"The Virginian", DeMille's first solo directorial effort, is far better than "The Squaw Man" (1914)—Cecil B. DeMille's co-directorial debut, which was also a Western popularized in other media (paperback and stage). Moreover, "The Virginian" is better than most of the films I've seen from the period of early feature-length films (from about 1910 to "The Birth of a Nation"). It isn't nearly as tedious and confused in its storytelling as "The Squaw Man" and includes many would-be staples of its genre. The shootout in the street is but one example. These were already standards of the genre in literature and theatre, of course, but this is one of the earliest examples of them so thoroughly being transplanted to cinema.
Perhaps even more important, the film contains some comparatively brisk editing and a few examples of then-advanced photography: all of which were lacking in "The Squaw Man" and many films of the period. According to historian Robert Birchard, the film we see today is a 1918 reissue, which included new intertitles. I suppose it may have been reedited some, as well, which is important considering that films in 1918 tended to move faster than even many films made today, let alone the often meandering pacing of the typical 1914 feature.
One important addition "The Virginian" has over "The Squaw Man" is cinematographer Alvin Wyckoff, who would continue to collaborate with DeMille on many of his early silent films, including the landmark film "The Cheat" (1915) and "The Whispering Chorus" (1918). "The Virginian" includes some impressively composed scenes and competent photography throughout. In one punctuating shot, only shadows on the ground of hung outlaws are shown. In another scene, two characters watch their shared memory before a fireplace via double exposure photography. The use of a mirror in one of the final shots to show the reunion of the two leads is an extraordinary case of framing and lighting, as well as dramatic effect, for its time. It also seems to be taken straight out of early Danish films, where mirrors were often used to reflect off-screen action and comment on the narrative. Two other impressive scenes seem to be entirely lit by campfire; it may be the earliest example I've seen of nighttime photography in a narrative film—even predating "The Birth of a Nation", which has often been cited as introducing this effect to a non-actuality film. (By the way, one campfire scene crosscuts between scenes shot in daylight. It's likely that this sequence was originally tinted blue, as was then the custom for making day to night scenes.)
The Californian landscape is also used rather well here, compared to "The Squaw Man" and other early films. Despite using much of the same cast from "The Squaw Man", the acting even seems more tolerable in "The Virginian", although still very dated. The use of some medium shots and scene dissection in the latter film surely help there. Comparing the two films, it's remarkable how much DeMille learned and was inspired to do within one year. Otherwise, "The Virginian" is, in ways, still a rather slipshod early feature-length film, with a throwaway story advocating the death penalty without trial to protect private property, with a couple very poor drawn-out jokes preceding the dramatic third act. Yet, it does show DeMille's promise as a filmmaker—a promise fully realized just the following year in "The Cheat".
Perhaps even more important, the film contains some comparatively brisk editing and a few examples of then-advanced photography: all of which were lacking in "The Squaw Man" and many films of the period. According to historian Robert Birchard, the film we see today is a 1918 reissue, which included new intertitles. I suppose it may have been reedited some, as well, which is important considering that films in 1918 tended to move faster than even many films made today, let alone the often meandering pacing of the typical 1914 feature.
One important addition "The Virginian" has over "The Squaw Man" is cinematographer Alvin Wyckoff, who would continue to collaborate with DeMille on many of his early silent films, including the landmark film "The Cheat" (1915) and "The Whispering Chorus" (1918). "The Virginian" includes some impressively composed scenes and competent photography throughout. In one punctuating shot, only shadows on the ground of hung outlaws are shown. In another scene, two characters watch their shared memory before a fireplace via double exposure photography. The use of a mirror in one of the final shots to show the reunion of the two leads is an extraordinary case of framing and lighting, as well as dramatic effect, for its time. It also seems to be taken straight out of early Danish films, where mirrors were often used to reflect off-screen action and comment on the narrative. Two other impressive scenes seem to be entirely lit by campfire; it may be the earliest example I've seen of nighttime photography in a narrative film—even predating "The Birth of a Nation", which has often been cited as introducing this effect to a non-actuality film. (By the way, one campfire scene crosscuts between scenes shot in daylight. It's likely that this sequence was originally tinted blue, as was then the custom for making day to night scenes.)
The Californian landscape is also used rather well here, compared to "The Squaw Man" and other early films. Despite using much of the same cast from "The Squaw Man", the acting even seems more tolerable in "The Virginian", although still very dated. The use of some medium shots and scene dissection in the latter film surely help there. Comparing the two films, it's remarkable how much DeMille learned and was inspired to do within one year. Otherwise, "The Virginian" is, in ways, still a rather slipshod early feature-length film, with a throwaway story advocating the death penalty without trial to protect private property, with a couple very poor drawn-out jokes preceding the dramatic third act. Yet, it does show DeMille's promise as a filmmaker—a promise fully realized just the following year in "The Cheat".