The Slave Market (1917)
Adventure | 1 January 1917
The scenario was based on the 1913 play, The Painted Woman by Frederic Arnold Kummer. A screen version starring Pauline Frederick was announced in the 25 November 1916 Moving Picture World. The working title was that of the play. Weeks later, the February 1917 Motion Picture noted that the film had been given the official title, The Slave Market.
The 6 January 1917 Moving Picture World reported the completion of principal photography. Location shooting took place on the island of Cuba, where director Hugh Ford was hoping to rent a sailing vessel for shipboard sequences. After a frustrating search, the director encountered the officer of an ocean liner whom he had met on one of his many voyages. The officer informed Ford that, due to a freight blockade caused by the war in Europe, idle ships were available for rent at a reasonable price. Ford proceeded to film as quickly as possible before the ship was called back into service.
According to the 24 February 1917 Motion Picture News, leading man Thomas Meighan was seeking more stories that would enable him to spend much of his camera time carrying Pauline Frederick in his arms, as he had in The Slave Market and Sapho (1917, see entry).
The Slave Market was released on 1 January 1917. It opened that same week at the Strand Theatre in New York City, followed by a 14 January 1917 opening at the Garrick Theatre in Minneapolis, MN.
An unrelated feature, also titled The Slave Market, ...
The scenario was based on the 1913 play, The Painted Woman by Frederic Arnold Kummer. A screen version starring Pauline Frederick was announced in the 25 November 1916 Moving Picture World. The working title was that of the play. Weeks later, the February 1917 Motion Picture noted that the film had been given the official title, The Slave Market.
The 6 January 1917 Moving Picture World reported the completion of principal photography. Location shooting took place on the island of Cuba, where director Hugh Ford was hoping to rent a sailing vessel for shipboard sequences. After a frustrating search, the director encountered the officer of an ocean liner whom he had met on one of his many voyages. The officer informed Ford that, due to a freight blockade caused by the war in Europe, idle ships were available for rent at a reasonable price. Ford proceeded to film as quickly as possible before the ship was called back into service.
According to the 24 February 1917 Motion Picture News, leading man Thomas Meighan was seeking more stories that would enable him to spend much of his camera time carrying Pauline Frederick in his arms, as he had in The Slave Market and Sapho (1917, see entry).
The Slave Market was released on 1 January 1917. It opened that same week at the Strand Theatre in New York City, followed by a 14 January 1917 opening at the Garrick Theatre in Minneapolis, MN.
An unrelated feature, also titled The Slave Market, was released in 1921.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
Ramona, a convent-raised girl en route to visit her father, is captured by Firebrand and his band of pirates when her ship is raided. At Firebrand’s island encampment, John Barton, a young soldier of fortune, tries to rescue her during the pirate's absence. However, while they search for the buried treasure that will enable them to leave the island, Firebrand returns and Ramona kills him. His vengeful fellow buccaneers drag Ramona to a public auction where Anna, a former lover of the dead pirate, plans to buy her and torture her as a slave. As Anna is about to place the final bid, John arrives with the treasure, outbids the treacherous woman, and claims the delighted Ramona as his ...
Ramona, a convent-raised girl en route to visit her father, is captured by Firebrand and his band of pirates when her ship is raided. At Firebrand’s island encampment, John Barton, a young soldier of fortune, tries to rescue her during the pirate's absence. However, while they search for the buried treasure that will enable them to leave the island, Firebrand returns and Ramona kills him. His vengeful fellow buccaneers drag Ramona to a public auction where Anna, a former lover of the dead pirate, plans to buy her and torture her as a slave. As Anna is about to place the final bid, John arrives with the treasure, outbids the treacherous woman, and claims the delighted Ramona as his bride.
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