The Girl Without a Soul (1917)
Drama | 13 August 1917
Cast:
Viola Dana, Robert Walker, Fred Jones [ More ]Director:
John H. CollinsWriter:
John H. CollinsProduction Company:
Metro Pictures Corp.The “Girl Without a Soul” stars Viola Dana (to whom director John H. Collins was married) in a dual role as twin sisters, one of whom is a gifted violinist, and the other a deeply troubled girl jealous of her sister’s abilities and the love bestowed upon her by their violinmaker father. This jealousy and the violinist sister’s unworldliness lead both into turbulent moral conflict, which takes considerable fortitude from both to overcome.’
On 12 December 2018, the Library of Congress inducted this film into its National Film Registry because of its “cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.”
According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, this film is extant. The Girl Without a Soul has been preserved by George Eastman Museum. According to the LOC website: “George Eastman Museum founding film curator James Card was a passionate devotee of silent film director John H. Collins’ work. It is through his influence that the museum is the principal repository of the director’s few extant films. As the expert on Collins’ legacy, the museum said he is ‘one of the great “What if…?” figures of American cinema—a brilliantly creative filmmaker who went from being a costume department assistant to a major director within four short years, before dying at the age of 31 in the 1918 influenza pandemic. Collins’ films show both a subtle understanding of human nature and often breathtakingly daring cinematography and editing. ...
The “Girl Without a Soul” stars Viola Dana (to whom director John H. Collins was married) in a dual role as twin sisters, one of whom is a gifted violinist, and the other a deeply troubled girl jealous of her sister’s abilities and the love bestowed upon her by their violinmaker father. This jealousy and the violinist sister’s unworldliness lead both into turbulent moral conflict, which takes considerable fortitude from both to overcome.’
On 12 December 2018, the Library of Congress inducted this film into its National Film Registry because of its “cultural, historic and aesthetic importance to the nation’s film heritage.”
According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, this film is extant. The Girl Without a Soul has been preserved by George Eastman Museum. According to the LOC website: “George Eastman Museum founding film curator James Card was a passionate devotee of silent film director John H. Collins’ work. It is through his influence that the museum is the principal repository of the director’s few extant films. As the expert on Collins’ legacy, the museum said he is ‘one of the great “What if…?” figures of American cinema—a brilliantly creative filmmaker who went from being a costume department assistant to a major director within four short years, before dying at the age of 31 in the 1918 influenza pandemic. Collins’ films show both a subtle understanding of human nature and often breathtakingly daring cinematography and editing.
Dominic Beaumont, a mender of violins in a country village, is proud of his daughter Priscilla, who has inherited her mother's musical ability. His other daughter, Unity, capably runs the household, but Dominic calls her a "girl without a soul" because she lacks Priscilla's talent. Ivor, a traveling musician, who previously seduced and abandoned a young girl after promising to make her famous, tells Priscilla that with money she could be a success. When Priscilla learns that Unity's sweetheart Hiram Miller, the village blacksmith, has been entrusted with funds for the new church organ, Ivor persuades her to take the money. After Hiram is arrested, Unity masquerades as Priscilla to elope with Ivor and denounces him when he asks for the money. Priscilla gives the money to Unity, who then is suspected of the theft, because she refuses to squeal on Priscilla. After Priscilla appears at court and denounces Ivor, Hiram, on horseback, overtakes Ivor in an auto and drags him to court. Priscilla then convinces Dominic that he has misjudged ...
Dominic Beaumont, a mender of violins in a country village, is proud of his daughter Priscilla, who has inherited her mother's musical ability. His other daughter, Unity, capably runs the household, but Dominic calls her a "girl without a soul" because she lacks Priscilla's talent. Ivor, a traveling musician, who previously seduced and abandoned a young girl after promising to make her famous, tells Priscilla that with money she could be a success. When Priscilla learns that Unity's sweetheart Hiram Miller, the village blacksmith, has been entrusted with funds for the new church organ, Ivor persuades her to take the money. After Hiram is arrested, Unity masquerades as Priscilla to elope with Ivor and denounces him when he asks for the money. Priscilla gives the money to Unity, who then is suspected of the theft, because she refuses to squeal on Priscilla. After Priscilla appears at court and denounces Ivor, Hiram, on horseback, overtakes Ivor in an auto and drags him to court. Priscilla then convinces Dominic that he has misjudged Unity.
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