The Lonely Villa

"Thank God, they're saved!" said a woman behind us at the conclusion of the Biograph film bearing the above title. Just like this woman, the entire audience were in a state of intense excitement as this picture was being shown. And no wonder, for it is one of the most adroitly managed bits of bloodless film drama that we have seen. From the moment the picture starts all is expectancy. Indeed, when we saw the picture at Fourteenth street, the house literally "rose" at the story, it is so closely, effectively and convincingly told. As good a piece of sharp, rapid, decisive, dramatic work as we have seen. As is usual nowadays, with all Biograph stories, and the Biograph Company certainly have the art of getting hold of good stories, this one is finely photographed. The acting, too, is of a high order. The villains are villainous, the husband very realistic in his agony, especially at the telephone, whilst the Biograph heroine is as handsome and graceful as ever. We really felt inclined to kick that burglar man for so unceremoniously stripping the jewels from this fair lady's neck. "Lonely Villa" is another Biograph success. – The Moving Picture World, June 19, 1909

This is a good example of an idea that Hollywood uses nowadays. Panic Room was an attempt to make this into a full length film, but it dragged too much to be very exciting. But this short silent film shows the same plot, but without all the unimportant excess. What is left is the original, good idea, and that makes up the whole film. Suspense is retained throughout. Quality film making and innovation that is all too rare now, almost 100 years later.

This 1909 Biograph drama cleverly uses a telephone to heighten the stories suspense. A gang of thieves pick a well to do family to rob, by luring the husband away from his home, leaving his wife and three young daughters alone. Watching the husband leave, the gang breaks into the home as the wife and her daughters run to safety into another room, they start barricading the door with furniture. Meanwhile, the car the husband was being chauffeured in breaks down in front of an Inn, as the chauffeur starts to check out the car's motor, the husband notices a sign advertising a telephone inside. He decides to call his wife and tell her about his delay, luckily the room she and her daughters are trying to keep the crooks from breaking into has a telephone. She frantically tells her husband what is taking place, then one of the robbers cuts the telephone line. The husband rushes madly outside and finds a gypsy wagon, he and a group of men race home just in time to save his family. For 1909 audiences watching someone using a telephone was very exciting in itself, and it's use in this manner helps to heighten the viewers anticipation. D.W Griffith keeps the action flowing, making good use of Fort Lee, New Jersey for the outdoor location scenes. The Biograph actors all portray their characters adequately and Mary Pickford fans will instantly recognize the young actress as one of the daughters and Owen Moore as the villain who delivers the letter that summons the husband away from his home. This silent drama is a perfect example of what kept early silent film audiences excitement growing for this popular new form of entertainment.

Lonely Villa (1909)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

A gang lures a father away from his house so that they can rob it and terrorize his wife and three daughters. There's some great editing at the end that builds up the suspense but the direction isn't tight enough for it to work all the way through. Mary Pickford plays one of the children.

Son's Return, The (1909)

*** (out of 4)

A son goes off to the big city to make big bucks. Years later he returns and ends up staying at his parents inn but they've forgotten him but when they see his cash, they plan to rob him. This Griffith short certainly goes "out there" in its story but I always enjoy these downbeat films where the director could do whatever he wanted and didn't always have to add a happy ending onto the film. Mary Pickford has a small part as the man's love.

Watching this movie today, it's one that's more interesting than it is entertaining. In addition to being an early piece of cinema (and one that uses editing to some extent), this is also the earliest surviving movie with Mary Pickford, and maybe natural place to start if you want to explore her career. She plays the damsel in distress, and, well, you can't fault her performance as it leaves little doubt that that's what she is.

I'm sure this was a thrilling watch back in the day, and I hope there are some written accounts of how the audience reacted to it. It's obvious that the suspense is there, but only temporary accounts can tell if it worked as intended.