Silver Wings (film)

Silver Wings
Newspaper ad for the film playing at Crandall's Metropolitan Theatre, downtown Washington D.C. Tenth & F Streets N.W.
Directed byEdwin Carewe
John Ford
Written byPaul Sloane
Produced byWilliam Fox
StarringMary Carr
Lynn Hammond
CinematographyRobert Kurrle
Joseph Ruttenberg
Distributed byFox Film Corporation
Release date
  • May 22, 1922 (1922-05-22)
Running time
90 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent (English intertitles)

Silver Wings is a 1922 American drama film directed by Edwin Carewe and John Ford. Ford directed only the prologue of the film.

Plot

As described in a film magazine,[1] Uncle Andrew (Brooke) lives with Anna (Carr) and John Webb (Hammond), and rejoices when the Webbs get an offer of $10,000 for his invention, but Mother Webb advises building their own factory and taking a chance on the invention. Her advice proves wise, and by the time the children are grown, the family is on its way to prosperity. Harry (Striker), the elder son and mother's favorite, gives her the affection she craves, but she cannot see his shallowness, deceit, and general unworthiness. John (Helton), both as a child and when grown, suffers for his brothers sins, at last taking the blame for his brother's thefts from the factory. Harry drives his sister Ruth (Thomas) from home because he does not want her to marry a working man, this after their father has died on Christmas Day while all the family was together, his wife telling him of the happiness he has given her. Mrs. Webb takes over the management of the Webb shop, and has the help of John and Uncle Andrew, but Harry is lazy, extravagant, and generally caddish. Ruth and John are both driven away by Harry, but the mother carries on until she discovers that Harry has forged her name and taken or lost everything ov value. Anna breaks down and sells what is left, and after Harry runs off, she becomes a wandering derelict. After she is struck by an automobile, John and Ruth come to her, bringing Ruth's child. Finally a reformed Harry returns, for a happy ending with the mother's arms around her children at the fade out.

Cast

  • Mary Carr as Anna Webb (prologue / play)
  • Lynn Hammond as John Webb (prologue)
  • Knox Kincaid as John (prologue)
  • Joseph Monahan as Harry (prologue)
  • Maybeth Carr as Ruth (prologue)
  • Claude Brooke as Uncle Andrew (prologue / play)
  • Robert Hazelton as The Minister (prologue)
  • Florence Short as Widow Martin (prologue)
  • May Kaiser as Her Child
  • Percy Helton as John (play)
  • Joseph Striker as Harry (play)
  • Jane Thomas as Ruth (play)
  • Roy Gordon as George Mills (play)
  • Florence Haas as Little Anna (play)
  • L. Rogers Lytton as Bank President (play) (as Roger Lytton)
  • Ernest Hilliard as Jerry Gibbs (play)

Preservation

With no prints of Silver Wings located in any film archives, it is considered a lost film.[2][3]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Reviews: Silver Wings". Exhibitors Herald. 14 (24). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 52. June 10, 1922.
  2. ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Silver Wings
  3. ^ "Progressive Silent Film List: Silver Wings". Silent Era. Retrieved March 20, 2024.