The Cry of the Children

Child labor was popular with factory owners in the early 1900's (and prior) for several reasons. Among them were the federal government allowed children 14 years old and above to work up to 54 hours a week; kids were paid far less than an adult; and a number of children in the lower class supposedly would had rather work than sit in school all day.

There were a growing number of people who recognized the horrid conditions of these factories exposing the nation's youth to a hard life. Thanhouser Studio released in April 1912 "The Cry of the Children," based on an 1843 Elizabeth Barrett Brown poem of the same name. The film dealt with a family who worked in the factory grind. The youngest, played by Marie Eline (whose career was limited to Thanhouser films from 1910-1914) was allowed to be free at home, that is until the mother becomes ill. Yoiung Marie, seeing the family would be hard hit financially, steps in to help out. The strain on the young child is illustrated by Marie's fragility.

What's remarkable about "The Cry of the Children" is a local factory near the Thanhouser Studios in New Rochelle, N. Y., agreed to have the movie crew come in and film the actors intermingling with its factory workers, especially the children laborers, while the plot plays out. The viewers get to see a taste of what these young workers had to do for 50-plus hours, six days a week.

The film was produced on the heels of the Lawrence, MA., American Woolen Company strike, which was protracted in violence and hardship for those workers demanding a more humane workweek. During the 1912 U. S. presidential race, candidate Woodrow Wilson cited this film to illustrate his opponent, incumbent President William Taft's inaction on the face of cruel child labor. "The Cry of the Children" was the first film cited by a presidential candidate to be used against an opponent.

Slow but powerful and earnest piece decrying child labor. As the factory owners live a life of ease and short takes, the workers -- including children -- suffer a life of hardship and long takes. Look for future star director James Cruze -- director of THE COVERED WAGON -- who was a contract player for Thanhouser at this time.

The Cry of the Children

*** (out of 4)

The Thanhouser company produced this thirty minute film about the rich and the poor. The setting is a factory where a husband labors to make sure his family is fed, although they are still very much poor. The factory owner's wife one day sees the poor man's young daughter and convinces the family to allow her to have a "better" life but tragedy soon happens.

THE CRY OF THE CHILDREN was directed by James Cruze who would eventually direct some of the most popular films of the 1920s and he also made a name as an actor including appearing in the same year's DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE. This film here is certainly slow-moving at the start but the film certainly packs a nice little punch during the final five minutes. At thirty minutes this here is extremely long for the period but the director certainly manages to get the message across. In fact, I'd say the message was a tad bit too strong and over-the-top but there were a lot of union issues going on during this period so obviously people back them had a rooting interest in the film.

The Moving Picture World has already commended this glorious, two- reel feature made after the poem of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and has pointed out the value of such releases to humanity and their civilizing power. This reviewer, however, takes pleasure in pointing the charm of the picture that most strongly appealed to him. It is in the character of the mill worker's youngest child, a vivid and quite fresh creation. The producer, in the way he has handled the possibilities that this character gave to him, shows a sensitive, poetic imagination. This child, played by the Thanhouser Kid, seems the very breath of poetry, and, to give one instance, that scene in which we see her beside the bunch of pussy willows, changes the effect of every other scene in the picture. The picture needed some such contrast in order to bring out its values at all, but this, coming as it does with the scene just before it, shoots like a poignant cry to the very last scene. We wish that all the contrasts offered by the picture were as sincere. These scenes really live. The picture, as a whole, has much living truth, and is very effective. The camera work is good. - The Moving Picture World, May 11, 1912

A social conscience drama produced by the Thanhouser Studio one year after more than 140 workers - many of them child labourers - died in a factory fire, which features scenes that were actually filmed in a mill. The anger over that incident is evident in George Nichol's film, but it's weakened by characters that are typical of the kind of broad stereotypes found in early silent movies. Marie Eline, the "Thanhouser Kid" shines as the tragic, beloved child of an impoverished family employed by a heartless mill owner.