Her Right to Live
Encyclopedia
Her Right to Live is a 1917
dramatic silent film
released by the Vitagraph Studios
.
) is the eldest of a family of orphaned children who are taken in by their uncle, Mayor Hoadley (John S. Robertson
). Hoadley despises the children and has only taken them in as good publicity for the upcoming election. His wife, Mrs. Hoadley (Julia Swayne Gordon
) is equally cruel to the children, especially Polly.
One day, Polly Biggs takes the children fishing and meets a young man named John Oxmore (Antonio Moreno
), who is the son of the opposing mayoral candidate. When she returns home, Polly discovers that her uncle intends to send all the children to the poorhouse as soon as the election is over. Polly plans to take revenge on her uncle and immediately takes the children to the poorhouse herself, rather than let her uncle do so. Mayor Hoadley, frightened that voters may be incensed to learn that his nieces and nephews are living as orphans in a squalid poorhouse, goes to retrieve them. When Polly sees his car arriving at the poorhouse, she and the children flee. They find an unoccupied cabin in the woods where the brood of youngsters settle in. Unbeknownst to Polly, the cabin is owned by John Oxmore, the young man she met earlier. After Oxmore finds them at his cabin, he grants Polly permission to keep the children there. However, the next day he is accused of a murder committed by Mayor Hoadley. Although John was at the cabin at the time the murder was committed but he says nothing, in hopes of sparing Polly and the children. After John is arrested and Polly discovers his fate, she rushes to the courthouse and announces that John couldn't have committed the crime because he was with her and the children when it occurred. John is released and the cruel Mayor Hoadley is arrested and convicted of the crime.
1917 in film
The year 1917 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Foundation of Universum Film AG , as a propaganda film company, in Berlin.*Technicolor System 1, a two-color process, is introduced...
dramatic silent film
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
released by the Vitagraph Studios
Vitagraph Studios
American Vitagraph was a United States movie studio, founded by J. Stuart Blackton and Albert E. Smith in 1897 in Brooklyn, New York. By 1907 it was the most prolific American film production company, producing many famous silent films. It was bought by Warner Bros...
.
Plot
Polly Biggs (Peggy HylandPeggy Hyland
Peggy Hyland was an English silent film actress from Worcestershire, England.-Education:She was educated in England and the convents of Europe. The first convent she attended was Seroule in Verviers, on the frontier of Belgium...
) is the eldest of a family of orphaned children who are taken in by their uncle, Mayor Hoadley (John S. Robertson
John S. Robertson
John Stuart Robertson was a Canadian born actor and later film director perhaps best known for his 1920 screen adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring John Barrymore. He broke into filmmaking in 1915 with Vitagraph, then with Famous Players-Lasky, making 57 features in his career...
). Hoadley despises the children and has only taken them in as good publicity for the upcoming election. His wife, Mrs. Hoadley (Julia Swayne Gordon
Julia Swayne Gordon
Julia Swayne Gordon , was an American actress. She appeared in 228 films between 1908 to 1933.Born in Columbus, Ohio, she starred in the first film version of the Lady Godiva legend in 1911...
) is equally cruel to the children, especially Polly.
One day, Polly Biggs takes the children fishing and meets a young man named John Oxmore (Antonio Moreno
Antonio Moreno
Antonio "Tony" Moreno was a notable Spanish-born American actor and film director of the silent film era and through the 1950s.- Biography :...
), who is the son of the opposing mayoral candidate. When she returns home, Polly discovers that her uncle intends to send all the children to the poorhouse as soon as the election is over. Polly plans to take revenge on her uncle and immediately takes the children to the poorhouse herself, rather than let her uncle do so. Mayor Hoadley, frightened that voters may be incensed to learn that his nieces and nephews are living as orphans in a squalid poorhouse, goes to retrieve them. When Polly sees his car arriving at the poorhouse, she and the children flee. They find an unoccupied cabin in the woods where the brood of youngsters settle in. Unbeknownst to Polly, the cabin is owned by John Oxmore, the young man she met earlier. After Oxmore finds them at his cabin, he grants Polly permission to keep the children there. However, the next day he is accused of a murder committed by Mayor Hoadley. Although John was at the cabin at the time the murder was committed but he says nothing, in hopes of sparing Polly and the children. After John is arrested and Polly discovers his fate, she rushes to the courthouse and announces that John couldn't have committed the crime because he was with her and the children when it occurred. John is released and the cruel Mayor Hoadley is arrested and convicted of the crime.
Cast
- Peggy HylandPeggy HylandPeggy Hyland was an English silent film actress from Worcestershire, England.-Education:She was educated in England and the convents of Europe. The first convent she attended was Seroule in Verviers, on the frontier of Belgium...
- Polly Biggs - Antonio MorenoAntonio MorenoAntonio "Tony" Moreno was a notable Spanish-born American actor and film director of the silent film era and through the 1950s.- Biography :...
- John Oxmore - Mae CostelloMae CostelloMae Costello was an American stage and film actress of the early twentieth-century.-Early life:Born Mae Altschuk in Brooklyn, New York, she was the daughter of Lewis Altschuk and Catherine Callender. As a teenager she began performing in stage productions in stock theater companies throughout the...
- Mrs. Biggs - Bobby ConnellyBobby ConnellyRobert Joseph "Bobby" Connelly was an American child actor of silent films. He is one of the first male child stars of American motion pictures beginning his career in 1913 at the age of four.-Career:...
- Jimmy Biggs - Helen Connelly - Janet Biggs
- Mildred Platz - Alice Biggs
- John S. RobertsonJohn S. RobertsonJohn Stuart Robertson was a Canadian born actor and later film director perhaps best known for his 1920 screen adaptation of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, starring John Barrymore. He broke into filmmaking in 1915 with Vitagraph, then with Famous Players-Lasky, making 57 features in his career...
- Daniel Hoadley - Jack Ellis - Hawkins
- Julia Swayne GordonJulia Swayne GordonJulia Swayne Gordon , was an American actress. She appeared in 228 films between 1908 to 1933.Born in Columbus, Ohio, she starred in the first film version of the Lady Godiva legend in 1911...
- Mrs. Hoadley