The Grasp of Greed (1916)

Drama | 17 July 1916

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HISTORY

The production of The Grasp of Greed was announced in a 10 June 1916 Motion Picture News item, which noted that Joseph De Grasse was set to direct Loiuse Lovely in the adaptation of H. Rider Haggard’s 1888 novel, Mr. Meeson’s Will. According to a 1 July 1916 Moving Picture World item, in its time the novel had been a best seller “read by everybody who was anybody throughout the world.”
       On 17 June 1916, Moving Picture World reported that filming was set to conclude in a few days, and noted that many of the “very beautiful sets” used for the picture had been conceptualized by De Grasse. Theatrical release occurred exactly one month later, on 17 July 1916. A negative review in the 7 July 1916 Variety complained that Haggard’s novel was not suited for a motion picture adaptation, and criticized the picture’s “overwhelmingly melodramatic manner.”
       According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, this film is extant. ...

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The production of The Grasp of Greed was announced in a 10 June 1916 Motion Picture News item, which noted that Joseph De Grasse was set to direct Loiuse Lovely in the adaptation of H. Rider Haggard’s 1888 novel, Mr. Meeson’s Will. According to a 1 July 1916 Moving Picture World item, in its time the novel had been a best seller “read by everybody who was anybody throughout the world.”
       On 17 June 1916, Moving Picture World reported that filming was set to conclude in a few days, and noted that many of the “very beautiful sets” used for the picture had been conceptualized by De Grasse. Theatrical release occurred exactly one month later, on 17 July 1916. A negative review in the 7 July 1916 Variety complained that Haggard’s novel was not suited for a motion picture adaptation, and criticized the picture’s “overwhelmingly melodramatic manner.”
       According to the Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Database, this film is extant.

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SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
Motion Picture News
10 Jun 1916
p. 3589
Motion Picture News
15 Jul 1916
p. 274
Motography
22 Jul 1916
p. 227, 230
Moving Picture Weekly
15 Jul 1916
pp. 12-13
Moving Picture World
17 Jun 1916
p. 2071
Moving Picture World
1 Jul 1916
p. 110
Moving Picture World
15 Jul 1916
pp. 474-475
Moving Picture World
22 Jul 1916
p. 691
Variety
7 Jul 1916
p. 25
CAST
PRODUCTION CREDITS
NAME
PARENT COMPANY
PRODUCTION COMPANY
DISTRIBUTION COMPANY
NAME
CREDITED AS
CREDIT
DIRECTOR
WRITER
SOURCES
LITERARY
Based on the novel Mr. Meeson's Will by H. Rider Haggard (New York, 1888).
LITERARY SOURCE AUTHOR
DETAILS
Release Date:
17 July 1916
Production Date:

Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Bluebird Photoplays, Inc.
21 June 1916
LP8549
Physical Properties:
Silent
Black and White
Length(in reels):
5
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

When novelist Alice Gordon has an argument with her publisher, John Meeson, she leaves for Australia to accept another publisher's offer. During the argument, Eustace, John's nephew, sided with Alice, so John cuts him out of his will. Then, John sails on the same boat as Alice, determined to keep her from signing with the Australian firm. The ship is wrecked, however, and John and Alice are stranded on an island. John soon has second thoughts about Eustace, and so makes yet another will, leaving him everything. As there is no paper on the island, however, the will is tattooed on Alice's back. Eventually they are rescued, and after John dies, Alice must expose her back in court to let all of the lawyers and jurors scrutinize it, before Eustace can be named John's heir. Then, after the hearing, Eustace, who has always loved Alice, marries ...

More Less

When novelist Alice Gordon has an argument with her publisher, John Meeson, she leaves for Australia to accept another publisher's offer. During the argument, Eustace, John's nephew, sided with Alice, so John cuts him out of his will. Then, John sails on the same boat as Alice, determined to keep her from signing with the Australian firm. The ship is wrecked, however, and John and Alice are stranded on an island. John soon has second thoughts about Eustace, and so makes yet another will, leaving him everything. As there is no paper on the island, however, the will is tattooed on Alice's back. Eventually they are rescued, and after John dies, Alice must expose her back in court to let all of the lawyers and jurors scrutinize it, before Eustace can be named John's heir. Then, after the hearing, Eustace, who has always loved Alice, marries her.

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Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

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The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.