Souls for Sale
Encyclopedia
Souls for Sale is a silent film
written, directed, and produced by Rupert Hughes
from his novel of the same name. The film featured Eleanor Boardman
in her first leading role, having won a contract with Goldwyn Studios
through their "New Faces of 1921" contest just two years prior.
The film is most notable for its insights into the early film industry
. Among the significant cameos in the film are appearances by directors King Vidor
, Fred Niblo
, Marshall Neilan
, Charlie Chaplin
, and Erich von Stroheim
, as well as a number of actors, producers, and other filmmakers. Souls for Sale includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of Chaplin and von Stroheim directing the films A Woman of Paris
and Greed
.
Souls for Sale was thought to be lost
, until copies began surfacing in various film vaults and private collections in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2005, a partnership between MGM
and the cable channel Turner Classic Movies
resulted in a restored print of the film. Marcus Sjöwall, winner of TCM's Young Film Composers Competition, developed a new film score for the film. The restored version with the new musical score premiered on the channel on January 24, 2006.
) marries Owen Scudder (Lew Cody
) after a whirlwind courtship. However, on their wedding night, she has a change of heart. When the train taking them to Los Angeles
stops for water, she impulsively and secretly gets off in the middle of the desert. Strangely, when Scudder realizes she is gone, he does not have the train stopped.
Mem sets off in search of civilization. Severely dehydrated, she sees an unusual sight: an Arab on a camel. It turns out to be actor Tom Holby (Frank Mayo
); she has stumbled upon a film being shot on location. When she recuperates, she is given a role as an extra. Both Holby and director Frank Claymore (Richard Dix
) are attracted to her. However, when filming ends, she does not follow the troupe back to Hollywood, but rather gets a job at a desert inn.
Meanwhile, Scudder is recognized and arrested at the train station. He turns out to be a cold-blooded murderer who marries women, insures them, and then kills them for the payoff. He escapes and persuades a gullible Abigail Tweedy (Dale Fuller
) to filing off his handcuffs. She becomes his next victim, though fortunately for her, he only robs her of her savings. He leaves the country and targets Englishwoman Lady Jane (Aileen Pringle
). To his profound embarrassment, she turns out to be the same sort of crook as he; she and her father "Lord Fryingham" (William Orlamond
) rob him, but let him live.
When the inn closes for the season, Mem travels to Hollywood in search of work. Her actress friend from the desert shoot, Leva Lemaire (Barbara La Marr
), persuades Claymore to give her a screen test for the only uncast role in his next production: a comic part. Though she fails miserably, Claymore decides to train her anyway. She proves to be talented and steadily gets better and better parts.
Just as Mem is rising to fame, Scudder returns and sneaks into her bedroom. Holby and Claymore have become rivals for Mem's affections. When Scudder sees their warmly-autographed photographs, he flies into a jealous rage. Mem, aware of her husband's past and fearful of a career-ending scandal, offers him money to leave her alone, but he wants her. Scudder leaves only when she threatens to kill herself. Claymore shows up, but when Scudder overhears the director propose marriage to his protegée, Scudder tries to shoot him. Claymore wrestles away his gun, but lets him go at Mem's urging.
When star Robina Teele (Mae Busch
) is seriously injured by a falling light, Claymore decides to have Mem take her place. Filming continues on an outdoor circus set, complete with a full-scale Big Top tent. In the climax, a lightning storm sets the huge tent on fire in the middle of filming. (Claymore orders his cameramen to keep shooting.) Scudder, who has snuck into the audience of extras, takes advantage of the panic and confusion to try to kill an unsuspecting Claymore by driving a wind machine (with a deadly propeller) at him. Holby spots Scudder and struggles with him. When Mem stumbles into the machine's path, Scudder rushes to save her and loses his own life. He apologizes before dying, explaining that all his life there was something wrong with him, but he did at least one thing right. Afterward, Mem chooses Claymore over Holby.
is shown filming a scene from Greed
. Charlie Chaplin
guides Boardman in a fake scene from A Woman of Paris
, which he did actually direct. The making of two other films is also presented, The Eternal Three and The Famous Mrs. Fair
.
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...
written, directed, and produced by Rupert Hughes
Rupert Hughes
Rupert Hughes was an American historian, novelist, film director and composer based in Hollywood. Hughes was born in Lancaster, Missouri. His parents were Felix Turner Hughes and Jean Amelia Summerlin, who were married in 1865. His brother Howard R. Hughes, Sr., co-founded the Hughes Tool Company....
from his novel of the same name. The film featured Eleanor Boardman
Eleanor Boardman
Eleanor Boardman was an American film actress, popular during the era of silent movies.-Early life and career:...
in her first leading role, having won a contract with Goldwyn Studios
Goldwyn Pictures
Goldwyn Pictures Corporation was an American motion picture production company founded in 1916 by Samuel Goldfish in partnership with Broadway producers Edgar and Archibald Selwyn using an amalgamation of both last names to create the name...
through their "New Faces of 1921" contest just two years prior.
The film is most notable for its insights into the early film industry
Film industry
The film industry consists of the technological and commercial institutions of filmmaking: i.e. film production companies, film studios, cinematography, film production, screenwriting, pre-production, post production, film festivals, distribution; and actors, film directors and other film crew...
. Among the significant cameos in the film are appearances by directors King Vidor
King Vidor
King Wallis Vidor was an American film director, film producer, and screenwriter whose career spanned nearly seven decades...
, Fred Niblo
Fred Niblo
Fred Niblo was an American pioneer film actor, director and producer.-Biography:He was born Frederick Liedtke in York, Nebraska, to a French mother and a father who had served as a captain in the American Civil War and was wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg...
, Marshall Neilan
Marshall Neilan
Marshall Ambrose Neilan was an American motion picture actor, screenwriter, film director, and producer.-Early life:...
, Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
, and Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim was an Austrian-born film star of the silent era, subsequently noted as an auteur for his directorial work.-Background:...
, as well as a number of actors, producers, and other filmmakers. Souls for Sale includes rare behind-the-scenes footage of Chaplin and von Stroheim directing the films A Woman of Paris
A Woman of Paris
A Woman of Paris is a feature-length silent film that debuted in 1923. The film, an atypical drama film for its creator, was written, directed, produced and later scored by Charlie Chaplin. It is also known as A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate....
and Greed
Greed (film)
Greed is a 1924 American dramatic silent film. It was directed by Erich von Stroheim and starring Gibson Gowland, Zasu Pitts, Jean Hersholt, Dale Fuller, Tempe Pigott, Sylvia Ashton, Chester Conklin, Joan Standing and Jack Curtis....
.
Souls for Sale was thought to be lost
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
, until copies began surfacing in various film vaults and private collections in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2005, a partnership between MGM
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc. is an American media company, involved primarily in the production and distribution of films and television programs. MGM was founded in 1924 when the entertainment entrepreneur Marcus Loew gained control of Metro Pictures, Goldwyn Pictures Corporation and Louis B. Mayer...
and the cable channel Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies
Turner Classic Movies is a movie-oriented cable television channel, owned by the Turner Broadcasting System subsidiary of Time Warner, featuring commercial-free classic movies, mostly from the Turner Entertainment and MGM, United Artists, RKO and Warner Bros. film libraries...
resulted in a restored print of the film. Marcus Sjöwall, winner of TCM's Young Film Composers Competition, developed a new film score for the film. The restored version with the new musical score premiered on the channel on January 24, 2006.
Plot
Remember "Mem" Steddon (Eleanor BoardmanEleanor Boardman
Eleanor Boardman was an American film actress, popular during the era of silent movies.-Early life and career:...
) marries Owen Scudder (Lew Cody
Lew Cody
Lew Cody, birth name Louis Joseph Côté was an American actor whose career spanned the silent film and early sound film age....
) after a whirlwind courtship. However, on their wedding night, she has a change of heart. When the train taking them to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
stops for water, she impulsively and secretly gets off in the middle of the desert. Strangely, when Scudder realizes she is gone, he does not have the train stopped.
Mem sets off in search of civilization. Severely dehydrated, she sees an unusual sight: an Arab on a camel. It turns out to be actor Tom Holby (Frank Mayo
Frank Mayo (actor)
Frank Mayo was an American actor. He appeared in 310 films between 1911 and 1949.He was born in New York, New York and died in Laguna Beach, California from a heart attack...
); she has stumbled upon a film being shot on location. When she recuperates, she is given a role as an extra. Both Holby and director Frank Claymore (Richard Dix
Richard Dix
Richard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:...
) are attracted to her. However, when filming ends, she does not follow the troupe back to Hollywood, but rather gets a job at a desert inn.
Meanwhile, Scudder is recognized and arrested at the train station. He turns out to be a cold-blooded murderer who marries women, insures them, and then kills them for the payoff. He escapes and persuades a gullible Abigail Tweedy (Dale Fuller
Dale Fuller (actor)
Dale Fuller was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 67 films between 1915 and 1935.She was born in Santa Ana, California and died in Los Angeles County, California.-Selected filmography:...
) to filing off his handcuffs. She becomes his next victim, though fortunately for her, he only robs her of her savings. He leaves the country and targets Englishwoman Lady Jane (Aileen Pringle
Aileen Pringle
Aileen Pringle was an American stage and film actress during the silent film era.-Early life:Born Aileen Bisbee into a prominent and wealthy San Francisco, California family and educated in Europe, Pringle began her acting career shortly after her 1916 marriage to Charles McKenzie Pringle, the son...
). To his profound embarrassment, she turns out to be the same sort of crook as he; she and her father "Lord Fryingham" (William Orlamond
William Orlamond
William Orlamond was an American film actor.Orlamond appeared in 81 films between 1912 and 1938. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Los Angeles, California, United States.-Selected filmography:...
) rob him, but let him live.
When the inn closes for the season, Mem travels to Hollywood in search of work. Her actress friend from the desert shoot, Leva Lemaire (Barbara La Marr
Barbara La Marr
Barbara La Marr was an American stage and film actress, cabaret artist and screenwriter.La Marr was known as "The Girl Who Is Too Beautiful", after a Hearst newspaper feature writer, Adela Rogers St...
), persuades Claymore to give her a screen test for the only uncast role in his next production: a comic part. Though she fails miserably, Claymore decides to train her anyway. She proves to be talented and steadily gets better and better parts.
Just as Mem is rising to fame, Scudder returns and sneaks into her bedroom. Holby and Claymore have become rivals for Mem's affections. When Scudder sees their warmly-autographed photographs, he flies into a jealous rage. Mem, aware of her husband's past and fearful of a career-ending scandal, offers him money to leave her alone, but he wants her. Scudder leaves only when she threatens to kill herself. Claymore shows up, but when Scudder overhears the director propose marriage to his protegée, Scudder tries to shoot him. Claymore wrestles away his gun, but lets him go at Mem's urging.
When star Robina Teele (Mae Busch
Mae Busch
Mae Busch was an Australian film actress who worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. In the latter part of her career, she appeared in many Laurel and Hardy comedies, where she frequently played Hardy's shrewish wife.-Early life and career:Born in Melbourne, Australia, Busch was...
) is seriously injured by a falling light, Claymore decides to have Mem take her place. Filming continues on an outdoor circus set, complete with a full-scale Big Top tent. In the climax, a lightning storm sets the huge tent on fire in the middle of filming. (Claymore orders his cameramen to keep shooting.) Scudder, who has snuck into the audience of extras, takes advantage of the panic and confusion to try to kill an unsuspecting Claymore by driving a wind machine (with a deadly propeller) at him. Holby spots Scudder and struggles with him. When Mem stumbles into the machine's path, Scudder rushes to save her and loses his own life. He apologizes before dying, explaining that all his life there was something wrong with him, but he did at least one thing right. Afterward, Mem chooses Claymore over Holby.
Cast
- Eleanor BoardmanEleanor BoardmanEleanor Boardman was an American film actress, popular during the era of silent movies.-Early life and career:...
as Remember "Mem" Steddon - Lew CodyLew CodyLew Cody, birth name Louis Joseph Côté was an American actor whose career spanned the silent film and early sound film age....
as Owen Scudder - Richard DixRichard DixRichard Dix was an American motion picture actor who achieved popularity in both silent and sound film. His standard on-screen image was that of the rugged and stalwart hero.-Early life:...
as Frank Claymore - Mae BuschMae BuschMae Busch was an Australian film actress who worked in both silent and sound films in early Hollywood. In the latter part of her career, she appeared in many Laurel and Hardy comedies, where she frequently played Hardy's shrewish wife.-Early life and career:Born in Melbourne, Australia, Busch was...
as Robina Teele - Frank MayoFrank Mayo (actor)Frank Mayo was an American actor. He appeared in 310 films between 1911 and 1949.He was born in New York, New York and died in Laguna Beach, California from a heart attack...
as Tom Holby - Barbara La MarrBarbara La MarrBarbara La Marr was an American stage and film actress, cabaret artist and screenwriter.La Marr was known as "The Girl Who Is Too Beautiful", after a Hearst newspaper feature writer, Adela Rogers St...
as Leva Lamaire - Arthur HoytArthur HoytArthur Hoyt was an American film character actor who appeared in more than 275 films in his 34 year film career, about a third of them silent films. He was a brother of Harry O...
as Jimmy Leland - David Imboden as Caxton
- Roy AtwellRoy AtwellJay Leroy Atwell was an American actor, comedian, and composer. He was educated at the Sargent School of Acting, and appeared in 34 films between 1914 and 1947. He is probably famous for his voice performance as Doc the Head Dwarf in Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs...
as Arthur Tirrey - Forrest Robinson as Rev. John Steddon, Mem's father
- Edith YorkeEdith YorkeEdith Yorke was an English actress of the silent era. She appeared in 65 films between 1919 and 1933.She was born in Derby, England under the name Edith Murgatroyd,and the family later moved to Croydon near London but Edith left a more comfortable life behind to return to Derby, where she taught...
as Mrs. Steddon, Mem's mother - William OrlamondWilliam OrlamondWilliam Orlamond was an American film actor.Orlamond appeared in 81 films between 1912 and 1938. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Los Angeles, California, United States.-Selected filmography:...
as Lord Fryingham - Aileen PringleAileen PringleAileen Pringle was an American stage and film actress during the silent film era.-Early life:Born Aileen Bisbee into a prominent and wealthy San Francisco, California family and educated in Europe, Pringle began her acting career shortly after her 1916 marriage to Charles McKenzie Pringle, the son...
as Lady Jane - Snitz EdwardsSnitz EdwardsSnitz Edwards was a notable character actor of the early years of the silent film era into the 1930s.- Background and career on the stage :...
as Komical Kale - the Klown - William HainesWilliam HainesCharles William "Billy" Haines was an American film actor and interior designer. He was a star of the silent era until the 1930s, when Haines' career was cut short by MGM Studios due to his refusal to deny his homosexuality...
as Pinkey, the assistant director - Dale FullerDale Fuller (actor)Dale Fuller was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 67 films between 1915 and 1935.She was born in Santa Ana, California and died in Los Angeles County, California.-Selected filmography:...
as Abigail Tweedy
Cameos
Numerous stars of the silent era have cameos in this film. Erich von StroheimErich von Stroheim
Erich von Stroheim was an Austrian-born film star of the silent era, subsequently noted as an auteur for his directorial work.-Background:...
is shown filming a scene from Greed
Greed (film)
Greed is a 1924 American dramatic silent film. It was directed by Erich von Stroheim and starring Gibson Gowland, Zasu Pitts, Jean Hersholt, Dale Fuller, Tempe Pigott, Sylvia Ashton, Chester Conklin, Joan Standing and Jack Curtis....
. Charlie Chaplin
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer "Charlie" Chaplin, KBE was an English comic actor, film director and composer best known for his work during the silent film era. He became the most famous film star in the world before the end of World War I...
guides Boardman in a fake scene from A Woman of Paris
A Woman of Paris
A Woman of Paris is a feature-length silent film that debuted in 1923. The film, an atypical drama film for its creator, was written, directed, produced and later scored by Charlie Chaplin. It is also known as A Woman of Paris: A Drama of Fate....
, which he did actually direct. The making of two other films is also presented, The Eternal Three and The Famous Mrs. Fair
The Famous Mrs. Fair
The Famous Mrs. Fair is a silent drama film produced by Louis B. Mayer, distributed through Metro Pictures, and directed by Fred Niblo. The film is based on the Broadway play of the same name by James Forbes that had starred Blanche Bates in the 1919 theatre season. This is now considered a lost...
.