The Squaw Man
Encyclopedia
The Squaw Man is a 1914
silent
western
drama
motion picture
starring Dustin Farnum
.
Directed
by Oscar Apfel
and Cecil B. DeMille
and produced
by DeMille and Jesse L. Lasky
, the screenplay
was adapted
by DeMille and Apfel from the 1905 stage
play
, The Squaw Man
, written by Edwin Milton Royle
.
This first screen version of the story was the legendary DeMille's first movie assignment. It also holds the distinction of being the first feature-length
movie filmed specifically in Hollywood
. It was not the first to be made in the Los Angeles
area, and film historians agree that shorts
had previously been filmed in Hollywood, with In Old California considered the earliest. Harbor scenes were shot in San Pedro, California
and the western saloon set was built beside railroad tracks in the San Fernando Valley
. Footage of cattle on the open range were shot at Keen Camp near Idyllwild, California
, while snow scenes were shot at Mount Palomar.
The Squaw Man went on to become the only movie successfully filmed three times by the same director/producer, DeMille. He did a silent remake
in 1918
, and a talkie
version
in 1931
.
1914 in film
The year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.-Events:*The 3,300-seat Mark Strand Theatre opens in New York City....
silent
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...
western
Western (genre)
The Western is a genre of various visual arts, such as film, television, radio, literature, painting and others. Westerns are devoted to telling stories set primarily in the latter half of the 19th century in the American Old West, hence the name. Some Westerns are set as early as the Battle of...
drama
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...
motion picture
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
starring Dustin Farnum
Dustin Farnum
Dustin Lancy Farnum was an American singer, dancer and an actor in silent movies during the early days of motion pictures. After a great success in a number of stage roles, in 1914 he landed his first film role in the movie 'Soldiers of Fortune', and later in Cecil B. DeMille's The Squaw Man...
.
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 Oscar Apfel
Oscar Apfel
Oscar C. Apfel was an American film actor, director, screenwriter and producer. He appeared in 167 films between 1913 and 1939, and also directed 94 films between 1911 and 1927.-Biography:...
and Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil B. DeMille
Cecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
and produced
Film producer
A film producer oversees and delivers a film project to all relevant parties while preserving the integrity, voice and vision of the film. They will also often take on some financial risk by using their own money, especially during the pre-production period, before a film is fully financed.The...
by DeMille and Jesse L. Lasky
Jesse L. Lasky
Jesse Louis Lasky, Sr. was a pioneer Hollywood film producer. He was a key founder of Paramount Pictures with Adolph Zukor, and father of screenwriter Jesse L...
, the screenplay
Screenplay
A screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
was adapted
Film adaptation
Film adaptation is the transfer of a written work to a feature film. It is a type of derivative work.A common form of film adaptation is the use of a novel as the basis of a feature film, but film adaptation includes the use of non-fiction , autobiography, comic book, scripture, plays, and even...
by DeMille and Apfel from the 1905 stage
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, The Squaw Man
The Squaw Man (play)
The Squaw Man is a 1905 western/drama stage play in four acts written by Edwin Milton Royle.It debuted on October 23, 1905, at the Wallack's Theatre, Broadway, starring William Faversham in the title role, as Captain James Wynnegate also known as Jim Carson. The doomed bad man, Cash Hawkins, was...
, written by Edwin Milton Royle
Edwin Milton Royle
Edwind Milton Royle was an American playwright. He was born in Lexington, Missouri.Over 30 of his plays were performed. His best known is The Squaw Man....
.
This first screen version of the story was the legendary DeMille's first movie assignment. It also holds the distinction of being the first feature-length
Feature film
In the film industry, a feature film is a film production made for initial distribution in theaters and being the main attraction of the screening, rather than a short film screened before it; a full length movie...
movie filmed specifically in Hollywood
Hollywood, Los Angeles, California
Hollywood is a famous district in Los Angeles, California, United States situated west-northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Due to its fame and cultural identity as the historical center of movie studios and movie stars, the word Hollywood is often used as a metonym of American cinema...
. It was not the first to be made in the 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...
area, and film historians agree that shorts
Short subject
A short film is any film not long enough to be considered a feature film. No consensus exists as to where that boundary is drawn: the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes or less, including all...
had previously been filmed in Hollywood, with In Old California considered the earliest. Harbor scenes were shot in San Pedro, California
San Pedro, Los Angeles, California
San Pedro is a port district of the city of Los Angeles, California, United States. It was annexed in 1909 and is a major seaport of the area...
and the western saloon set was built beside railroad tracks in the San Fernando Valley
San Fernando Valley
The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area of southern California, United States, defined by the dramatic mountains of the Transverse Ranges circling it...
. Footage of cattle on the open range were shot at Keen Camp near Idyllwild, California
Idyllwild-Pine Cove, California
Idyllwild, Pine Cove, and Fern Valley are three adjacent communities, of which Idyllwild is the largest, located in the San Jacinto Mountains in Riverside County, California, United States. "Mile-high Idyllwild" is a popular southern California mountain resort about one mile in altitude...
, while snow scenes were shot at Mount Palomar.
The Squaw Man went on to become the only movie successfully filmed three times by the same director/producer, DeMille. He did a silent remake
The Squaw Man (1918 film)
The Squaw Man is a 1918 Western film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It is a remake of DeMille's 1914 film of the same name. It would be remade again by DeMille in 1931...
in 1918
1918 in film
The year 1918 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*Following litigation for anti-trust activities, the US Supreme Court orders the Motion Picture Patents Company to disband....
, and a talkie
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
version
The Squaw Man (1931 film)
The Squaw Man is a film directed by Cecil B. DeMille. It was the third version of the same play that he filmed, and the first in sound. It stars Warner Baxter in the leading role. The film lost $150,000 in its initial release...
in 1931
1931 in film
-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
.
Cast
- Dustin FarnumDustin FarnumDustin Lancy Farnum was an American singer, dancer and an actor in silent movies during the early days of motion pictures. After a great success in a number of stage roles, in 1914 he landed his first film role in the movie 'Soldiers of Fortune', and later in Cecil B. DeMille's The Squaw Man...
... Capt. James Wynnegate aka Jim Carston - Monroe SalisburyMonroe SalisburyMonroe Salisbury was an American actor. He appeared on the stage for several years and then became an early movie star....
... Sir Henry, Earl of Kerhill (uncredited) - Red WingRed Wing (actress)-External links:...
... Nat-u-ritch (uncredited) - Winifred Kingston ... Lady Diana, Countess of Kerhill (uncredited)
- 'Baby' Carmen De Rue ... Hal (uncredited)
- Joseph SingletonJoseph SingletonJoseph Singleton was an Australian actor of the silent era. He appeared in 74 films between 1913 and 1925.He was born in Melbourne.-Selected filmography:* Shon the Piper * The Squaw Man...
... Tab-y-wana (uncredited) - William ElmerWilliam ElmerWilliam Elmer was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 88 films between 1913 and 1942.He was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:* Condemned...
... Cash Hawkins (uncredited) - Mrs. A.W. Filson ... The Dowager Lady Elizabeth Kerhill (uncredited)
- Haidee Fuller ... Lady Mabel Wynnegate (uncredited)
- Foster Knox ... Sir John (uncredited)
- Dick La RenoDick La RenoDick La Reno was an Irish-born American film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 83 films between 1914 and 1931.He was born in Ireland and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:* Single Handed...
... Big Bill (uncredited) - Richard L'Estrange ... Grouchy (uncredited)
- Fred MontagueFred MontagueFred Montague was an English film actor of the silent era. He appeared in 59 films between 1912 and 1919.He was born in London and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Lure of the Circus...
... Mr. Petrie (uncredited) - Cecil B. DeMilleCecil B. DeMilleCecil Blount DeMille was an American film director and Academy Award-winning film producer in both silent and sound films. He was renowned for the flamboyance and showmanship of his movies...
... Faro Dealer (uncredited) - Cecilia de Mille ... Child (uncredited)
- Hal RoachHal RoachHarold Eugene "Hal" Roach, Sr. was an American film and television producer and director, and from the 1910s to the 1990s.- Early life and career :Hal Roach was born in Elmira, New York...
... Townsman (uncredited) - Art Acord ... Townsman (uncredited)
- Raymond HattonRaymond HattonRaymond William Hatton was an American movie actor who appeared in almost five hundred movies, including a stint of being paired in 1920s comedies with Wallace Beery....
... Bit part (uncredited)