A Strange Meeting
Plot
Mary Rollins, a young woman struggling between a life of moral righteousness and the temptations of criminal depravity, finds herself at a crossroads when she becomes involved with a group of thieves. Coerced by her criminal associates, Mary reluctantly agrees to participate in burglarizing the apartment of her minister, a man who has shown her kindness and guidance. As the burglary unfolds, Mary is confronted with the reality of her actions when she comes face to face with her misdeeds and the man whose trust she has betrayed. The film explores her internal conflict as she grapples with guilt, conscience, and the possibility of redemption. In a climactic moment of revelation, Mary must choose between continuing down her path of crime or embracing the opportunity for moral transformation.
About the Production
Filmed during D.W. Griffith's prolific period at Biograph where he directed approximately one film per week. The film was shot on 35mm black and white film stock typical of the era. As with most Biograph productions of 1909, this was likely completed in one or two days with minimal rehearsal time. The production utilized natural lighting and basic interior sets constructed at the Biograph studio in Manhattan.
Historical Background
1909 was a watershed year in American cinema, marking the transition from simple actualities and trick films to more sophisticated narrative storytelling. The film industry was consolidating around the Motion Picture Patents Company, known as the Trust, which controlled production and distribution through patents. Nickelodeons were proliferating across urban centers, creating a growing appetite for narrative films. D.W. Griffith, who had begun directing for Biograph in 1908, was rapidly emerging as the most innovative filmmaker of his era, developing techniques such as cross-cutting, close-ups, and sophisticated camera movement that would become fundamental to cinematic language. This period also saw the beginning of the film star system, though actors were still typically uncredited. Social issues of the time, including urbanization, immigration, and changing moral standards, were reflected in the themes explored in films like 'A Strange Meeting.' The film's release came just a year before Griffith would make his controversial masterpiece 'The Birth of a Nation,' which would forever change American cinema.
Why This Film Matters
While 'A Strange Meeting' may not be among Griffith's most famous works, it represents an important example of the moral melodramas that dominated early American cinema. These films served as a form of moral instruction for working-class audiences, many of whom were recent immigrants navigating American social norms. The film's exploration of redemption and moral choice reflects the Progressive Era's concern with social reform and individual responsibility. Griffith's work during this period helped establish narrative cinema as a legitimate art form capable of exploring complex human emotions and ethical dilemmas. The techniques Griffith was developing in films like this one would influence generations of filmmakers and help establish the grammar of cinema that persists to this day. The film also demonstrates how early cinema addressed themes of urban crime and moral corruption that were pressing social concerns in rapidly growing American cities.
Making Of
The production of 'A Strange Meeting' took place during D.W. Griffith's formative years at the Biograph Company, where he was rapidly developing his directorial voice. Working with cinematographer Billy Bitzer, Griffith was experimenting with narrative techniques that would later become hallmarks of classical cinema. The cast, comprised primarily of Biograph's stock company actors, would have been familiar with Griffith's directing style and expectations. Arthur V. Johnson, one of Griffith's most trusted performers, likely brought gravitas to his role, while Mack Sennett was still early in his career before transitioning to comedy. The film was shot in the cramped Biograph studio spaces, requiring creative staging and camera placement. Griffith was known for his meticulous attention to detail even in these rapid productions, often demanding multiple takes to achieve the emotional tone he desired. The burglary sequence would have required careful choreography within the limited space available, showcasing the technical ingenuity of early filmmakers working under significant constraints.
Visual Style
The cinematography in 'A Strange Meeting' reflects the work of Billy Bitzer, Griffith's longtime collaborator and one of the most innovative cinematographers of the early cinema era. The film likely employs the relatively static camera positions typical of 1909, but with Griffith's emerging sense of visual composition and dramatic framing. The burglary sequence would have utilized careful lighting to create shadows and suspense within the confined sets. Bitzer and Griffith were beginning to experiment with camera movement and angle variations during this period, though most shots would still have been from eye level. The film was shot on 35mm black and white film stock, with the visual contrast enhanced through careful lighting design. The interior scenes would have been lit using artificial lighting, as natural light was insufficient for the slow film stocks of the era. The visual storytelling emphasizes facial expressions and gestures, which were crucial for conveying emotion and narrative in silent cinema.
Innovations
While 'A Strange Meeting' may not feature groundbreaking technical innovations, it was produced during a period when Griffith and his cinematographer Billy Bitzer were developing many techniques that would become fundamental to cinema. The film likely demonstrates Griffith's emerging mastery of continuity editing and narrative pacing, which were still being refined in 1909. The cross-cutting techniques that Griffith was pioneering during this period may be evident in the burglary sequence, creating tension by cutting between different actions and perspectives. The film also reflects the sophistication of Biograph's production values, including professional lighting design and set construction that were advancing beyond the primitive conditions of earlier cinema. The emotional performances directed by Griffith represent an advancement in screen acting, moving away from the theatrical style of earlier films toward more naturalistic expression suitable for the intimate medium of cinema.
Music
As a silent film, 'A Strange Meeting' would have been accompanied by live musical performance during theatrical exhibitions. The typical nickelodeon presentation would have featured a pianist or small ensemble providing improvised or stock musical accompaniment. For dramatic scenes like the burglary, the music would have been tense and suspenseful, while moments of moral revelation would have been accompanied by more uplifting or contemplative themes. Some theaters might have used cue sheets published by the studios to guide musicians in selecting appropriate pieces. The musical selections would have drawn from popular classical pieces, operatic excerpts, and original compositions specifically created for film accompaniment. The score would have been crucial in establishing mood and enhancing the emotional impact of key scenes, particularly in conveying Mary's internal conflict and the film's moral themes.
Famous Quotes
No dialogue exists as this is a silent film, but intertitles would have conveyed key narrative points such as Mary's moral struggle and the consequences of her choices.
Memorable Scenes
- The burglary sequence where Mary confronts her conscience while helping to rob her minister's apartment, creating dramatic tension between her criminal actions and moral awareness.
Did You Know?
- This was one of over 140 short films D.W. Griffith directed in 1909 alone, demonstrating his incredible productivity during this period.
- Arthur V. Johnson, who plays a leading role, was one of Griffith's favorite actors and appeared in dozens of Biograph films during this era.
- Mack Sennett, who appears in this film, would later become famous as the founder of Keystone Studios and a pioneer of slapstick comedy.
- Stephanie Longfellow, who plays Mary Rollins, was the grandniece of renowned poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
- The film was released during a pivotal year when Griffith was beginning to develop his signature cinematic techniques that would revolutionize filmmaking.
- Like many Biograph films of this period, original prints were often destroyed after their theatrical run to recover the silver content from the film stock.
- This film was part of Griffith's series of moral tales that explored themes of redemption and social consciousness.
- The minister character was typical of Griffith's tendency to include religious authority figures as moral anchors in his narratives.
- Biograph films from 1909 were typically distributed to nickelodeons, where admission cost just five cents.
- The film's title reflects Griffith's tendency to use evocative, often mysterious titles that suggested the film's dramatic content.
What Critics Said
Contemporary reviews of 'A Strange Meeting' in trade publications like The Moving Picture World and Variety likely praised its moral message and dramatic effectiveness, as was typical for Griffith's Biograph productions during this period. Critics of the era often commented favorably on Griffith's ability to elicit strong emotional performances from his actors and his skill in creating suspenseful narratives. Modern film historians recognize this film as part of Griffith's crucial development period, noting how even his modest productions from 1909 contain seeds of the cinematic innovations that would make him famous. The film is generally viewed by scholars as representative of Griffith's early moral melodramas, which, while sometimes simplistic by modern standards, were groundbreaking in their psychological depth and narrative sophistication for their time.
What Audiences Thought
Audiences in 1909 would have received 'A Strange Meeting' as a compelling moral tale that resonated with the social and ethical concerns of the Progressive Era. The film's themes of redemption and moral choice would have appealed to the largely working-class nickelodeon audiences who sought both entertainment and moral guidance from motion pictures. The dramatic burglary sequence would have provided the excitement and suspense that audiences craved, while the resolution would have satisfied their desire for moral clarity. Contemporary accounts suggest that Griffith's films were consistently popular with audiences, who appreciated his emotional storytelling and the recognizable faces of Biograph's stock company actors. The film's relatively short runtime (approximately 11 minutes) made it ideal for the varied programming typical of nickelodeon exhibitions, where it would have been shown alongside other short subjects.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Stage melodramas of the 19th century
- Victorian moral literature
- Social reform movements of the Progressive Era
- Earlier Biograph productions
- Contemporary theatrical productions
This Film Influenced
- Later Griffith moral tales
- Biograph crime dramas of 1910-1911
- Early Hollywood social problem films
- Moral melodramas of the 1910s
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Film Restoration
The preservation status of 'A Strange Meeting' is uncertain, as many Biograph films from 1909 have been lost. However, the Library of Congress and other film archives hold extensive collections of Griffith's Biograph work, and prints or fragments may exist in these collections. Some early Griffith films have been preserved through paper prints submitted for copyright protection, which can be reconstructed. The Museum of Modern Art and the British Film Institute also maintain collections of early American films that may include this title.