel ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus''. Shelley's title thus compares ...

in the original 1910 version of ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a sapient creature in an unorthodox scientific ...

''. A 1931 sound film version was produced with

Clara Bow Clara Gordon Bow (; July 29, 1905 – September 27, 1965) was an American actress who rose to stardom during the silent film era of the 1920s and successfully made the transition to "talkies" in 1929. Her appearance as a plucky shopgirl in the ...

playing Molly.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Kick In''
at silentera.com

Plot

As described in a film publication, Chick Hewes (Lytell) decides to go straight after being released from

Sing Sing Sing Sing Correctional Facility, formerly Ossining Correctional Facility, is a maximum-security prison operated by the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision in the village of Ossining, New York. It is about north of ...

, and is anxious to keep his younger brother Benny (Hughes) and his young wife from a life of crime. Chick gets a job, but loses it when he is hounded by the police. Jerry (Agnew), the son of District Attorney Brandon (Miltern), while driving with his sister runs over and kills a child in the slum, and the police let him go. Chick vows to see that atonement is made. Intending to crack Brandon's safe, Chick arrives at the residence while a wild party is going on. Brandon's wife travels with a fast set, much to the disgust of their daughter Molly (Compson), recently returned from her convent school. Jimmy Monahan (Prouty), a politician, has eyes for Molly, making dancer Frou Frou (Clifford) jealous. Jerry needs some money so opens his father's safe and Chick sees the youngster pocket cash and gems. Jerry is holding Chick with his gun when Molly appears, and Chick tells her what has happened. Jerry phones for the police, but Chick hides. Chick sees Frou Frou shoot Jimmy in a fit of jealous rage, and Chick holds her until the police arrive. Jerry attempts to frame Chick by placing the loot in his pocket, but Molly sees this and denounces her brother. John Stephens (Ogle), a western lumber man, offers Chick a job. Chick then finds his brother Benny in the next room has been shot. Benny had come to steal. Chick has the gang remove the body. Detective Fogarty (Long) tries to arrest Chick, but Molly explains everything to her father, who orders Chick released. Chick heads west and marries Molly.

Cast

* Betty Compson as Molly Brandon *

as Chick Hewes *

May McAvoy May Irene McAvoy (September 8, 1899 – April 26, 1984) was an American actress who worked mainly during the silent-film era. Some of her major roles are Laura Pennington in '' The Enchanted Cottage'', Esther in '' Ben-Hur'', and Mary Dale ...

as Myrtle *

Gareth Hughes Gareth Hughes (23 August 1894 – 1 October 1965) was a Welsh stage and silent screen actor. Usually cast as a callow, sensitive hero in Hollywood silent films, Hughes got his start on stage during childhood and continued to play youthful lead ...

as Benny * Robert Agnew as Jerry Brandon *

John Miltern John Miltern (1870-1937) was an actor in theater and films in the United States. He was in the Broadway play '' Yellow Jack''. He was also in Channing Pollock's play ''Roads of Destiny''. Another of his stage performances was described as manly ...

as District Attorney Brandon *Charles A. Stevenson as Hansom (the Yegg) *

Jed Prouty Jed Prouty (born Clarence Gordon Prouty; April 6, 1879 – May 10, 1956) was an American film actor. Biography Born as Clarence Gordon Prouty in Boston, Massachusetts, Prouty was a vaudeville performer before becoming a film actor. Mostly app ...

as Jimmy Monahan * Charles Ogle as John Stephens * Kathleen Clifford as Frou Frou *

Mayme Kelso Mayme Kelso (February 28, 1867 – June 5, 1946) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 70 films between 1911 and 1927. She was born in Columbus, Ohio, and died in South Pasadena, California from a heart attac ...

* Walter Long as Whip Fogarty * Carlton S. King as Diggs Murphy

Preservation status

After considered a

lost film A lost film is a feature Feature may refer to: Computing * Feature (CAD), could be a hole, pocket, or notch * Feature (computer vision), could be an edge, corner or blob * Feature (software design) is an intentional distinguishing char ...

for decades, a print of this film was discovered at the

Gosfilmofond Gosfilmofond is a state film archive in Russia. It is the main film archive of the Russian Federation and a member of the International Federation of Film Archives (FIAF). It is a state cultural institution — curator of films collection and oth ...

archive in Moscow. A restored copy was gifted to the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The library ...

in 2010.

Influence

Japanese movie magazine ''

Kinema Junpō , commonly called , is Japan's oldest film magazine and began publication in July 1919. It was first published three times a month, using the Japanese ''Jun'' (旬) system of dividing months into three parts, but the postwar ''Kinema Junpō'' ha ...

'' (November 21, 1927) suggests that

Yasujirō Ozu was a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He began his career during the era of silent films, and his last films were made in colour in the early 1960s. Ozu first made a number of short comedies, before turning to more serious themes in t ...

's first film as director, ''Blade of Penitence'' ('' Zange no yaiba'') draws from both ''Kick In'' and ''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...

'' (directed by

Frank Lloyd Frank William George Lloyd (2 February 1886 – 10 August 1960) was a British-born American film director, actor, scriptwriter, and producer. He was among the founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and was its preside ...

, 1918) for its basic theme, that of an ex-convict trying to go straight but prevented by circumstances from doing so. ''Blade of Penitence'' (now considered a lost film) was a studio assignment that Ozu did not much relish.

References

External links