The Oath and the Man
About The Oath and the Man
Before the French Revolution, a noble landlord calls on the perfumer Henri Provost and, while Henri is out, orders Henri's wife to his house fête. He dresses her as a lady. Henri breaks in and she denies him. He would kill them both. A priest shows him a crucifix and makes him swear to leave them to God. Later Henri leads the peasants against the chateau. The nobleman and the wife hide in her old house. Henri is about to run them through when the priest appears again. Henri tells the mob, "This is my wife," sends them off, and gives the couple peasant clothes so they can slip past the revolutionists outside.
Cast & crew
More about The Oath and the Man
D. W. Griffith directed. Stanner E. V. Taylor wrote the scenario. G. W. Bitzer photographed. Released 22 September 1910. Copyright 26 September 1910, J145784. One reel, 997 feet. Running time listed as 17 minutes at 16 frames a second.
Themes
Background
The story uses the feudal claim of a lord over a peasant's wife, then the revolt that drives the couple into hiding.
Making
A Biograph one-reeler that uses several camera positions, indoor and outdoor, to stage the chase from the chateau back to the perfumer's house.
Reviews
Moving Picture World of 8 October 1910 described the noble's command, the revolt, and the husband's protection of the couple, and treated the hiding as a slower vengeance than murder.
Look
G. W. Bitzer photographed indoor and outdoor scenes from several camera positions.
Preservation
A print survives. The Library of Congress catalog describes the film, and a copy is on the Internet Archive.
Notes
- Henry B. Walthall plays Henri Provost. Wikipedia credits Florence Barker as Madame Prevost. The Library of Congress catalog description names Lottie Pickford as the wife. Francis J. Grandon plays the nobleman. W. Chrystie Miller plays the priest.
- AFI also lists Charles West, William J. Butler, and Elmer Booth.
- Moving Picture World reviewed it on 8 October 1910.
- An Internet Archive copy is filed as TheOathAndTheMan.
Scenes
- The priest makes Henri swear on the crucifix that he will not kill his wife or the nobleman.
- Henri faces the mob and says, "This is my wife," then gives the couple peasant clothes.
Also available
- Internet Archive (TheOathAndTheMan)
Quotes
This is my wife.
