The Net (found melodrama crime film; 1916)
Poster for film, original
Status: Found
Date found: April 5, 2022
Found by: Thanhouser Film Company
The Net is a 1916 5-reel feature melodrama created by the newly established Thanhouser Film Company and Preservation. The movie disappeared from the public eye until a copy was officially made available to stream in April 2022.[1]
Production
The company Thanhouser was established in 1909 as a project to preserve and make available rare films. They have released more than a thousand silent films and 96 of which are original writings. While much of it was made onto DVDs as part of their “volume” collection anthologies, their 1916 film The Net went misplaced and thought lost for more than 100 years.[2]
Lloyd F. Lonergan wrote the screenplay. A longtime original co-founder and professed scenarist, he declared the film to be “one of his finest”. Filming took place in Jacksonville and Mayport, Florida and totally runs for 58 minutes in 5 different “acts”. (Chapters). Music was also provided to the film, as was it directed by the experienced George Foster Platt.[3]
Storyline
Ethel Jewett, a hot commodity in early silent American cinema played a mysterious sea maiden who is rescued from the sea. In this, lore speaks of dangerous curses (of “epic proportions”) following her, wreaking havoc on the fisherman (Bert Delaney) who rescues her. The plot involves cunning escapes from the sea an$ quicksands as she is nursed back to health by Delaney’s mother. However, a crooked lawyer (Morgan Jones) turned even more wicked as he is tempted by her feminine wiles.[4]
All 5 reels contain different colour tints to them. (1-5; Pink, Yellow, Blue, Green, Red).
Distribution
The film was issued by the dozens in 1919 in Norway by Guttorm Jensen of Bergen. Research agrees upon the fact that he must have purchased this print directly from the film’s distributor, Mutual Film Corporation.
Preservation
This nitrate print would find it’s way into the NFI circa 1955 where it would become part of a shipment of nitrate reels to the Norwegian National Library on 2002 for preservation. Nearly two decade later work for a digital copy was finally made, when the print was identified in pristine condition. Intertitles were translated and it was made available. The original film scores were re-recorded and film scholar Kathy Fuller-Seely gave a commentary.
External Sites
- Watch on Vimeo On Demand ($12.99)
- Film Stills
- Full Summary at Hathitrust (Scan of original newspaper)