Below the Surface

About the production

The underwater sequences were particularly challenging to film in 1920, requiring custom-built diving equipment and underwater cameras. The production faced significant technical difficulties with early underwater photography techniques, often having to reshoot scenes due to poor visibility or equipment failure. Director Irvin Willat insisted on authenticity, hiring real divers as consultants and using actual diving equipment rather than theatrical props.

Themes

Themes & topics

Historical background

Below the Surface (1920) emerged during late silent cinema and the transition toward sound, when exhibition habits and national film industries were still taking shape.

Why this film matters

Below the Surface remains accessible through digital archives, giving modern viewers a direct link to 1920 screen culture.

Making of

The production of 'Below the Surface' presented significant technical challenges, particularly in filming the underwater sequences. The cinematography team had to develop specialized waterproof camera housings, which were primitive by modern standards but innovative for 1920. The actors, particularly Hobart Bosworth, had to learn basic diving techniques and perform in heavy, restrictive diving gear. The underwater scenes were filmed in tanks at Paramount Studios and off the California coast, with safety protocols that were minimal by today's standards. Director Irvin Willat, known for his meticulous attention to detail, insisted on multiple takes to achieve the desired dramatic effect, often pushing the cast and crew to their physical limits. The film's production coincided with a period of rapid technological advancement in Hollywood, and the underwater sequences were considered so impressive that they were heavily featured in the film's promotional materials.

What critics said

Trade and revival screenings have kept Below the Surface (1920) on the map for collectors and scholars rather than mass first-run promotion.

Did you know?

• Hobart Bosworth, who plays the lead diver William Holland, was not only an actor but also a pioneering film director and producer, having established one of the first movie studios in California in 1913.
• The underwater diving sequences were considered groundbreaking for their time, using innovative photography techniques that were developed specifically for this production.
• Grace Darmond, who plays the seductive Sylvia, was a popular silent film star who had previously worked with director Cecil B. DeMille.
• Director Irvin Willat was married to screenwriter Frances Marion, especially prolific and powerful women in early Hollywood, though she did not write this particular film.
• The film's theme of con artists and elaborate schemes reflected the growing public fascination with confidence tricks and scams in the post-World War I era.
• Lloyd Hughes, who plays the son Tom, would later become one of the leading men of silent cinema, starring in films like 'The Lost World' (1925).
• The production used actual deep-sea diving equipment from the period, making the underwater scenes remarkably authentic for viewers of the time.
• This film was one of the earliest to feature underwater sequences as a central part of its plot, predating more famous underwater films like '20,000 Leagues Under the Sea' (1916) and 'Wings' (1927).
• The film's title 'Below the Surface' works on multiple levels - referring literally to underwater diving and metaphorically to the hidden motives and deception beneath the surface of the characters' actions.
• Despite being a Paramount production, the film has become quite rare and is considered one of the studio's lesser-known silent dramas.

Awards & recognition

• No major awards were given for this film - the first Academy Awards were not presented until 1929

Visual style

The cinematography of 'Below the Surface' was pioneering for its underwater sequences, utilizing custom-built waterproof camera equipment and innovative lighting techniques. The above-water scenes employed the standard lighting and composition techniques of the era, but the underwater photography required special solutions including underwater lighting rigs and modified cameras. The contrast between the bright, sunlit surface scenes and the mysterious, shadowy underwater environments created visual tension that enhanced the film's dramatic impact. The cinematographer successfully captured the otherworldly quality of the underwater environment, which would have been exotic and fascinating to 1920 audiences.

Innovations

The film's primary technical achievement was its pioneering underwater cinematography. The production team developed specialized camera housings that could withstand water pressure while maintaining functionality. They also created underwater lighting systems that could illuminate scenes adequately for filming. The diving equipment used in the film was authentic to the period, adding to the realism of the underwater sequences. These technical innovations were significant for 1920 and contributed to the development of underwater filming techniques that would be refined and expanded in subsequent decades.

Music

As a silent film, 'Below the Surface' would have been accompanied by live musical performance during its theatrical run. The score likely consisted of classical pieces and popular songs of the era, selected by the theater's musical director to match the mood of each scene. Dramatic underwater sequences would have been accompanied by mysterious, flowing music, while scenes of tension would have used more agitated compositions. No original composed score for the film has survived, as was typical for silent era productions where music was chosen and performed locally by each theater.

Famous quotes

A man's honor is worth more than all the gold in the ocean depths." - William Holland

Below the surface, the truth always comes to light." - Opening title card

You cannot blackmail an honest man without breaking his spirit first." - William Holland

Memorable scenes

• The dramatic underwater sequence where Holland performs the staged salvage operation while secretly planning to expose the criminals
• The tense confrontation scene where the con artists reveal they have compromising photographs of Holland's son
• The emotional father-son conversation where Holland must explain why he's participating in the fraudulent scheme

What audiences thought

Audiences in 1920 responded positively to the film's spectacular underwater scenes, which were a major draw for moviegoers seeking novelty and visual excitement. The moral dilemma faced by the protagonist resonated with contemporary audiences, who valued films with clear ethical frameworks. The film performed moderately well at the box office, particularly in coastal cities where audiences had some familiarity with diving and maritime culture. However, like many films of its era, it was eventually overshadowed by more spectacular productions as cinema technology advanced throughout the 1920s.

Film connections

Influenced by

• Early adventure serials
• Melodrama conventions of silent era
• Contemporary newspaper stories about diving accidents and salvage operations

This film influenced

• Later underwater adventure films
• Films featuring moral dilemmas and blackmail plots
• Early crime dramas involving sophisticated con schemes

Film restoration

The film is considered partially lost or incomplete. Some reels exist in film archives, but a complete version has not been fully preserved. The Library of Congress holds fragments of the film, and some footage exists in private collections. The underwater sequences, being the most technically impressive, are better preserved than other parts of the film. Restoration efforts have been limited due to the incomplete nature of surviving materials.

Where to watch

• Currently not commercially available on major streaming platforms
• Film fragments may be accessible through specialized silent film archives
• Occasionally screened at silent film festivals or museum retrospectives
• Some clips may be available through academic film databases or the Library of Congress