AFI CATALOG OF FEATURE FILMS

THE FIRST 100 YEARS 1893–1993

Movie Title

The Spark Divine (1919)

Drama | 30 June 1919

Cast:

Alice Joyce, William Carlton Jr., Eulalie Jensen [ More ]

Director:

Tom Terriss

Writers:

George Proctor, Alicia Ramsey

Production Company:

Vitagraph Co. of America
Full page view
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
ETR
21 Jun 1919
p. 221
MPN
21 Jun 1919
p. 4095, 4216
MPW
21 Jun 1919
p. 1823
MPW
19 Apr 1919
p. 302
Wid's
15 Jun 1919
p. 3
DETAILS
Release Date:
30 June 1919
Production Date:

Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Vitagraph Co. of America
17 June 1919
LP13871
Physical Properties:
Silent
Black and White
Length(in reels):
5
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

Due to her parents' coldness and constant struggle for social recognition, Marcia Van Arsdale grows into womanhood despising love. When mine owner Robert Jardine comes to New York, he causes the near bankruptcy of Marcia's father by manipulating the copper market. Marcia's parents bring about a marriage between their daughter and Robert, although Marcia makes it clear that she can never love. Marcia gives birth to a baby boy and is indifferent to the child until he is kidnapped one day. Marcia realizes her heart is filled with maternal love and also confesses her love for Robert. Christmas Eve brings only sadness to the Jardine home until Robert confesses that he arranged the kidnapping to kindle Marcia's emotional spark. The child returns to a happy ...

More Less

Due to her parents' coldness and constant struggle for social recognition, Marcia Van Arsdale grows into womanhood despising love. When mine owner Robert Jardine comes to New York, he causes the near bankruptcy of Marcia's father by manipulating the copper market. Marcia's parents bring about a marriage between their daughter and Robert, although Marcia makes it clear that she can never love. Marcia gives birth to a baby boy and is indifferent to the child until he is kidnapped one day. Marcia realizes her heart is filled with maternal love and also confesses her love for Robert. Christmas Eve brings only sadness to the Jardine home until Robert confesses that he arranged the kidnapping to kindle Marcia's emotional spark. The child returns to a happy family.

Less

From AFI's 100 Years Lists...
Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award
DONATE

TOP SEARCHES

Casablanca

In the onscreen credits, actor S. Z. Sakall's name is incorrectly spelled "S. K. Sakall." HR news items add the following information about the production: Warner ... >>

Sunset Blvd.

The film's working title was A Can of Beans. Although most contemporary and modern sources refer to the film as Sunset Boulevard, the opening title ... >>

Some Like It Hot

The Var review erroneously listed a running time of 105 minutes for the film. The title of the film refers to the contemporary description of interpreting jazz ... >>

The Lady from Shanghai

Working titles for this film were Black Irish , If I Die Before I Wake and Take This Woman . Orson Welles's onscreen credit ... >>

The Big Heat

William P. McGivern's novel was serialized in SEP (Dec 1952--Feb 1953). A Dec 1952 DV news item notes that Jerry Wald, then executive producer of ... >>

KEEP EXPLORING
Marriage--Forced by circumstances, Bankruptcy, Motherhood, Kidnapping, Family life, Social climbers, Love, Christmas, Copper, Family relationships
The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.