Barbara Frietchie (1924)
Romance | 26 October 1924
Cast:
Florence Vidor, Edmund Lowe, Emmett King [ More ]Director:
Lambert HillyerWriters:
Lambert Hillyer, Agnes Christine JohnstonCinematographer:
Henry SharpProduction Company:
Regal PicturesAccording to the 20 Jul 1924 LAT, the story of U.S. Civil War Unionist Barbara Frietchie was popularized by the 1863 John Greenleaf Whittier poem (“'Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, but spare your country's flag,' she said”), which Clyde Fitch adapted into a stage play in 1899. Like Fitch’s production, which starred Julia Marlowe, the 1924 film and an earlier 1915 motion picture of the same name (see entry) featured a more romantic, youthful heroine that greatly differed from the “grizzled,” gray-haired woman of history. There was also a 1908 production (see entry), which spelled the heroine's last name as Fritchie, but there is no summary of its story.
News items in the 7 Jun 1924 and 23 Aug 1924 issues of Moving Picture World indicated that production took place between mid-Jun and late summer of 1924 at the Thomas H. Ince Studios in Culver City, CA. A residential street, representing Frederick, Maryland, was built on the lot, fronted by Washington Avenue, and Ince's antebellum-style administration building stood in for the Frietchie home. Director Lambert Hillyer reportedly selected World War I veterans to portray the Civil War soldiers, who spent several days rehearsing the use of period appropriate firearms. George Billings, who portrayed the sixteenth U.S. President in Abraham Lincoln (1924, see entry), reprised the character for Barbara Frietchie.
'The 6 Sep 1924 Exhibitors Trade Reviewreported that Barbara Frietchie "was fully completed during the past week," and previewed at the Granada Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
Items in the 26 Jul 1924 Moving Picture World and 13 Sep 1924 Exhibitors ...
According to the 20 Jul 1924 LAT, the story of U.S. Civil War Unionist Barbara Frietchie was popularized by the 1863 John Greenleaf Whittier poem (“'Shoot, if you must, this old gray head, but spare your country's flag,' she said”), which Clyde Fitch adapted into a stage play in 1899. Like Fitch’s production, which starred Julia Marlowe, the 1924 film and an earlier 1915 motion picture of the same name (see entry) featured a more romantic, youthful heroine that greatly differed from the “grizzled,” gray-haired woman of history. There was also a 1908 production (see entry), which spelled the heroine's last name as Fritchie, but there is no summary of its story.
News items in the 7 Jun 1924 and 23 Aug 1924 issues of Moving Picture World indicated that production took place between mid-Jun and late summer of 1924 at the Thomas H. Ince Studios in Culver City, CA. A residential street, representing Frederick, Maryland, was built on the lot, fronted by Washington Avenue, and Ince's antebellum-style administration building stood in for the Frietchie home. Director Lambert Hillyer reportedly selected World War I veterans to portray the Civil War soldiers, who spent several days rehearsing the use of period appropriate firearms. George Billings, who portrayed the sixteenth U.S. President in Abraham Lincoln (1924, see entry), reprised the character for Barbara Frietchie.
'The 6 Sep 1924 Exhibitors Trade Reviewreported that Barbara Frietchie "was fully completed during the past week," and previewed at the Granada Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
Items in the 26 Jul 1924 Moving Picture World and 13 Sep 1924 Exhibitors Trade Review suggested that the release date was pushed back several times from Aug to Oct 1924. The 4 Oct 1924 Exhibitors Trade Review announced the film had been selected as the inaugural screening at the new Piccadilly Theatre in New York City on 26 Sep 1924. An 11 Oct 1924 Exhibitors Trade Review item stated that an additional pre-release presentation was hosted at the Piccadilly the week before its official opening on 26 Oct 1924.
Barbara Frietchie, daughter of a patriotic family of the South, falls in love with Will Trumbull, her brother Arthur's friend from the North. When the Civil War is declared, Trumbull leaves the Frietchie home in Frederickstown, Maryland, to return home and join the Union Army. Barbara declares that she hopes to never see him again. Later, Trumbull leads a victorious force to Frederickstown, and saves Arthur Frietche from being captured by Union troops. The grateful Barbara realizes that there is no North or South where love is concerned. She promises to marry Trumbull and, despite her father's anger, journeys to Trumbull's command headquarters in Hagerstown, Maryland, to be married. However, Confederates advance upon Hagerstown before the ceremony can be performed, and Trumbull is called away. In battle, he is wounded by Arthur Frietchie, who, grief stricken, takes him to the Frietchie house. Thinking that Trumbull is dead, Barbara takes a Union flag and unfurls it from the balcony as Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson moves his soldiers through town. Admiring the bravery of the girl, Jackson gives orders that anyone who harms her be shot. Despite his order, a jealous suitor wounds Barbara. She staggers into the house to Trumbull's bedside. He revives, whispers a few love words, and then appears to relapse, but with kisses and pleadings Barbara brings him back to life. Later, they are married in Hagerstown, while her father raises the Union flag over his ...
Barbara Frietchie, daughter of a patriotic family of the South, falls in love with Will Trumbull, her brother Arthur's friend from the North. When the Civil War is declared, Trumbull leaves the Frietchie home in Frederickstown, Maryland, to return home and join the Union Army. Barbara declares that she hopes to never see him again. Later, Trumbull leads a victorious force to Frederickstown, and saves Arthur Frietche from being captured by Union troops. The grateful Barbara realizes that there is no North or South where love is concerned. She promises to marry Trumbull and, despite her father's anger, journeys to Trumbull's command headquarters in Hagerstown, Maryland, to be married. However, Confederates advance upon Hagerstown before the ceremony can be performed, and Trumbull is called away. In battle, he is wounded by Arthur Frietchie, who, grief stricken, takes him to the Frietchie house. Thinking that Trumbull is dead, Barbara takes a Union flag and unfurls it from the balcony as Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson moves his soldiers through town. Admiring the bravery of the girl, Jackson gives orders that anyone who harms her be shot. Despite his order, a jealous suitor wounds Barbara. She staggers into the house to Trumbull's bedside. He revives, whispers a few love words, and then appears to relapse, but with kisses and pleadings Barbara brings him back to life. Later, they are married in Hagerstown, while her father raises the Union flag over his home.
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