Copyright 16 October 1921 by the William S. Hart Company. Released through Paramount Pictures 25 September 1921. 6,638 feet. 7 reels. Around 75 minutes.
SYNOPSIS: A dispute over water rights in the Trego Valley induces the newly elected governor of Utah to investigate personally but incognito.
COMMENT: This movie survives in a very watchable copy presented on the 7/10 Alpha DVD in its original sepia coloring (so maybe we should give it an 8/10 rating?). In addition to Joseph August's attractive location photography and Lambert Hillyer's observant direction, with his scrupulous attention to both the broad and the tiny details (the only item we could fault was the art director's obvious façade for the court house), I'd draw attention to Hillyer's masterful control over the actors.
Hart is always on top of his game and never leaves us in doubt as to which of his roles he is playing. Jane Novak makes a most convincing yet attractive heroine while Gordon Russell and Herschel Mayall are villains to the colors born. Oddly, it's none of these - nor even the high-billed yet creditably innocuous S.J. Bingham or the beautifully skillful Collette Forbes - who walk away with the film's acting honors, but George C. Pearce. Admittedly, he has the most colorful role, but he plays it with the utmost finesse - no doubt helped out by the observant Hillyer. I love the scene in which Pearce is bragging how well he knows every inch of the Trego Valley and the governor, anxious to hire a reliable guide (and who is obviously stunned by the braggart's voracious vocabulary) looks towards the hotelier who is carrying his bags and standing halfway up the stairs. The hotel man keeps a poker face, but nods slightly. Very slightly!
Now that's direction! Whoever said Hillyer was a routine Hollywood "B" workman had obviously never seen any of his silent work. Hillyer was one of the most astute yet sensitive directors in the field. And Three Word Brand is one of his best films. How fortunately we are that Alpha is able to provide us with such a bargain-basement priced yet so watchable a DVD of this allegedly "lost" classic.
SYNOPSIS: A dispute over water rights in the Trego Valley induces the newly elected governor of Utah to investigate personally but incognito.
COMMENT: This movie survives in a very watchable copy presented on the 7/10 Alpha DVD in its original sepia coloring (so maybe we should give it an 8/10 rating?). In addition to Joseph August's attractive location photography and Lambert Hillyer's observant direction, with his scrupulous attention to both the broad and the tiny details (the only item we could fault was the art director's obvious façade for the court house), I'd draw attention to Hillyer's masterful control over the actors.
Hart is always on top of his game and never leaves us in doubt as to which of his roles he is playing. Jane Novak makes a most convincing yet attractive heroine while Gordon Russell and Herschel Mayall are villains to the colors born. Oddly, it's none of these - nor even the high-billed yet creditably innocuous S.J. Bingham or the beautifully skillful Collette Forbes - who walk away with the film's acting honors, but George C. Pearce. Admittedly, he has the most colorful role, but he plays it with the utmost finesse - no doubt helped out by the observant Hillyer. I love the scene in which Pearce is bragging how well he knows every inch of the Trego Valley and the governor, anxious to hire a reliable guide (and who is obviously stunned by the braggart's voracious vocabulary) looks towards the hotelier who is carrying his bags and standing halfway up the stairs. The hotel man keeps a poker face, but nods slightly. Very slightly!
Now that's direction! Whoever said Hillyer was a routine Hollywood "B" workman had obviously never seen any of his silent work. Hillyer was one of the most astute yet sensitive directors in the field. And Three Word Brand is one of his best films. How fortunately we are that Alpha is able to provide us with such a bargain-basement priced yet so watchable a DVD of this allegedly "lost" classic.