''The Greatest Question'' is a 1919 American

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 ...

directed by D. W. Griffith. Based upon a novel by William Hale, the film has a plot involving

spiritualism Spiritualism is the metaphysical school of thought opposing physicalism and also is the category of all spiritual beliefs/views (in monism and Mind-body dualism, dualism) from ancient to modern. In the long nineteenth century, Spiritualism (w ...

Plot

As described in a

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 ...

, Nellie Jarvis (Gish), daughter of a wandering couple, when very young witnesses the murder of a woman by a man and his wife. Years later, "Little Miss Yes'm," as Nellie is known, returns to the scene of the crime as an orphan. Mr. Hilton (Fawcett) and his wife (Besserer), though poverty stricken, take her into their family. Finding the Hiltons are in financial straits, she goes to a nearby farmhouse and gets employment from Martin Cain (Nichols) and his wife (Crowell). Here she is persecuted, beaten and tormented. The farmer seeks to assault her and she recognizes in him the man who murdered the woman years before. In the meantime, Mrs. Hilton has appealed to her dead son and God to relieve the family from poverty. The spirit of the dead son returns and on the following day oil is found on the land. Jimmie Hilton (Harron), Little Miss Yes'm's sweetheart, rushes to the Cain's to get her. He reaches her in time to save her from torture by the depraved Cains. The Hiltons become wealthy and there is a happy ending.

Cast

* Lillian Gish as Nellie Jarvis *

Robert Harron Robert Emmett Harron (April 12, 1893 – September 5, 1920) was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he acted in over 200 films, he is possibly best recalled for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed film ...

as Jimmie Hilton *

Ralph Graves Ralph Graves (born Ralph Horsburgh; January 23, 1900 – February 18, 1977) was an American screenwriter, film director and actor who appeared in more than 90 films between 1918 and 1949. Biography Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Graves had alre ...

as John Hilton Jr. *

Eugenie Besserer Eugenie Besserer ( – May 29, 1934) was an American actress who starred in silent films and features of the early sound motion-picture era, beginning in 1910. Her most prominent role is that of the title character's mother in the first talkie ...

as Mrs. Hilton *

George Fawcett George Fawcett (August 25, 1860 – June 6, 1939) was an American stage and film actor of the silent era. Biography Born in Alexandria, Virginia, in 1860, Fawcett graduated from the University of Virginia. His initial inclination was to ...

as Mr. Hilton * Tom Wilson as Uncle Zeke (*in blackface) * George Nichols as Martin Cain *

Josephine Crowell Josephine Boneparte Crowell (January 11, 1859 – July 27, 1932) was a Canadian film actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 90 films between 1912 and 1929. Biography Crowell was born in Nova Scotia. Crowell debuted in the ...

as Mrs. Cain

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Greatest Question, The 1919 films 1919 drama films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Articles containing video clips Films directed by D. W. Griffith Films with screenplays by Stanner E.V. Taylor 1910s American films