The Blot (1921)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Lois Weber

Writers:

Marion Orth (writer)
Lois Weber (writer)

Release Date:

4 September 1921 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The Professor dispenses the wisdom of the ages and does not make a living wage. The sons of the rich and powerful are students lacking any motivation...

Plot Keywords:

Professor | Neighbor | Rich Boy Poor Girl | Poverty | Lecture

Cast

Philip Hubbard	...	The Professor, Andrew Theodore Griggs
Margaret McWade	...	His Wife, Mrs. Griggs
Claire Windsor	...	His Daughter, Amelia Griggs
Louis Calhern	...	His Pupil, Phil West
Marie Walcamp	...	The Other Girl, Juanita Claredon

Runtime:

80 min | 90 min (TCM print) | UK:91 min (restored-Thames Silents: Brownlow/Gill)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Silent

Filming Locations:

Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Lois Weber Productions

Goofs:

Continuity: When Juanita visits the library to see Amelia, she puts her hand on the railing twice. Between shots, she is holding her fur piece differently as well.

Quotes:

Intertitle: Here she was, the real thing - a gentlewoman - unbeatable!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Women Who Made the Movies (1992) (V)

Absolutely fascinating as history, as "message," and as film

When Turner Classic Movies presented "The Blot" recently, I recorded it just in case. Despite my long-time interest in silent film, I had never heard of this one, and knew nothing about it.

It is a film that works on several levels, and works well.

Lois Weber, author and director, deserves much more recognition than she now gets. Her directorial talent just shines.

The writing is not so glowing: The "message" of the film is not at all subtle, plus it is now badly out of date. College professors, and especially university professors, get paid pretty well.

Ministers, on the other hand, are still often underpaid, unless they have become "televangelists" or the equivalent, and then they are often overpaid -- although that is, of course, very subjective.

Still, the best part of this film, other than the look at a slice of the world circa 1921, is that nearly every one of the characters is -- and please pardon the wimpy word -- nice.

Nearly every single person is one we can care about, can actually like.

Other than Louis Calhern, who really stood out, none of the actors is known today, except perhaps to other silent movie scholars, but each of them performed well to exceptionally well.

The TCM version had an excellent score by Jim Parker, about whom I know nothing else, but his score had to change pace constantly, as the scene shifted from happy to sad and back.

Mr. Parker has a good grasp of mood, and a good working knowledge of appropriate jazz. I hope we'll be hearing a lot more from him.

I strongly recommend this film.