The Silent Man

1917 Western 61 minutes Directed by William S. Hart

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About The Silent Man

Prospector 'Silent' Budd Marr hits Bakeoven with gold in his pocket. Handsome Jack Pressley picks a fight, Budd spends two weeks in bed, and jumpers take his claim. When he sees them loading the ore onto a stagecoach he holds it up, and he takes Betty Bryce with him. Pressley had promised her marriage and put her to work in his dance hall. The town tries to hang Budd for the robbery. 'Grubstake' Higgins, who has been friendly with Budd and with Betty's brother David, shows he is a federal agent and has the evidence on Pressley. Budd and Betty stay together.

Cast & crew

More about The Silent Man

William S. Hart directed. Charles Kenyon wrote the story and scenario. Thomas H. Ince supervised. Lambert Hillyer was assistant director; one trade note of the time also credits him with direction. The working title was Desert Dust. Shot in August 1917. Artcraft released it through Paramount on 26 November 1917. It opened in Los Angeles at Grauman's Million Dollar Theatre. A western street was built at the Lasky studio on Selma and Vine, and the company also worked the roads around Lookout Mountain.

Themes

  • A claim taken while the owner is in bed
  • A stage holdup that is also a rescue
  • A federal agent inside the hanging crowd
  • Budd Marr
  • Bakeoven
  • claim jumper
  • Betty Bryce
  • Handsome Jack Pressley
  • William S. Hart
  • western

Look

Joseph August photographed it, on a street set built at the Lasky studio and in the Hollywood foothills around Lookout Mountain.

Music

Silent, with English intertitles.

Preservation

Prints survive at the Library of Congress and UCLA. Blackhawk holds a 35mm fine-grain restoration.

Notes

  • Hart plays Budd. Vola Vale plays Betty Bryce. Robert McKim plays Handsome Jack Pressley. Harold Goodwin plays David Bryce.
  • J. P. Lockney is 'Grubstake' Higgins. George P. Nichols is 'Preachin' Bill' Hardy. Gertrude Claire is Mrs. Hardy. Dorcas Matthews is Topaz. Milton Ross is Ames Mitchell. Hart's horse Fritz is billed.
  • Silent Era lists five reels. Wikipedia lists 61 minutes.
  • Prints are at the Library of Congress, at UCLA, and in a Blackhawk fine-grain restoration struck from a nitrate positive and a 16mm reduction.

Scenes

  • Pressley's fight puts Budd in bed, and the claim is jumped.
  • Budd stops the stage that is carrying his ore, and takes Betty off it.
  • The town comes to hang him, and Higgins produces a federal badge.

Also available

  • Internet Archive (silent-the-silent-man)

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