The Land Beyond the Sunset

This little film has a powerful, haunting final scene that gives me a chill, not only when I watch it, but when I think about it. An unusual film for 1912, particularly the ambiguity, the lack of a comforting ending. Reminiscent of the final scene in Hitchcock's The Birds — the uneasy ambiguity, of being on edge, of having the viewer fill in the finale. I am reluctant to write more, as I follow the view of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, who said he refrained from producing more written works, because it was an "unnecessary stain on the silence." This is a short film that should be paid respect with an equally short review.

Land Beyond the Sunset, The (1912)

*** (out of 4)

This is a rather interesting and sadly forgotten film from Edison. Poor boy Joe (Martin Fuller) is abused by his alcoholic grandmother so he gets on a train where a group of under privileged children are going on a picnic. At the picnic the teacher tells Joe a story about a kid who was put in a boat and sailed off for a fairy land beyond the sunset. I won't ruin how the film ends but you really have to give it credit for having the guts to end like it does. Again, I won't ruin anything but the ending certainly makes one think as there are several things that might have happened and it's up to the viewer to make up their own mind. I think it's fair to say that this Edison film was trying to copy the work of D.W. Griffith as it certainly has a political message about the poor but it also has the view that happiness can be found in the country, which are two things that the Biograph director made a lot of films about. For the most part I found this piece to be interesting for a number of reasons. One is the before mentioned ending. Another is how it shows the poor living and the effect on Joe after seeing the country, which is seen as a much more pleasant and safe place. I also enjoyed the rather surreal nature of how the film told the "story" of Joe in such a way where it really did seem like a fairy tale. Fuller is very good in his role as the poor boy who dreams of something better.

A young boy (Martin Fuller), oppressed by his mother, goes on an outing in the country with a social welfare group where he dares to dream of a land where the cares of his ordinary life fade.

This film looks great more than 100 years later. The picture is very crisp, and the use of double exposure is not only very well done ,but still works excellently as a fade in or out after all this time. Whoever preserved this film did much better than almost everyone else.

I loved how this incorporated some fantasy elements. Whether or not it was the first, it is great to see the costumes and the use of witches and fairies. A boy who must escape the world could ask for no better companions.

This thoughtful, memorable drama is the kind of movie that sticks with you after it is over, and it provides some thoughtful, sensitive commentary on problems that are, unfortunately, still all too present in our society. It is also one of the best Edison Company films of the 1910s, and while they did make a fair number of entertaining movies during this time, "The Land Beyond the Sunset" stands out in addressing a sensitive subject without resorting to easy answers.

The story focuses on Joe, a young newsboy living in a squalid situation, who one day has the opportunity for a pleasant outing in the country, courtesy of the Fresh Air Fund. The story is simple, but it portrays the characters quite realistically. For a time, you expect to see an upbeat if pat resolution of Joe's struggles, but the finale is much better than that. Another reviewer here has very aptly described its "haunting ambiguity", because indeed it rejects all easy answers, leaving the viewer challenged to think for himself or herself.

There are also a couple of fine moments on the technical side. The one that stands out most of all is the crucial scene when the children on the outing are listening to the fairy tale told them by their well-meaning hosts. The composition is excellent, catching the detail in the foreground with a partial glimpse of the expanse of water in the background, fitting in nicely with the content of the story and the situation. Then there is added a double exposure shot that communicates exactly what Joe is thinking, nicely setting up the finale.

It all works very well, and is well worth taking the time to watch if you have any interest in silent dramas.

Art combines with messaging in cinema's first nonprofit promotional film, October 1912's "The Land Beyond Sunset." The short movie, sponsored by the still active non-profit organization The Fresh Air Fund, encourages poor city children to make an effort to visit the outdoors. The ending is absolutely stunning.

Edison Studios took on the task of creating a story--script written by Dorothy Shore--of convincing people, especially children, to escape the confining tenements of the big cities and journey into the countryside. An abused boy constantly being beaten by his drunken grandmother, takes up the offer to go on a children's trip to a countryside lake. The excursion proves to be such an eyeopener and refreshing that he's hesitant to return to his nightmarish home environment.

This first ever promotional movie was eventful and convincing to those in the audience. Yet the film, directed by Harold Shaw, is so beautifully done that it set the template of how to produce a persuasive message on film by an organization who wants to improve the lives of those in destitute.