Sunday, August 14, 2011

Only in the Way - 1911



Only in the Way: One reel of approximately 1,000 feet, released January 31, 1911.
Family disharmony with a happy ending, featuring Marie Eline "The Thanhouser Kid".
Print source: Library of Congress, 12 minutes, 14 seconds.
Cast: Marie Eline (Marie).
Original music composed and performed by Andrew Crow (thanhouser.org/​people/​crowa.htm.)
Through most of 1910, the first year of Thanhouser releases, the studio created vehicles around one of its earliest stars, child actress Marie Eline. She was one of the few movie players to receive screen credit in those early days. Her film role previous to this one was Little Nell in The Old Curiosity Shop.
The dramatic theme of Only in the Way centers on a universal topic, family disharmony. In this film, the parents' treatment of the grandmother affects the little girl who identifies with her grandmother. Thanhouser scenarists seemed to have had a special sensitivity for the feelings of children which is reflected in this film. The sentimental approach was expected in 1911.
Titles are used here in an old-fashioned way, simply to describe what was about to happen in the next scene.

Source: www.thanhouser.org
For futher information on films by Thanhouser, visit the site above. Let’s keep memories of this great studio alive.

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