The Musketeers of Pig Alley
Encyclopedia
The Musketeers of Pig Alley is a 1912 American
short drama film
credited as the first gangster film in history. It is directed
by D. W. Griffith
and written by Griffith and Anita Loos
. It is also credited for its early use of follow focus
, a fundamental tool in cinematography.
The film was released on October 31, 1912 and re-released on November 5, 1915 in the United States
. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey
when many other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century. Location shots in New York City
reportedly used actual street gang members as extras during the film.
It was also shown in Leeds Film Festival in November 2008, as part of Back to the Electric Palace, with live music by Gabriel Prokofiev, performed in partnership with Opera North
.
. The husband works as a musician
and must travel often for work. When returning, his wallet is taken by a gangster
. His wife goes to a ball where a man tries to drug her, but his attempt is stopped by the same man who robbed the husband. The two criminals become rivals, and a shootout ensues. The husband gets caught in the shootout and recognizes one of the men as the gangster who took his money. The husband sneaks his wallet back and the gangster goes to safety in the couple's apartment. Policemen track the gangster down but the wife gives him a false alibi.
unbilled
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
short drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
credited as the first gangster film in history. It is directed
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
by D. W. Griffith
D. W. Griffith
David Llewelyn Wark Griffith was a premier pioneering American film director. He is best known as the director of the controversial and groundbreaking 1915 film The Birth of a Nation and the subsequent film Intolerance .Griffith's film The Birth of a Nation made pioneering use of advanced camera...
and written by Griffith and Anita Loos
Anita Loos
Anita Loos was an American screenwriter, playwright and author.-Early life:Born Corinne Anita Loos in Sisson, California , where her father, R. Beers Loos, had opened a tabloid newspaper for which her mother, Minerva "Minnie" Smith did most of the work of a newspaper publisher...
. It is also credited for its early use of follow focus
Follow focus
A follow focus is a focus control mechanism used in filmmaking with film cameras and in television production with professional video cameras. It is ergonomic rather than strictly necessary; in other words it does not contribute to the basic functionality of a camera but instead allows the operator...
, a fundamental tool in cinematography.
The film was released on October 31, 1912 and re-released on November 5, 1915 in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The film was shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
when many other early film studios in America's first motion picture industry were based there at the beginning of the 20th century. Location shots in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
reportedly used actual street gang members as extras during the film.
It was also shown in Leeds Film Festival in November 2008, as part of Back to the Electric Palace, with live music by Gabriel Prokofiev, performed in partnership with Opera North
Opera North
Opera North is an English opera company based in Leeds. The company's home theatre is the Leeds Grand Theatre, but it also presents regular seasons in several other cities, at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham, the Lowry Centre, Salford Quays and the Theatre Royal, Newcastle...
.
Plot
The film is about a poor married couple living in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The husband works as a musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
and must travel often for work. When returning, his wallet is taken by a gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
. His wife goes to a ball where a man tries to drug her, but his attempt is stopped by the same man who robbed the husband. The two criminals become rivals, and a shootout ensues. The husband gets caught in the shootout and recognizes one of the men as the gangster who took his money. The husband sneaks his wallet back and the gangster goes to safety in the couple's apartment. Policemen track the gangster down but the wife gives him a false alibi.
Cast
- Elmer BoothElmer BoothWilliam Elmer Booth was an US-American actor. He was born in Los Angeles, California and was the elder brother of film editor Margaret Booth....
- Snapper Kid, Musketeers gang leader - Lillian GishLillian GishLillian Diana Gish was an American stage, screen and television actress whose film acting career spanned 75 years, from 1912 to 1987....
- The Little Lady - Clara T. BracyClara T. BracyClara T. Bracy was an English stage and silent film actress.-Life and career:Bracy was born Clara Thompson in London, England. Her father was Philip Thompson , and her mother was Eliza . Her father owned the Sheridan Knowles, a public house in London...
- The Little Lady's Mother - Walter MillerWalter Miller (actor)Walter Miller was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 248 films between 1911 and 1940.He was born in Dayton, Ohio, and died in Hollywood, California, from a heart attack, aged 48...
- The Musician - Alfred PagetAlfred PagetAlfred Paget was an English silent film actor. He appeared in 239 films between 1908 and 1918.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
- Rival Gang Leader - John T. Dillon - Policeman
- Madge Kirby - The Little Lady's Friend/In Alley
- Harry Carey - Snapper's Sidekick
- Robert HarronRobert HarronRobert "Bobby" Harron was an American motion picture actor of the early silent film era. Although he acted in scores of films, he is possibly best remembered for his roles in the D.W. Griffith directed films Intolerance and The Birth of a Nation...
- Rival Gang Member/In Alley/At Dance - W. C. RobinsonW. C. RobinsonW. C. Robinson was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 177 films between 1910 and 1932. He died in Maywood, California.-Selected filmography:* Daredevil Jack * Brute Force * Judith of Bethulia...
- Rival Gang Member (as Spike Robinson) - Adolph Lestina - The Bartender/On Street
- Jack PickfordJack PickfordJack Pickford was a Canadian-born American actor. He was best known for his tabloid lifestyle, marriage to the top starlets of his day, and being of the famous Pickford acting family.-Early life:...
- Rival Gang Member/At Dance
unbilled
- Gertrude BambrickGertrude BambrickGertrude Bambrick was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 60 films between 1912 to 1916.-Biography:...
- Woman at Dance - Lionel BarrymoreLionel BarrymoreLionel Barrymore was an American actor of stage, screen and radio. He won an Academy Award for Best Actor for his performance in A Free Soul...
- The Musician's Friend - Kid Broad -
Influence
The Musketeers of Pig Alley is probably the first ever film about organised crime.See also
- Harry Carey filmographyHarry Carey filmographyThis is a list of films featuring Harry Carey.-1912:* An Unseen Enemy* Two Daughters of Eve* Friends* So Near, Yet So Far* A Feud in the Kentucky Hills* In the Aisles of the Wild* The One She Loved* The Painted Lady...
- D. W. Griffith filmographyD. W. Griffith filmographyThese are the films directed by the pioneering American filmmaker D. W. Griffith . According to the Internet Movie Database, he directed 534 films between 1908 and 1931.----...
- Lillian Gish filmographyLillian Gish filmographyThese are the films of Lillian Gish.----Silent: 1912 – 1913 – 1914 – 1915 – 1916 – 1917 – 1918 – 1919 – 1920s Post Silent: 1930s – 1940s – 1950s – 1960s – 1970s – 1980s – References-----1912:* An Unseen Enemy...