The Scarlet Letter (1926 film)
The Scarlet Letter is a 1926 American drama film, based on the 1850 novel of the same name by Nathaniel Hawthorne, and directed by Victor Sjöström. Louis B. Mayer was reluctant on using Miss Gish, fearing opposition from church groups. The film was announced as "It's a real 'A' picture", taking advantage of the 'A' for Adultery.[1] Prints of the film survive in the MGM/United Artists film archives and the UCLA Film and Television Archive.[2]
| The Scarlet Letter | |
|---|---|
 Lobby card | |
| Directed by | Victor Sjöström |
| Produced by | Victor Sjöström |
| Written by | Nathaniel Hawthorne Frances Marion |
| Starring | Lillian Gish Lars Hanson |
| Cinematography | Hendrik Sartov |
| Edited by | Hugh Wynn |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
Release date |
|
Running time | 115 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent |
Cast
- Lillian Gish as Hester Prynne
- Lars Hanson as The Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale
- Henry B. Walthall as Roger Chillingworth
- Karl Dane as Master Giles
- William H. Tooker as The Governor
- Marcelle Corday as Mistress Hibbins
- Fred Herzog as The Jailer
- Jules Cowles as The Beadle
- Mary Hawes as Patience
- Joyce Coad as Pearl
- James A. Marcus as A Sea Captain
- Nora Cecil as (uncredited)
- Iron Eyes Cody as Young Native American at Dunking (uncredited)
- Dorothy Gray as Child (uncredited)
- Margaret Mann as (uncredited)
- Polly Moran as Jeering Townswoman (uncredited)
- Chief Yowlachie as Native American (uncredited)
- May Boley as Jeering townswoman (uncredited)
Production
The film was the second one Gish made under her contract with MGM. She asked Louis B. Mayer specifically to make it and he reluctantly agreed. Shooting took under two months.[3] The production cost a total of $417,000 when factoring out $48,000 overhead costs.[4]
Reception
The film made a profit of $296,000.[3]
The film is recognized by American Film Institute in these lists:
- 2002: AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions – Nominated[5]
- 2003: AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains:
- Hester Prynne – Nominated Hero[6]
See also
References
- "AllMovie's review of The Scarlet Letter (1926)".
- "Progressive Silent Film List: The Scarlet Letter". Silent Era. Retrieved April 10, 2009.
- Scott Eyman, Lion of Hollywood: The Life and Legend of Louis B. Mayer, Robson, 2005 p 125
- Slide, Anthony. "Those Elusive Budget Figures". Silent Topics: Essays on Undocumented Areas of Silent Film. Scarecrow Press, 2005, p. 25.
- "AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved August 19, 2016.
- "AFI's 100 Years...100 Heroes & Villains Nominees" (PDF). Retrieved August 19, 2016.