Uncle Tom's Cabin (1918)

"Told far more dramatically on the screen than it ever was on the stage."

When Kentucky plantation owner George Shelby is forced to sell several of his slaves, one of them, Eliza Harris, escapes across the icy Ohio River with her child. Kindly old Uncle Tom, however, is sold to a Southern slave trader and begins his voyage down the Mississippi River. During the trip, he rescues little Eva St. Clair from the river, and out of gratitude, the girl's father buys him.

Date of release
1918-07-15
Runtime
50m
Genres
Drama
Director
J. Searle Dawley

Casting

Interesting facts

  • Based on: Uncle Tom's Cabin
  • Filmed in: New York City and Maine

Uncle Tom's Cabin is a 1918 American silent drama film directed by J. Searle Dawley, produced by Famous Players–Lasky Corporation and distributed by Paramount Pictures under the Famous Players–Lasky name. The film is based on Harriet Beecher Stowe's 1852 novel Uncle Tom's Cabin and George Aiken's eponymous play.

Production notes

The film's star, Marguerite Clark, portrayed both Little Eva and Topsy in the film. In order to present both characters on the screen at the same time, the filmmakers used the process of double exposure.

One important aspect of this movie is the use of blackface and its perception by the actors. Based on archival records the use of blackface was looked at as an impressive use of makeup. For instance, Frank Losee at one point had his makeup done while in a hotel and a passerby did not realize he was in fact white. He commented on this saying, “... one of most cherished memories, because it pays an unconscious tribute to my make-up”.

The early scenes involving Eliza's escape are filmed in New York City and Maine. This is notably due to the cold climate, as the scenes involved an Eliza being chased by dogs across a frozen river. One magazine made particular note of the use of real Bloodhounds and Great Danes for this scene. The boat scene of the movie was filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana. Famous Players Lasky chartered their own steam boat for these scenes.

In an interview with Losee, he details some notable events about the production. He noted that working alongside star Marguerite Clark was especially enjoyable. He also made mention of Clark's swim scene and worried that he may not be able to properly save her from the river as he was supposed to. He noted that one scene was filmed outside the home of some very old men.

Read on Wikipedia · Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Data from Wikidata.

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