The Stepping Stone (1916)
Drama | 27 March 1916
Cast:
Frank Keenan, Mary Boland, Robert McKim [ More ]Director:
Reginald BarkerWriter:
C. Gardner SullivanProducer:
Thomas H. InceProduction Company:
New York Motion Picture Corp.; Kay-BeeThe 20 November 1915 Motography announced that Frank Keenan, Mary Boland, and director Reginald Barker began a new film that week at Inceville, Thomas Ince's studios in northern Santa Monica, CA. "The script demands the erection of many massive settings, the first of which will be ready, it is expected, in another fortnight. In the meantime the company is enacting exterior scenes." A month later, the 18 December 1915 Moving Picture World noted that Miss Boland had completed her work that week and left for New York City to resume her stage career. The C. Gardiner Sullivan photoplay did not appear to have a permanent title at that point.
The Stepping Stone was being filmed at a time when Thomas Ince was moving his operation from Inceville to his new studios in Culver City. The 25 March 1916 Billboard reported, "The new Culver City studios were used for the first time about three weeks ago, and today all companies are working there." Production for The Stepping Stone was completed at the end of 1915, according to a 17 February 1916 dateline item in the 4 March 1916 Motion Picture News, which means filming was done at Inceville, but some postproduction may have occurred at the new studio.
According to the 8 April 1916 Moving Picture World, The Stepping Stone opened at the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York City on 27 March 1916.
In the 15 April 1916 Motion Picture News, reviewer Oscar Cooper wrote, "The settings are entirely adequate and some unusually fine lighting effects appear. A set of ...
The 20 November 1915 Motography announced that Frank Keenan, Mary Boland, and director Reginald Barker began a new film that week at Inceville, Thomas Ince's studios in northern Santa Monica, CA. "The script demands the erection of many massive settings, the first of which will be ready, it is expected, in another fortnight. In the meantime the company is enacting exterior scenes." A month later, the 18 December 1915 Moving Picture World noted that Miss Boland had completed her work that week and left for New York City to resume her stage career. The C. Gardiner Sullivan photoplay did not appear to have a permanent title at that point.
The Stepping Stone was being filmed at a time when Thomas Ince was moving his operation from Inceville to his new studios in Culver City. The 25 March 1916 Billboard reported, "The new Culver City studios were used for the first time about three weeks ago, and today all companies are working there." Production for The Stepping Stone was completed at the end of 1915, according to a 17 February 1916 dateline item in the 4 March 1916 Motion Picture News, which means filming was done at Inceville, but some postproduction may have occurred at the new studio.
According to the 8 April 1916 Moving Picture World, The Stepping Stone opened at the Knickerbocker Theatre in New York City on 27 March 1916.
In the 15 April 1916 Motion Picture News, reviewer Oscar Cooper wrote, "The settings are entirely adequate and some unusually fine lighting effects appear. A set of considerable size is used to represent the stock exchange, with its crowd of frenzied brokers. The ornamental Ince subtitles are present as usual and add greatly to the attractiveness of the offering."
Triangle re-issued The Stepping Stone in 1918.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
Wall Street magnate Elihu Knowland, "the Lion of Wall Street," takes an interest in Mary Beresford, so he makes her lazy, law clerk husband Al a protege and offers some stock market tips that make him a fortune. Then, realizing that his millions will attract high society women, Al insists on a separation from Mary. Later, hearing that Al's cruelty has driven Mary to suicide, Elihu decides to ruin Al financially. Elihu's plan succeeds too well, because Al commits suicide, and then, several years later, Elihu unexpectedly meets Mary, who did not take her own life, but rather had left town to make her own mark on the world. Soon after their reunion, Elihu proposes to Mary, and she eagerly ...
Wall Street magnate Elihu Knowland, "the Lion of Wall Street," takes an interest in Mary Beresford, so he makes her lazy, law clerk husband Al a protege and offers some stock market tips that make him a fortune. Then, realizing that his millions will attract high society women, Al insists on a separation from Mary. Later, hearing that Al's cruelty has driven Mary to suicide, Elihu decides to ruin Al financially. Elihu's plan succeeds too well, because Al commits suicide, and then, several years later, Elihu unexpectedly meets Mary, who did not take her own life, but rather had left town to make her own mark on the world. Soon after their reunion, Elihu proposes to Mary, and she eagerly accepts.
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement AwardTOP SEARCHES
Mr. Smith Goes to Washington
According to HR news items, "The Gentleman from Montana" (an unpublished story by Lewis R. Foster, alternately called "The Gentleman from Wyoming" by both contemporary and modern ... >>
The Grapes of Wrath
According to materials contained in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Fox paid John Steinbeck $70,000 for the rights to his ... >>
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: ... >>
Citizen Kane
This film's end credits begin with the statement, “Most of the principal actors in Citizen Kane are new to motion pictures. The Mercury Theatre is proud ... >>
