The Food Gamblers (1917)
Drama | 5 August 1917
Cast:
Wilfred Lucas, Elda Millar , Mac Barnes [ More ]Director:
Albert ParkerWriter:
Robert ShirleyProduction Company:
Triangle Film Corp.The upcoming feature was announced in the 23 June 1917 Moving Picture World as a topical story concerning the contemporary problem of high food prices caused by commodities speculation. The 1 September 1917 Motion Picture News later revealed that it was one of several projects from production supervisor Allan Dwan, who was focused at the time on presenting screen dramas that explored issues in the lives of most Americans.
On 23 June 1917, Motion Picture News reported that the New York Globe newspaper loaned its offices to the production earlier that month, requiring staff members to vacate their desks as actors took their places for the camera. Also participating in the film was New York State “commissioner of food and markets” John J. Dillon, who provided detailed information and solutions to the food speculation issue, in addition to making a screen appearance. Other cast members included Russian expatriate Victor De Linsky (18 August 1917 Motion Picture News) and child actress Josephine Myers (1918 Motion Picture News Studio Directory).
According to the 8 August 1917 [Middletown, NY] Times-Press, director Albert Parker took his company to Yonkers, NY, to film a “food riot” sequence. Onlookers mistook the commotion for an actual riot and summoned the police. Despite this unexpected development, Parker kept the cameras rolling as outraged background actors were loaded into paddy wagons.
The Food Gamblers was released on 5 August 1917, and opened that same day at the American Theatre in Salt Lake City, UT. A 16 August 1917 opening followed at the Strand Theatre in Tampa, ...
The upcoming feature was announced in the 23 June 1917 Moving Picture World as a topical story concerning the contemporary problem of high food prices caused by commodities speculation. The 1 September 1917 Motion Picture News later revealed that it was one of several projects from production supervisor Allan Dwan, who was focused at the time on presenting screen dramas that explored issues in the lives of most Americans.
On 23 June 1917, Motion Picture News reported that the New York Globe newspaper loaned its offices to the production earlier that month, requiring staff members to vacate their desks as actors took their places for the camera. Also participating in the film was New York State “commissioner of food and markets” John J. Dillon, who provided detailed information and solutions to the food speculation issue, in addition to making a screen appearance. Other cast members included Russian expatriate Victor De Linsky (18 August 1917 Motion Picture News) and child actress Josephine Myers (1918 Motion Picture News Studio Directory).
According to the 8 August 1917 [Middletown, NY] Times-Press, director Albert Parker took his company to Yonkers, NY, to film a “food riot” sequence. Onlookers mistook the commotion for an actual riot and summoned the police. Despite this unexpected development, Parker kept the cameras rolling as outraged background actors were loaded into paddy wagons.
The Food Gamblers was released on 5 August 1917, and opened that same day at the American Theatre in Salt Lake City, UT. A 16 August 1917 opening followed at the Strand Theatre in Tampa, FL. Theater advertisements in the 5 August 1917 Salt Lake Herald-Republican and 16 August 1917 Tampa Times referred to lead actress Elda Millar as “Lida Miller” and “Edna Miller,” respectively. She later became known as Hedda Hopper. The picture was also screened on 3, 4, and 5 September 1917 at the Minnesota State Fair, through the sponsorship of the “conservation board of the Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota.”
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
Reporter June Justice visits an impoverished neighborhood plagued by riots over the high price of food, which the residents blame on local merchants. After interviewing retailers, farmers, and commission merchants, June determines that an elite entity is actually regulating prices. Her story attracts the attention of Henry Havens, who heads a ring of food speculators. He invites June to interview him, believing that a bribe will bias her reporting in his favor. Instead, June denounces Henry, bringing about a change in the speculator. He soon falls in love with June and joins her in her efforts to pass legislation that would dissolve the food trust. Henry’s former associates hire a gunman to stop him, but he recovers in time to testify before the state ...
Reporter June Justice visits an impoverished neighborhood plagued by riots over the high price of food, which the residents blame on local merchants. After interviewing retailers, farmers, and commission merchants, June determines that an elite entity is actually regulating prices. Her story attracts the attention of Henry Havens, who heads a ring of food speculators. He invites June to interview him, believing that a bribe will bias her reporting in his favor. Instead, June denounces Henry, bringing about a change in the speculator. He soon falls in love with June and joins her in her efforts to pass legislation that would dissolve the food trust. Henry’s former associates hire a gunman to stop him, but he recovers in time to testify before the state legislature.
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