''Three Word Brand'' is a 1921 American silent

Western Western may refer to: Places *Western, Nebraska, a village in the US *Western, New York, a town in the US *Western Creek, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western Junction, Tasmania, a locality in Australia *Western world, countries that id ...

film distributed by

Paramount Pictures Paramount Pictures Corporation, commonly known as Paramount Pictures or simply Paramount, is an American film production company, production and Distribution (marketing), distribution company and the flagship namesake subsidiary of Paramount ...

that was directed by

Lambert Hillyer Lambert Hillyer (July 8, 1893 – July 5, 1969) was an American film director and screenwriter. He is best known today for his many western features, his horror films ''The Invisible Ray (1936 film), The Invisible Ray'' and ''Dracula's Daugh ...

and starred

William S. Hart William Surrey Hart (December 6, 1864 – June 23, 1946) was an American silent film actor, screenwriter, director and producer. He is remembered as a foremost Western star of the silent era who "imbued all of his characters with honor and integ ...

and

Jane Novak Jane Novak (born Johana Barbara Novak; January 12, 1896 – February 3, 1990) was an United States of America, American actress of the silent film era. Background Jane Novak was born Johana Barbara Novak in St. Louis, Missouri to Bohemian immigr ...

. Hart plays three roles in the film.

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 ...

, pioneer Ben Trego (Hart) sends his twin baby sons on the trail while he turns to fight Indians in the wilds of Utah. When they close in on him, he commits suicide by igniting a keg of gunpowder, slaying several of the assailants in the explosion. His sons are picked up by riders who take them to the nearest settlement where they are adopted by different families. One of the boys (both played by Hart) becomes a rancher known as the Three Word Brand due to his sparsity of speech while the other becomes governor of the state. Neither knows of the other. The rancher is in partnership with George Barton (Bingham) who is accused of murder, but Brand believes in his innocence. At the same time Governor Marsden has been asked to sign a water bill which will deprive the ranchers in the valley of their supply of water. The governor decides to visit the valley and is seen by Brand, who notices the resemblance and hatches a plan to free his partner of the murder charge. Brand has his foreman lead the governor on false trails for several days while he goes to the capital and takes the executive's place. While masquerading as the governor Brand vetoes the water rights bill and signs a pardon for his partner Barton. Meanwhile the governor is wounded on the ranch, where he is mistaken for Brand. Brand returns and the two twins meet. The reunion gives Brand a chance to confound his enemies and also convinces his partner's sister Ethel (Novak) that he is worthy of marriage.

Cast

as Three Word Brand / Governor Marsden / Ben Trego *

as Ethel Barton * S. J. Bingham as George Barton * J. Gordon Russell as Bull Yeates * Ivor McFadden as Solly * Herschel Mayall as Carroll * Collette Forbes as Jean * George C. Pearce as John Murray *

Leo Willis Leo Willis (January 5, 1890Katchmer, George A. (2009). A Biographical Dictionary of Silent Film Western Actors and Actresses'. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. p. 401. . – April 10, 1952) was an American actor who began his career in th ...

as McCabe

Survival status

A copy of ''Three Word Brand'' is in 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 ...

and

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

film archives.Progressive Silent Film List: ''Three Word Brand''
at silentera.com

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0012754, Three Word Brand 1921 films 1921 Western (genre) films American black-and-white films Films directed by Lambert Hillyer Silent American Western (genre) films 1920s American films 1920s English-language films English-language Western (genre) films