Lilac Time (1928 film)
Encyclopedia
Lilac Time is a silent romantic war film
directed by George Fitzmaurice
, starring Colleen Moore
and Gary Cooper
, produced by John McCormick (Moore's husband), and distributed by First National Pictures.
The film is based on a 1917 Broadway play written by Jane Murfin
and actress Jane Cowl
, who adapted the story from a book by Guy Fowler. This film was released with a Vitaphone
score and music effects but no spoken dialogue.
soldiers, in the ranks they protrayed. The chief stunt pilot, Dick Grace, had only finished doing stunt work on the Paramount film Wings almost two months earlier. Grace sustained a severe neck injury in a stunt crash while making Wings but recovered in time for Lilac Time.
Lilac Time had its opening in Los Angeles at the Carthay Circle Theatre
where, in the lobby, among other promotional materials on display, was the wrecked fuselage
of one of the aircraft that had been totalled during the filming. The film cost a million dollars to make, an amount equal to Moore's previous two films. The studio recouped the cost of the film within months. By the end of 1928, the film had out-performed Moore's earlier star vehicle Flaming Youth
(1923).
Among those in the cast were Colleen Moore's brother Cleve (under the name Cleve Moore) and Jack Stone, her cousin. Eugenie Besserer had played "Mrs. Goode," a mother figure for her character, in Colleen's earlier film Little Orphan Annie, the first film to bring Colleen a measure of fame.
War film
War films are a film genre concerned with warfare, usually about naval, air or land battles, sometimes focusing instead on prisoners of war, covert operations, military training or other related subjects. At times war films focus on daily military or civilian life in wartime without depicting battles...
directed by George Fitzmaurice
George Fitzmaurice
George Fitzmaurice was a film director and producer. Fitzmaurice's career first started as a set designer on stage...
, starring Colleen Moore
Colleen Moore
Colleen Moore was an American film actress, and one of the most fashionable stars of the silent film era.-Early life:...
and Gary Cooper
Gary Cooper
Frank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
, produced by John McCormick (Moore's husband), and distributed by First National Pictures.
The film is based on a 1917 Broadway play written by Jane Murfin
Jane Murfin
Jane Murfin was an American playwright and screenwriter.Born in Quincy, Michigan, Murfin began her career with the play Lilac Time, which she co-wrote with Jane Cowl. The Broadway production opened on February 6, 1917 and ran for 176 performances...
and actress Jane Cowl
Jane Cowl
Jane Cowl was an American film and stage actress and playwright "notorious for playing lacrymose parts". Actress Jane Russell was named in Cowl's honor.-Biography:...
, who adapted the story from a book by Guy Fowler. This film was released with a Vitaphone
Vitaphone
Vitaphone was a sound film process used on feature films and nearly 1,000 short subjects produced by Warner Bros. and its sister studio First National from 1926 to 1930. Vitaphone was the last, but most successful, of the sound-on-disc processes...
score and music effects but no spoken dialogue.
Production background
The film was shot on sets at First National's Burbank studio and on location in El Torro, California, where a working airstrip, full-sized French Village and farm were built. In addition was a portable machine shop to service the eight aircraft secured for the production. Looking for realism, many extras cast as soldiers in the film had been actual World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
soldiers, in the ranks they protrayed. The chief stunt pilot, Dick Grace, had only finished doing stunt work on the Paramount film Wings almost two months earlier. Grace sustained a severe neck injury in a stunt crash while making Wings but recovered in time for Lilac Time.
Lilac Time had its opening in Los Angeles at the Carthay Circle Theatre
Carthay Circle Theatre
The Carthay Circle Theatre was one of the most famous movie palaces of Hollywood's Golden Age. It opened at 6316 San Vicente Boulevard in 1926 and was considered developer J...
where, in the lobby, among other promotional materials on display, was the wrecked fuselage
Fuselage
The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...
of one of the aircraft that had been totalled during the filming. The film cost a million dollars to make, an amount equal to Moore's previous two films. The studio recouped the cost of the film within months. By the end of 1928, the film had out-performed Moore's earlier star vehicle Flaming Youth
Flaming Youth (film)
Flaming Youth was a 1923 silent film featuring Colleen Moore that centered on the sotry of a young woman named Patricia Frentiss. The portrayal cemented Colleen's position in the film world as the prototypical flapper .-Story:When Mona Frentiss dies, she has her confidante "Doctor Bobs" watch over...
(1923).
Among those in the cast were Colleen Moore's brother Cleve (under the name Cleve Moore) and Jack Stone, her cousin. Eugenie Besserer had played "Mrs. Goode," a mother figure for her character, in Colleen's earlier film Little Orphan Annie, the first film to bring Colleen a measure of fame.
Cast
- Colleen MooreColleen MooreColleen Moore was an American film actress, and one of the most fashionable stars of the silent film era.-Early life:...
as Jeannine Berthelot - Gary CooperGary CooperFrank James Cooper, known professionally as Gary Cooper, was an American film actor. He was renowned for his quiet, understated acting style and his stoic, but at times intense screen persona, which was particularly well suited to the many Westerns he made...
as Captain Philip Blythe - Burr McIntoshBurr McIntoshWilliam Burr McIntosh had an eclectic career. He was known, at different points in his life, to be a lecturer, photographer, movie studio owner, silent film actor, author, publisher of Burr McIntosh Monthly, reporter and a pioneer in the early movie and radio business.-Life and career:He was born...
as General Blyth - George CooperGeorge Cooper (actor)George Cooper was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared on stage first, then in 210 films between 1911 and 1940...
as Mechanic's helper - Cleve Moore as Captain Russell
- Kathryn McGuireKathryn McGuireKathryn McGuire was an American silent-film actress and dancer.-Early life:Born in Peoria, Illinois, she was said to be recognized by critics and fans alike as one of the rising stars in film...
as Lady Iris Rankin - Eugenie BessererEugenie BessererEugenie Besserer was an actress born in Watertown, New York of French Canadian parents, who starred in silent films and features of the early sound motion picture era, beginning in 1910.- Orphan in Canada:...
as Madame Berthelot - Emile ChautardEmile ChautardEmile Chautard was a French film director, actor and screenwriter of the silent era. He directed 107 films between 1910 and 1924...
as The Mayor - Jack Stone as The Kid
- Edward Dillon as Mike the Mechanic
- Dick Grace as Aviator
- Stuart Knox as Aviator
- Harlan Hilton as Aviator
- Richard Jarvis as Aviator
- Jack Ponder as Aviator
- Dan Dowling as Aviator
- Eddie Clayton as The Enemy Ace
- Arthur LakeArthur Lake (actor)Arthur Lake was an American actor known best for bringing Dagwood Bumstead, the bumbling husband of Blondie, to life in film, radio and television.-Early life and career:...
as The Unlucky One - Philo McCulloughPhilo McCulloughPhilo McCullough was an American actor. He appeared in 255 films between 1914 and 1969.He was born in San Bernardino, California and died in Burbank, California.-Selected filmography:* Heroes of the West...
as German Officer - Nelson McDowellNelson McDowellNelson McDowell was an American actor. He appeared in 176 films between 1917 and 1945.He was born in Greenville, Missouri and died in Hollywood, California after he shot himself.- Selected filmography :...
as French Drummer - J. Gunnis Davis
- Paul HurstPaul Hurst (actor)Paul Causey Hurst was an American film actor and director.-Career:Born in Traver, California, and raised on a ranch, he appeared in hundreds of films during the 1920s, 1930s and 1940s. However, he got his start painting scenery as part of the backstage crew during the silent movie era...
- Harold Lockwood - (Harold Lockwood Jr.; son of the late silent movie star)
Footnotes
- Jeff Codori (2012), Colleen Moore; A Biography of the Silent Film Star, McFarland Publishing Print ISBN 978-0-7864-4969-9 / EBook ISBN 978-0-7864-8899-5