Saints and Sinners (1916)
50 mins | Melodrama | 25 May 1916
According to the 6 May 1916 Motion Picture News, Famous Players was originally uncertain how to debut its new English star, Peggy Hyland, a "British film favorite," to the American audience. "The choice had at that time been narrowed down to three or four plays which were especially suitable to Miss Hyland's personality. From these, Saints and Sinners was finally chosen." A Paramount advertisement in the 24 June 1916 Moving Picture World suggested that Miss Hyland was starring in By Right of Sex, but no such title was released, and it is uncertain whether By Right of Sex was an aborted project or a brief alternate title for Saints and Sinners. The latter appears less likely, however, because the film had already been released weeks earlier. Miss Hyland made only this one film for Famous Players, then asked for a release from her contract and joined Vitagraph, the August 1916 Photoplay reported.
The 13 May 1916 Motion Picture News announced that Famous Players was finishing up Saints and Sinners.
Saints and Sinners was scheduled to open at the Broadway Theater in New York, but the management substitute it with Metro's His Great Triumph (see entry), the Variety reported.
Reviewer George Blaisdell, in the 10 June 1916 Moving Picture World, noted, "The exteriors are staged in picturesque spots in Florida by James Kirkwood and the subject is splendidly photographed." New York Clipper complained that if the story was supposed to have taken place in England, why didn't the sets and ...
According to the 6 May 1916 Motion Picture News, Famous Players was originally uncertain how to debut its new English star, Peggy Hyland, a "British film favorite," to the American audience. "The choice had at that time been narrowed down to three or four plays which were especially suitable to Miss Hyland's personality. From these, Saints and Sinners was finally chosen." A Paramount advertisement in the 24 June 1916 Moving Picture World suggested that Miss Hyland was starring in By Right of Sex, but no such title was released, and it is uncertain whether By Right of Sex was an aborted project or a brief alternate title for Saints and Sinners. The latter appears less likely, however, because the film had already been released weeks earlier. Miss Hyland made only this one film for Famous Players, then asked for a release from her contract and joined Vitagraph, the August 1916 Photoplay reported.
The 13 May 1916 Motion Picture News announced that Famous Players was finishing up Saints and Sinners.
Saints and Sinners was scheduled to open at the Broadway Theater in New York, but the management substitute it with Metro's His Great Triumph (see entry), the Variety reported.
Reviewer George Blaisdell, in the 10 June 1916 Moving Picture World, noted, "The exteriors are staged in picturesque spots in Florida by James Kirkwood and the subject is splendidly photographed." New York Clipper complained that if the story was supposed to have taken place in England, why didn't the sets and locations look like England? Harvey F. Thaw, in the 10 June 1916 Motion Picture News, also commented that the trains and buildings looked American, but "[i]nasmuch as no attempt is made to located the story...this is unessential." Wid's criticized the hurried events of the last reel, with details explained by inter-titles, whose abruptness either confused or amused the audience.
Henry Arthur Jones' novel Saints and Sinners was published in New York and London in 1891. The play taken from the book opened in New York on 7 November 1885.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
George Kingsmill adores Letty Fletcher, the minister's daughter, but Letty loves the unscrupulous Fanshawe. Then, Fanshawe ruins Letty's local reputation by tricking the innocent young woman into coming to the city with him. Hearing of the affair, the banker Hoggard, in furtherance of a crooked deal, forces the minister to resign in disgrace, while George, still in love with Letty, offers to marry her. She refuses, and retires with her father to a secluded cottage. During a scarlet fever epidemic, Letty wins everyone's respect and love by nursing the sick, while Hoggard, whose bank has failed, is protected by the minister from a mob of angry depositors. Because of the minister's kindly actions toward the man who had railed against him, the townspeople give him back his pulpit, and Letty finally accepts George's offer of ...
George Kingsmill adores Letty Fletcher, the minister's daughter, but Letty loves the unscrupulous Fanshawe. Then, Fanshawe ruins Letty's local reputation by tricking the innocent young woman into coming to the city with him. Hearing of the affair, the banker Hoggard, in furtherance of a crooked deal, forces the minister to resign in disgrace, while George, still in love with Letty, offers to marry her. She refuses, and retires with her father to a secluded cottage. During a scarlet fever epidemic, Letty wins everyone's respect and love by nursing the sick, while Hoggard, whose bank has failed, is protected by the minister from a mob of angry depositors. Because of the minister's kindly actions toward the man who had railed against him, the townspeople give him back his pulpit, and Letty finally accepts George's offer of marriage.
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