The Violin Maker of Cremona
About The Violin Maker of Cremona
In Cremona, Taddeo Ferrari (Herbert Prior) offers his daughter Giannina (Mary Pickford) as the prize for the best violin. Filippo (David Miles), a crippled apprentice who loves her, is ashamed to compete in his own name. He switches his better violin with the one made by Sandro (Owen Moore), the apprentice Giannina loves, so that Sandro will be the one who wins her.
Cast & crew
More about The Violin Maker of Cremona
D. W. Griffith directed the Biograph short. Frank E. Woods wrote the screenplay from a story by François Coppée. Biograph released it on June 7, 1909. The release length was 963 feet, one reel. Harry Solter plays the judge and Marion Leonard the judge's companion. G. W. Bitzer was the cameraman.
Themes
Background
A Biograph one-reeler released on June 7, 1909.
Preservation
A print survives and is on Wikimedia Commons. The Internet Archive item sometimes linked from reference pages under this title is a different film and is not listed here.
Notes
- Pathé filmed the same Coppée story again in 1910.
- Mack Sennett, Arthur V. Johnson, and Violet Mersereau appear uncredited among the workers and bystanders.
- Wikidata lists a 10-minute duration. Wikipedia gives 15 minutes for the 963-foot reel.
- Charles Avery, Clara T. Bracy, John R. Cumpson, and Anthony O'Sullivan are also in the uncredited company.
Scenes
- Filippo exchanges his violin for Sandro's before the judging.
- The prize announced for the winning instrument is marriage to Giannina.
Influenced by
- Story by François Coppée
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (The Violin Maker of Cremona (1909).webm)
