At the Crossroads of Life

At the Crossroads of Life (1908)

** (out of 4)

A stage actress (Linda Arvidson), who ran away from home against the wishes of her father, desperately wants to get that father's approval after she's a success but he still refuses to talk to her. The story of this film is credited to D.W. Griffith, who also has a small role in the film, but the direction here is so bad that it's hard to make out what's going on. Apparently Griffith was unhappy in how the film turned out and this might be one of the biggest reasons why he agreed to become a director. Arvidson gives a good performance in the film as does Charles Inslee in his small role. Robert Harron and Griffith both have small roles as well. Once again, you really can't help but think the film would have turned out better with someone like Griffith directing.

At the Crossroads of Life is a typically Victorian-style melodrama in which a girl's wishes to be an actress are condemned by her stern father, a man of the cloth who has no time for those in the acting profession. Back then, actors were seen as dubious characters (and movie actors were considered the worst of the lot, looked down upon even by stage actors).

Linda Arvidson plays the ambitious daughter, with D. W. Griffith - who also wrote the screenplay - playing her suitor. The acting is a little florid, something that Griffith knew wasn't right for the screen - and which can be seen in his relatively reserved performance here. Wallace McCutcheon's direction is pedestrian at best. Although he would quickly become the most influential director of the early cinema, Griffith would be rehashing this melodramatic story over and over for the next twenty years.