RELEASE DETAILS: Copyright 13 December 1918 by Norma Talmadge Film Corp. New York opening at the Rivoli: 5 January 1919. Los Angeles opening: 27 December 1918. U.S. release through Select Pictures Corp. 6 reels. The stage play opened on Broadway at the Lyceum on 29 February 1916 and ran for 95 performances. Lenore Ulric played Wetnona, Lowell Sherman played John Hardin.
COMMENT: I thought Thomas Meighan gave the best performance – a nice, restrained study, in which you can actually read his thoughts through his subtle facial expressions. True, you can read James' thoughts too, but his expressions are hardly subtle. In my opinion, executive producer Norma Talmadge miscast herself as the Indian maiden-who-is-not-a-maiden. On the other hand, Fred Huntley did real well as the Indian chief. In fact, I thought he was a real Indian! Fred Turner was likewise impressive in his small role as the priest. All told, however, I found this movie a bit disappointing compared to an earlier-in-the-year, Franklin-Talmadge endeavor, The Safety Curtain, which was also available from the Kodascope library in my youth.
COMMENT: I thought Thomas Meighan gave the best performance – a nice, restrained study, in which you can actually read his thoughts through his subtle facial expressions. True, you can read James' thoughts too, but his expressions are hardly subtle. In my opinion, executive producer Norma Talmadge miscast herself as the Indian maiden-who-is-not-a-maiden. On the other hand, Fred Huntley did real well as the Indian chief. In fact, I thought he was a real Indian! Fred Turner was likewise impressive in his small role as the priest. All told, however, I found this movie a bit disappointing compared to an earlier-in-the-year, Franklin-Talmadge endeavor, The Safety Curtain, which was also available from the Kodascope library in my youth.
