The Common Law (1916)
Drama | 15 October 1916
A full page advertisement in the 19 February 1916 issues of Moving Picture World and Motion Picture News announced the formation of the Clara Kimball Young Film Corp. in New York City, whose president was Lewis J. Selznick. The 6 May 1916 Moving Picture World announced that the company, for its first production, had purchased "the world's picture rights to Richard W. Chambers' famous novel," The Common Law, at a price well above $12,000.
According to the 1 July 1916 Motion Picture News, director Albert Capellani was "preparing the scenic plots for The Common Law and arranging the details of the production," which included hiring the crew and "casting parts for the picture" at the Selznick headquarters in New York City. While the film company's studios were being built on Long Island, filming would take place at a temporary studio in New Jersey, "but its name cannot be given until the lease is signed." (It was the Blaché [Solax] Studio in Fort Lee.) Miss Young, meanwhile, was resting in Maine, but was due back in New York, as per her contract, on 16 July 1916 to begin filming. By then, all the scenes that did not include her would already be completed.
The 2 September 1916 Motion Picture News reported that the previous week, director Capellani had finished shooting "the closing exterior scenes on a location near Morriston, N.J.," and now "the work assembling and cutting the film has begun." At the time, Capellani expected the film to be six reels long, but it possible that it might be released in two separate editions, ...
A full page advertisement in the 19 February 1916 issues of Moving Picture World and Motion Picture News announced the formation of the Clara Kimball Young Film Corp. in New York City, whose president was Lewis J. Selznick. The 6 May 1916 Moving Picture World announced that the company, for its first production, had purchased "the world's picture rights to Richard W. Chambers' famous novel," The Common Law, at a price well above $12,000.
According to the 1 July 1916 Motion Picture News, director Albert Capellani was "preparing the scenic plots for The Common Law and arranging the details of the production," which included hiring the crew and "casting parts for the picture" at the Selznick headquarters in New York City. While the film company's studios were being built on Long Island, filming would take place at a temporary studio in New Jersey, "but its name cannot be given until the lease is signed." (It was the Blaché [Solax] Studio in Fort Lee.) Miss Young, meanwhile, was resting in Maine, but was due back in New York, as per her contract, on 16 July 1916 to begin filming. By then, all the scenes that did not include her would already be completed.
The 2 September 1916 Motion Picture News reported that the previous week, director Capellani had finished shooting "the closing exterior scenes on a location near Morriston, N.J.," and now "the work assembling and cutting the film has begun." At the time, Capellani expected the film to be six reels long, but it possible that it might be released in two separate editions, "one of six and one of nine reels, the latter for special showings in the big theaters."
According to the 28 October 1916 Motion Picture News, The Common Law opened in all of New York City's Marcus Loew theaters in late September, and then, on 2 October 1916, at the Globe Theatre in Boston, MA. Miss Young and Mrs. Lewis J. Selzick appeared in person at the Boston premiere. In the heart of New York's theater district, at the corner of Broadway and Forty-sixth Street, two giant electric signs advertised the movie.
Selznick Pictures remade The Common Law in 1923, with Corinne Griffith (see entry). RKO Pathé did a sound remake in 1931, directed by Paul L. Stein and starring Constance Bennett.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
Her mother's death leaves Valerie West destitute, so she goes to work as an artist's model and becomes romantically involved with two painters: the unpredictable Querida, who does not believe in marriage, and the wealthy Neville, who wants Valerie for his wife. Stephanie, a young woman who had been engaged to Neville, pleads with Valerie not to marry him, and she agrees, knowing that Neville's parents do not approve of her lower-class background. At a New Year's party Valerie tries to placate Neville by agreeing to spend the night with him on the first of June. In the months leading up to June, Valerie kills Querida when he tries to force himself upon her, and Neville's parents, realizing how deeply their son loves Valerie, finally consent to their ...
Her mother's death leaves Valerie West destitute, so she goes to work as an artist's model and becomes romantically involved with two painters: the unpredictable Querida, who does not believe in marriage, and the wealthy Neville, who wants Valerie for his wife. Stephanie, a young woman who had been engaged to Neville, pleads with Valerie not to marry him, and she agrees, knowing that Neville's parents do not approve of her lower-class background. At a New Year's party Valerie tries to placate Neville by agreeing to spend the night with him on the first of June. In the months leading up to June, Valerie kills Querida when he tries to force himself upon her, and Neville's parents, realizing how deeply their son loves Valerie, finally consent to their marriage.
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