The Little Tease
Plot
The film follows a young mountain girl who has been a natural tease since birth, charming and bewildering her parents and the wildlife in their mountain home. Her life changes when a man from the valley becomes lost on the mountain and eventually finds his way back, taking the young tease with him to the valley. The girl experiences the pain of broken faith while her father undergoes a similar spiritual crisis, feeling that the teachings of his 'beloved book' have failed him. In his despair, the father shuts himself away in his cabin, extinguishing the light from his window that had guided travelers. After his internal struggle concludes, the light returns just in time to beckon the little tease as she leaves the valley behind, suggesting a reconciliation and return to her mountain home.
About the Production
This was one of D.W. Griffith's numerous short films for Biograph Company during his most prolific period. The film was likely shot quickly, as was typical for Biograph productions of this era, with Griffith often directing multiple films in a single week. The mountain setting suggests location shooting, which was becoming more common during this period as filmmakers sought authentic backgrounds away from studio sets.
Historical Background
1913 was a pivotal year in American cinema, marking the transition from short films to feature-length productions. The film industry was rapidly consolidating, with the Motion Picture Patents Company (the 'Trust') losing its monopoly and independent producers gaining prominence. D.W. Griffith was at the height of his creative powers at Biograph, but would soon leave to form his own company and make feature films. This period saw the development of many film techniques that would become standard, including close-ups, cross-cutting, and more sophisticated narrative structures. The film's rural themes also reflected the Progressive Era's fascination with rural American values as contrasted with urban corruption and sophistication.
Why This Film Matters
While 'The Little Tease' is not among Griffith's most famous works, it represents an important example of the transitional period in American cinema when filmmakers were moving from simple theatrical presentations to more complex cinematic storytelling. The film's focus on rural characters and settings reflects the early 20th century American cultural nostalgia for frontier life and simpler times. Mae Marsh's performance in this and other Griffith films helped establish the archetype of the innocent but spirited young woman that would become a staple of American cinema. The film also demonstrates Griffith's early exploration of themes he would later expand upon in his major epics, including the tension between different ways of life and the moral and spiritual struggles of ordinary people.
Making Of
The production of 'The Little Tease' took place during Griffith's revolutionary period at Biograph, where he was developing many of the cinematic techniques that would later define classical Hollywood filmmaking. The mountain setting suggests that Griffith took his cast and crew on location, a practice he was pioneering at the time. Mae Marsh, who was just 19 when this film was made, was developing the screen persona that would make her one of the most popular actresses of the 1910s. The film's themes of rural innocence versus worldly experience were typical of Griffith's work, reflecting his interest in contrasting different ways of American life. The production would have been completed in just a few days, as was standard for Biograph one-reelers, with minimal scripting and much improvisation on set.
Visual Style
The cinematography would have been handled by Billy Bitzer or another Biograph cameraman, using the standard equipment of the period. The film likely features the natural lighting and location shooting that Griffith was pioneering during this time. The mountain setting would have provided dramatic visual contrasts and opportunities for the deep focus photography that Griffith and his cameramen were developing. The camera work would have been relatively static by modern standards, but included the innovative use of different shot sizes that Griffith was helping to establish as cinematic language.
Innovations
While 'The Little Tease' does not represent a major technical breakthrough, it was produced during a period of rapid technical innovation in cinema. The film likely benefited from Griffith's developing use of cross-cutting to build suspense and emotional impact, as well as his pioneering work with different camera angles and movements. The location shooting in mountain terrain presented technical challenges that the Biograph crew was becoming adept at handling, including transporting equipment and dealing with natural lighting conditions. The film represents the refinement of the film grammar that Griffith and his collaborators were establishing during this period.
Music
As a silent film, 'The Little Tease' would have been accompanied by live music during its theatrical run. The accompaniment could have ranged from a single piano in smaller venues to a small orchestra in larger theaters. The music would have been selected to match the mood of each scene, with popular songs of the period and classical pieces used to underscore emotional moments. The Biograph Company sometimes provided musical suggestions with their films, but individual theaters often made their own selections based on available musicians and local preferences.
Famous Quotes
The supposition was that she was born a tease, for from her first teeth to the time she was almost grown, she vented her witcheries on her unsuspecting parents and the wild things of her mountain home.
He felt the precepts of the 'beloved book' had failed him.
Memorable Scenes
- The final scene where the light from the father's cabin window returns to guide the little tease home, symbolizing reconciliation and the restoration of faith
Did You Know?
- This film was released during D.W. Griffith's most productive period at Biograph, where he directed over 400 short films between 1908 and 1913.
- Mae Marsh, who plays the title role, was one of Griffith's favorite actresses and would later star in his controversial epic 'The Birth of a Nation' (1915).
- The film was part of Griffith's exploration of rural and mountain life themes, which he frequently visited in his Biograph period.
- Like many Biograph films of this era, it was likely shot on 35mm film with a single camera setup per scene.
- The 'beloved book' mentioned in the synopsis likely refers to the Bible, reflecting the religious themes common in Griffith's early work.
- This film was released just before Griffith began his transition to feature-length films, with 'Judith of Bethulia' (1914) being his last Biograph production.
- The film's title 'The Little Tease' reflects the common practice of giving descriptive, character-focused titles to early cinema shorts.
- W. Chrystie Miller, who plays the father, was a regular in Griffith's films and often portrayed paternal figures.
What Critics Said
Contemporary reviews of short films like 'The Little Tease' were typically brief and appeared in trade papers rather than mainstream publications. The Moving Picture World and other industry journals would have noted the film's release and likely praised Mae Marsh's performance, as she was already becoming recognized as a talented screen actress. Modern critical assessment of the film is limited due to its status as a lesser-known Griffith short, though film historians recognize it as part of Griffith's important body of work during his Biograph period. The film is valued today primarily for its contribution to understanding Griffith's development as a filmmaker and the evolution of American cinema in the early 1910s.
What Audiences Thought
Audiences in 1913 would have viewed 'The Little Tease' as part of a varied program of short films, newsreels, and possibly a live vaudeville act. The film's rural setting and moral themes would have appealed to the predominantly working-class and middle-class audiences of nickelodeons and small theaters. Mae Marsh's growing popularity as a screen personality would have drawn audiences to the film. The simple, emotionally direct storytelling style was well-suited to audiences still adapting to the new medium of cinema, who preferred clear narratives and relatable characters over complex or ambiguous storytelling.
Film Connections
Influenced By
- Earlier Biograph shorts by Griffith
- 19th century American literature about rural life
- Stage melodramas
- Religious parables and allegories
This Film Influenced
- Later Griffith films featuring rural characters
- Other Biograph productions with similar themes
- 1910s films featuring innocent young women protagonists
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Film Restoration
The preservation status of 'The Little Tease' is uncertain, as many Biograph films from this period have been lost or survive only in fragmentary form. The film is not among the well-preserved Griffith titles, and its availability for viewing is extremely limited. Some early cinema archives may hold copies, but it is not widely accessible to the public. The Library of Congress and other major film archives should be consulted for any existing prints or fragments.