On the Banks of the Wabash (film)

On the Banks of the Wabash is a 1923 American silent rural melodrama film directed by J. Stuart Blackton and produced and distributed by his movie company, Vitagraph Studios. The film stars Mary Carr and among the cast are 14-year-old Madge Evans and James W. Morrison. The cameraman was Nicholas Musuraca. The film is very loosely based on Paul Dresser's song / poem "On the Banks of the Wabash, Far Away".[1] The film focuses on David Hammond (Morrison), who, spurred by invention, leaves his sweetheart Lisbeth (Evans), but returns to find her love unchanged amidst a crisis, ultimately leading to a joyous reunion.[2]

On the Banks of the Wabash
Lobby card
Directed byJ. Stuart Blackton
Written byElaine Sterne Carrington
Produced byAlbert E. Smith
StarringMary Carr
Madge Evans
Burr McIntosh
CinematographyNicholas Musuraca
Distributed byVitagraph Studios
Release date
  • October 22, 1923 (1923-10-22)
Running time
70 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Cast

edit

Production

edit

In an interview from the book "Silent Players" by Anthony Slide, director J. Stuart Blackton's daughter recalled the collaboration with actor James W. Morrison, saying that Morrison "last played for my father in a ghastly film we made in the flatbush studio about 1923. On the Banks of the Wabash. It was so earthy you could smell it. Not a nice smell really."[3]

Preservation

edit

Reportedly, a private collector holds an abridged, or shortened, version of this film.[4]

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ Progressive Silent Film List: On the Banks of the Wabash at silentera.com
  2. ^ AFI (October 21, 2013). "On the Banks of the Wabash". afi.com. Archived from the original on October 21, 2013. Retrieved February 12, 2024.
  3. ^ Slide, Anthony (2002). Silent Players. University Press of Kentucky. p. 253. ISBN 9780813122496.
  4. ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: On the Banks of the Wabash
edit