Isn't Life Wonderful
Isn't Life Wonderful (1924) is a silent film directed by D. W. Griffith for his company D. W. Griffith Productions, and distributed by United Artists. It was based on the novel by Geoffrey Moss and it went under the alternative title Dawn.
| Isn't Life Wonderful | |
|---|---|
 Lobby card | |
| Directed by | D.W. Griffith |
| Produced by | D.W. Griffith |
| Written by | D.W. Griffith Geoffrey Moss (novel) |
| Starring | Carol Dempster Neil Hamilton |
| Music by | Louis Silvers Cesare Sodero |
| Cinematography | Hendrik Sartov Harold S. Sintzenich |
| Distributed by | United Artists |
Release date |
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Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United States |
Plot
A family from Poland has been left homeless in the wake of World War I. They move to Germany and struggle to survive the conditions there, during the Great Inflation. Inga (Carol Dempster) is a Polish war orphan who has only accumulated a small amount of money from the rubble and hopes to marry Paul (Neil Hamilton). Weakened by poison gas, Paul begins to invest in Inga's future and he serves as their symbol of optimism.
Cast
- Carol Dempster as Inga
- Neil Hamilton as Paul
- Erville Alderson as The professor
- Helen Lowell as The grandmother
- Marcia Harris as The aunt
- Frank Puglia as Theodor
- Hans Adalbert Schlettow as Leader of the Workers
- Paul Rehkopf as Hungry Worker
- Walter Plimmer as The American
- Lupino Lane as Rudolph
- Robert Scholtz
- Dick Sutherland
- Louis Wolheim
Production
Most of the scenes were filmed in Germany and Austria. Only one was filmed in New York at the studio. The film stars Carol Dempster and Neil Hamilton. The film was a failure at the box office, and led to Griffith leaving United Artists shortly after its run in theaters.[1]
Reception
The film did receive some positive critical notices at the time, but its stock has risen considerably since; it has for some decades been considered one of Griffith's greatest films.[2]
Legacy
The title of the film was spoofed in the Charley Chase comedy Isn't Life Terrible (1925).
References
- Drew, William M. "D. W. Griffith (1875-1948)". Gilda's Blue Book of the Screen. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
- "Rotten Tomatoes". rottentomatoes.com. Richard Brody. April 6, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2016.
External links
- Isn't Life Wonderful on IMDb
- synopsis at AllMovie
- 30 minute abridgement Isn't Life Wonderful available for free download @ Internet Archive