When Lincoln Paid
Encyclopedia
When Lincoln Paid is a silent film
, written by William Clifford
, and directed by Francis Ford
, who also appears in the film as Abraham Lincoln
.
soldiers condemned to die, if any extenuating circumstances might have been involved.
, when he came across a 35mm Monarch projector and seven reels of film. He donated his find to the Keene State College
Film Society, which has determined that at least three of the films appear to be the only surviving copies of long-lost movies, including When Lincoln Paid, a film on an incident in Abraham Lincoln’s life, starring and directed by movie pioneer Francis Ford, the older brother of and greatest influence on famed director John Ford.
This brittle and damaged 30-minute two-reeler is of such historical significance that it easily won support from Tag Gallagher (author of John Ford), the film archive at George Eastman House
in Rochester, New York
, and the National Film Preservation Foundation
, who rallied to restore the film. The film has been lost for 97 years. The film is important for its historical theme, its place in film history, and for what it has to show about the techniques that influenced John Ford. The restored film was shown at Keene State College on April 20, 2010.
Both Ford brothers were fascinated with Abraham Lincoln and made him the subject of many of their films. “There is nothing I like better than to play Lincoln. I have a big library devoted to this great man, and I have studied every phase of his remarkable character, and when I am acting the part, I can feel the man as I judge him,” Francis Ford is quoted as saying in an article by Ford scholar Tag Gallagher.
“Francis Ford is one of the most fascinating persons in film history. … And he is known as the man who taught John Ford.” Gallagher said in a letter he sent in support of restoring When Lincoln Paid. Francis Ford made the first spectacular westerns in 1912, some of the first detective movies, and one of the first serials.
“Between 1912 and 1915 he played Abraham Lincoln in at least seven pictures. Alas, all of these pictures are lost. For nearly a century no one has been able to see Francis Ford as Lincoln,” Gallagher explained. “So now … to be told that I may get to see Francis Ford as Lincoln is thrilling news indeed.”
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 by William Clifford
William Clifford (actor)
William Clifford was an American actor and screenwriter of the silent era. He appeared in 170 films between 1910 and 1929...
, and directed by Francis Ford
Francis Ford (actor)
Francis Ford was a prolific film actor, writer, and director. He was the older brother of film director John Ford. He also appeared in many of John Ford's movies, including Young Mr. Lincoln and The Quiet Man.He starred in the 1912 two-reeler The Deserter by Thomas H. Ince and acted in over 400...
, who also appears in the film as Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
.
Plot
The mother of a dead Union soldier attempts to convince President Lincoln to pardon a similarly condemned Confederate soldier whose unjust conviction was the result of her vindictive scheme.Background
This was one of many films from the 1910s focusing on Lincoln's well-known practice of pardoning young Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
soldiers condemned to die, if any extenuating circumstances might have been involved.
Cast
- Francis Ford as Abraham Lincoln
- Jack Conway
- Charles Edler (billed as Charles Elder)
- Ethel GrandinEthel GrandinEthel Grandin was an American silent film actress.She was married to Ray C. Smallwood from 1912 until his death on February 23, 1964; they had a son named Arthur Smallwood .She began her acting career on stage appearing with Joseph Jefferson in Rip Van Winkle...
Restoration
In 2006, a local contractor was demolishing a barn in Nelson, New HampshireNelson, New Hampshire
Nelson is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 729 at the 2010 census. Nelson includes the village of Munsonville.-History:...
, when he came across a 35mm Monarch projector and seven reels of film. He donated his find to the Keene State College
Keene State College
Keene State College is a liberal arts college in Keene, New Hampshire. It is a member of the University System of New Hampshire and of the Council of Public Liberal Arts Colleges....
Film Society, which has determined that at least three of the films appear to be the only surviving copies of long-lost movies, including When Lincoln Paid, a film on an incident in Abraham Lincoln’s life, starring and directed by movie pioneer Francis Ford, the older brother of and greatest influence on famed director John Ford.
This brittle and damaged 30-minute two-reeler is of such historical significance that it easily won support from Tag Gallagher (author of John Ford), the film archive at George Eastman House
George Eastman House
The George Eastman House is the world's oldest museum dedicated to photography and one of the world's oldest film archives, opened to the public in 1949 in Rochester, New York, USA. World-renowned for its photograph and motion picture archives, the museum is also a leader in film preservation and...
in Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
, and the National Film Preservation Foundation
National Film Preservation Foundation
The National Film Preservation Foundation is an independent, nonprofit organization created by the U.S. Congress to help save America’s film heritage. Growing from a national planning effort led by the Library of Congress, the NFPF began operations in 1997. It supports activities nationwide that...
, who rallied to restore the film. The film has been lost for 97 years. The film is important for its historical theme, its place in film history, and for what it has to show about the techniques that influenced John Ford. The restored film was shown at Keene State College on April 20, 2010.
Both Ford brothers were fascinated with Abraham Lincoln and made him the subject of many of their films. “There is nothing I like better than to play Lincoln. I have a big library devoted to this great man, and I have studied every phase of his remarkable character, and when I am acting the part, I can feel the man as I judge him,” Francis Ford is quoted as saying in an article by Ford scholar Tag Gallagher.
“Francis Ford is one of the most fascinating persons in film history. … And he is known as the man who taught John Ford.” Gallagher said in a letter he sent in support of restoring When Lincoln Paid. Francis Ford made the first spectacular westerns in 1912, some of the first detective movies, and one of the first serials.
“Between 1912 and 1915 he played Abraham Lincoln in at least seven pictures. Alas, all of these pictures are lost. For nearly a century no one has been able to see Francis Ford as Lincoln,” Gallagher explained. “So now … to be told that I may get to see Francis Ford as Lincoln is thrilling news indeed.”