The Marriage of William Ashe (1921)
Melodrama | 17 January 1921
Director:
Edward SlomanWriter:
Ruth Ann BaldwinCinematographer:
Jackson RoseProduction Company:
Screen Classics, Inc.The scenario was Based on the 1904 novel, The Marriage of William Ashe by Mary Augusta Ward, and on the 1905 play, The Marriage of William Ashe; a Play in Five Acts by Margaret Mayo. Plans by Screen Classics, Inc., to produce a film version were announced in the 17 January 1920 Camera. News items in the 26 April 1920 Wid’s Daily and the 24 July 1920 Camera revealed that scenarist Percy Heath was initially assigned to the project before it was taken over by Ruth Ann Baldwin.
The 14 August 1920 Camera indicated that principal photography had begun sometime that month. Filming locations were identified as Metro Studios in Hollywood, CA, and Brent’s Mountain Crags Country Club in Calabasas, CA. Additional cast members included William Cortwright, Clara Greenwood, and Florence Wix. The 4 September 1920 issue noted that Edward Jobson played an “important” but unspecified role.
Articles in the 28 August 1920 Motion Picture News and the 26 September 1920 Los Angeles Times stated that sets replicating “English architecture” and a Venice, Italy, canal, more than one city block in length, were constructed on the Metro lot. According to the 28 August 1920 Camera, director Edward Sloman planned to shoot a large number of closeups in an attempt to create a more intimate experience for the audience. All scenes were to be filmed within no more than ten feet of the actors. The 2 October 1920 issues of Wid’s Daily and Camera noted that ...
The scenario was Based on the 1904 novel, The Marriage of William Ashe by Mary Augusta Ward, and on the 1905 play, The Marriage of William Ashe; a Play in Five Acts by Margaret Mayo. Plans by Screen Classics, Inc., to produce a film version were announced in the 17 January 1920 Camera. News items in the 26 April 1920 Wid’s Daily and the 24 July 1920 Camera revealed that scenarist Percy Heath was initially assigned to the project before it was taken over by Ruth Ann Baldwin.
The 14 August 1920 Camera indicated that principal photography had begun sometime that month. Filming locations were identified as Metro Studios in Hollywood, CA, and Brent’s Mountain Crags Country Club in Calabasas, CA. Additional cast members included William Cortwright, Clara Greenwood, and Florence Wix. The 4 September 1920 issue noted that Edward Jobson played an “important” but unspecified role.
Articles in the 28 August 1920 Motion Picture News and the 26 September 1920 Los Angeles Times stated that sets replicating “English architecture” and a Venice, Italy, canal, more than one city block in length, were constructed on the Metro lot. According to the 28 August 1920 Camera, director Edward Sloman planned to shoot a large number of closeups in an attempt to create a more intimate experience for the audience. All scenes were to be filmed within no more than ten feet of the actors. The 2 October 1920 issues of Wid’s Daily and Camera noted that production was nearing completion in its sixth week. Bennie Singer was listed as casting director and Albert Shelby Le Vino as scenarist. The assistant director was identified only as “Howard.”
The Marriage of William Ashe was released on 17 January 1921, followed by a Los Angeles, CA, opening at Tally’s Theatre during the week of 27 February 1921.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
In England, Lady Kitty Bristol leaves a French convent school after reading Freedom, a radical work by Geoffrey Cliffe. During a visit to London, Kitty meets Geoffrey Cliffe and William Ashe, Secretary of Home Affairs. Following her marriage to William, Kitty draws unflattering caricatures of British Cabinet members, to the amusement of her husband. Geoffrey advises her to publish them in a book, suggesting that it will advance William’s career. She then creates a scandal by appearing seminude at a charity entertainment. William is forced to resign, and upon discovering that Kitty has left, he chastises Geoffrey for his influence. Later, William finds Kitty at the convent, and they are ...
In England, Lady Kitty Bristol leaves a French convent school after reading Freedom, a radical work by Geoffrey Cliffe. During a visit to London, Kitty meets Geoffrey Cliffe and William Ashe, Secretary of Home Affairs. Following her marriage to William, Kitty draws unflattering caricatures of British Cabinet members, to the amusement of her husband. Geoffrey advises her to publish them in a book, suggesting that it will advance William’s career. She then creates a scandal by appearing seminude at a charity entertainment. William is forced to resign, and upon discovering that Kitty has left, he chastises Geoffrey for his influence. Later, William finds Kitty at the convent, and they are reconciled.
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