The French serial Les Mystères de New York/The Mysteries of New York (1915) is an oddity. In fact it is a European re-edition of three American serials, starring Pearl White: The Exploits of Elaine (1914), The New Exploits of Elaine (1915) and The Romance of Elaine (1915). These three serials were based on books by Pierre Decourcelle, and produced in 1914-1915 for Pathé Exchange for its film version and for William Hearst for its press version.
Spanish postcard by PA Cines. Photo: publicity still for Paris misterioso, the Spanish title for Les Mystères de New York (1915) with Pearl White and Riley Hatch.
Spanish postcard for Paris misterioso, the Spanish title for Les Mystères de New York (1915) with Pearl White and Riley Hatch.
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: Why did Miss Elaine Dodge herself open the safe in which the man with the red handkerchief has just taken papers that he examines carefully? What mysterious influence led the girl to obey the one she knows to be an agent of 'The Clutching Hand'? If you want to know, read in Le Matin, or see in the cinema: 'The Mysteries of New York'.
American silent film star Pearl White (1889-1938) was dubbed 'Queen of the Serials". She was noted for doing her own stunts, in silent film serials such as The Perils of Pauline (1914) and The Exploits of Elaine (Louis J. Gasnier, George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1914). George B. Seitz was an early serial expert who is today perhaps better known for directing the Andy Hardy-series (1937-1944) with Mickey Rooney.
Many episodes ended with a literal cliffhanger with Elaine in some physical peril or confronted with a shocking revelation. For example, at the close of Chapter 10 Elaine actually dies. She is then brought back to life in the next chapter by private detective Craig Kennedy (Arnold Daly).
In Europe, The Exploits of Elaine (Louis J. Gasnier, George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1914) were re-edited with two subsequent serials into Les Mystères de New York. These two other serials were The New Exploits of Elaine (Louis J. Gasnier, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1915) and The Romance of Elaine (George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1915), all starring Pearl White.
The Exploits of Elaine (1914) tells the story of a young woman named Elaine (Pearl White) who, with the help of a detective, Justin Clarel (Arnold Daly), tries to find the masked criminal mastermind, known only as 'The Clutching Hand' (Sheldon Lewis), who murdered her father (William Riley Hatch). The Clutching Hand was the first mystery villain to appear in a film serial. The concept was widely used for the remainder of the format's existence.
Other actors in the cast were Creighton Hale and Lionel Barrymore, who had a small role. The serials were produced by the Whartons Studios in and around Ithaca, New York. The serial was distributed by Pathé Exchange, the American distribution branch of the French company Pathé at that time. Pathé was the largest film equipment and production company in the world during the first part of the 20th century.
Hans J. Wollstein at AllMovie: "Although not as remembered as The Perils of Pauline (also 1914), The Exploits of Elaine was by all accounts the superior serial, grossing over $1 million dollars and further establishing its athletic leading lady Pearl White as the serial queen to beat."
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: On the top side of this safe, Justin Clarel has just discovered the hole that has given passage to 'The Clutching Hand'. This is what Le Matin and all the good cinemas will teach you by simultaneous serialisation in the newspaper and in film of the great novel 'The Mysteries of New York'.
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: "If Justin Clarel does not give up pursuing 'The Clutching Hand', he will die", says the sheet of paper which the famous detective reads. How did this funeral notice come to him? And who wrote it? You'll know it when you read in Le Matin and see in the cinema: 'The Mysteries of New York'.
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: What distressing problem Justin Clarel is trying to solve so that the people with whom he is surrounded follow with such attention his least gestures? That's what you learn when you read in Le Matin or see in the cinema: 'The Mysteries of New York'.
Sources: Hans J. Wollstein (AllMovie), Wikipedia and IMDb.
Spanish postcard by PA Cines. Photo: publicity still for Paris misterioso, the Spanish title for Les Mystères de New York (1915) with Pearl White and Riley Hatch.
Spanish postcard for Paris misterioso, the Spanish title for Les Mystères de New York (1915) with Pearl White and Riley Hatch.
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: Why did Miss Elaine Dodge herself open the safe in which the man with the red handkerchief has just taken papers that he examines carefully? What mysterious influence led the girl to obey the one she knows to be an agent of 'The Clutching Hand'? If you want to know, read in Le Matin, or see in the cinema: 'The Mysteries of New York'.
The serial queen to beat
American silent film star Pearl White (1889-1938) was dubbed 'Queen of the Serials". She was noted for doing her own stunts, in silent film serials such as The Perils of Pauline (1914) and The Exploits of Elaine (Louis J. Gasnier, George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1914). George B. Seitz was an early serial expert who is today perhaps better known for directing the Andy Hardy-series (1937-1944) with Mickey Rooney.
Many episodes ended with a literal cliffhanger with Elaine in some physical peril or confronted with a shocking revelation. For example, at the close of Chapter 10 Elaine actually dies. She is then brought back to life in the next chapter by private detective Craig Kennedy (Arnold Daly).
In Europe, The Exploits of Elaine (Louis J. Gasnier, George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1914) were re-edited with two subsequent serials into Les Mystères de New York. These two other serials were The New Exploits of Elaine (Louis J. Gasnier, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1915) and The Romance of Elaine (George B. Seitz, Leopold Wharton, Theodore Wharton, 1915), all starring Pearl White.
The Exploits of Elaine (1914) tells the story of a young woman named Elaine (Pearl White) who, with the help of a detective, Justin Clarel (Arnold Daly), tries to find the masked criminal mastermind, known only as 'The Clutching Hand' (Sheldon Lewis), who murdered her father (William Riley Hatch). The Clutching Hand was the first mystery villain to appear in a film serial. The concept was widely used for the remainder of the format's existence.
Other actors in the cast were Creighton Hale and Lionel Barrymore, who had a small role. The serials were produced by the Whartons Studios in and around Ithaca, New York. The serial was distributed by Pathé Exchange, the American distribution branch of the French company Pathé at that time. Pathé was the largest film equipment and production company in the world during the first part of the 20th century.
Hans J. Wollstein at AllMovie: "Although not as remembered as The Perils of Pauline (also 1914), The Exploits of Elaine was by all accounts the superior serial, grossing over $1 million dollars and further establishing its athletic leading lady Pearl White as the serial queen to beat."
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: On the top side of this safe, Justin Clarel has just discovered the hole that has given passage to 'The Clutching Hand'. This is what Le Matin and all the good cinemas will teach you by simultaneous serialisation in the newspaper and in film of the great novel 'The Mysteries of New York'.
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: "If Justin Clarel does not give up pursuing 'The Clutching Hand', he will die", says the sheet of paper which the famous detective reads. How did this funeral notice come to him? And who wrote it? You'll know it when you read in Le Matin and see in the cinema: 'The Mysteries of New York'.
French postcard for Les Mystères de New York. Caption: What distressing problem Justin Clarel is trying to solve so that the people with whom he is surrounded follow with such attention his least gestures? That's what you learn when you read in Le Matin or see in the cinema: 'The Mysteries of New York'.
Sources: Hans J. Wollstein (AllMovie), Wikipedia and IMDb.
No comments:
Post a Comment