rudy-46

This film, at once thought to be long lost, is a real gem. Seeing stills in books and motion picture periodicals piqued my interest in this early gothic flick. It was sheer delight to have found it on DVD. This film is the work of director and film pioneer J. Searle Dawley. While his name may not be familiar to many, he was an integral part in the development of motion pictures. Though this film was shocking for its day, innovative productions such as this must have aroused the interest of 1910 audiences. Shortly after this, the Edison company reached an apex in its productions. Three great players of the Edison company can be seen in this early example of the horror genre. Augustus Phillips as Frankenstein. Charles Ogle gives an eerie performance as the monster. I understand he also designed the make-up for the creature. An added bonus is the wonderful and talented actress Mary Fuller as Elizabeth, Frankenstein's fiancee'. Sadly Miss Fuller is mostly forgotten now, but she was very popular in early cinema and her star shone the brightest of the Edison lot. That alone makes this film a real treasure.

This very small piece of film history is a real cinematic treasure. We are very fortunate it is still with us to be enjoyed and appreciated, for a kiss has become almost synonymous with the birth of cinema. When one thinks of the movies' beginning, the image of May Irwin and John Rice come to mind. These very early films were typical of the period, the decade of the 1890's. Very short films lasting under a minute designed for the Edison kinetoscope to be viewed in "peep show" parlors. This film is not only important for its historical value, but we get the rare privilage of seeing the fabulous Broadway actress, May Irwin repeating for the camera a scene from the popular play "The Widow Jones". Miss Irwin was a very prolific actress of the late 19th and early 20th century. To my knowledge she made only one other film, 1914's "Mrs. Black is Back". Though her presence in "The Kiss" is very brief, we get a big glimpse of an eminent actress.

...nor custom stale her infinite variety. - Wm. Shakespeare

How fortunate we are that this early first feature epic survives in near entirety. It stands as a testimonial to one of the greatest and overlooked actresses of early cinema, the divine Helen Gardner. Miss Gardner was a prolific actress of the stage and early screen. She taught pantomine and was possibly the first star to form her own production company, the Helen Gardner Picture Corporation, of which this film was produced. Now granted this film seems stagey and it lacks some of Griffith's techniques but it boasts some fine performances and is important for its historical value. In my opinion Miss Gardner is the finest Cleopatra the screen has ever had. She is every inch the Queen of the Nile, beautiful, majestic, sexy. She had a strong screen presence and talent that is almost forgotten due to the fact that so many of her films are gone, which is why this film is of great importance. This film is based on the play by Victorien Sardou and was directed by Miss Gardner's husband Charles L. Gaskill. Miss Gardner also designed her costumes for this as she did for many of her roles. I had always wanted to see the 1917 Theda Bara version but as long as that film remains lost, Helen Gardner is the quintessential Cleopatra of the screen. Long live the Queen!