The Devil's Needle
About The Devil's Needle
Rene, an artist's model, uses morphine and tells painter David White that it kindles the fires of genius. He starts taking it. His sitter Wynne Mortimer comes to the studio against her father and Hugh Gordon. She and David run off and marry. Her father shuts her out. David's habit worsens and she goes home. Rene tries to pull him off the drug. Wynne says she will stay while he needs her. He leaves anyway, to free her. She searches the bad part of the city, a thug grabs her, and David gets her out. They stay together.
Cast & crew
More about The Devil's Needle
Chester Withey wrote and directed it for D. W. Griffith's Fine Arts Film Company. Triangle released it on 13 August 1916. It runs 59 minutes. Norma Talmadge plays Rene. Tully Marshall plays David White. Marguerite Marsh plays Wynne Mortimer. F. A. Turner plays William Mortimer. Howard Gaye plays Hugh Gordon. A 1923 reissue print is at the Library of Congress.
Themes
Preservation
A 1923 re-release print survives at the Library of Congress.
Notes
- John Brennan plays Fritz. Paul Le Blanc plays Buck. Monte Blue is also billed.
- The surviving material is the 1923 re-release, not the 1916 release print.
- Triangle distributed the Fine Arts production.
Scenes
- Rene offers David the drug as a way to paint.
- Wynne says she will stay with him, and he still walks out.
- He pulls her out of the place where the thug has taken her.
Also available
- Internet Archive (silent-the-devils-needle)
- Library of Congress
Quotes
It kindles the fires of genius.
