Eleanor's Catch

Eleanor's Catch (1916)

** (out of 4)

Writer, director and star Cleo Madison was one of many female director's working at Universal but this film is one of the few from her filmography that isn't lost. In the movie Madison plays a hard working woman who begins cheating on her hard working boyfriend with the town loser (William V. Mong) who plans on leading her down a life of crime. Outside the historic nature of having a female director, this film is pretty tame and standard for the type of one-reel melodrama that was floating around in 1916. There's really nothing technical strong here that would make the film jump out as anything but a curio for those wanting to see some early work of a female director. The screenplay, written by Madison and Mong, isn't that bad until the final few minutes when there's a plot twist that totally kills everything that came before it. This twist had me in laughter, which isn't good for a drama.

As an added bonus on Kino's DVD "Hypocrites", this one-reeler from popular female actress/writer/director Cleo Madison doesn't really annoy. Neither, though, does it go anywhere. The story, which is some sort of dramedy (at least I think it is), is ridiculous, the acting is standard and the direction weak. Since "Eleanor's Catch" is apparently the only surviving Madison film, it does have considerable historical value and it's very nice that it is available for home viewers. But it probably won't be watched by most people more than once or twice, and on the basis of this film it's difficult to discern what Madison's appeal was.

"Eleanor's Catch" has 16 minutes to sketch a serious story of working people and those who may not have respectable work. Eleanor is played by Cleo Madison, with a solid visage and bearing that sets her apart from ethereal maidens and vamps played by better known stars. Edward Hearn, playing her boyfriend is similarly solid. Eleanor is tempted to show a bit of flash and wear good clothes. Her alternate move to civic responsibility does lack narration. There is also not time to say much about her sister's move to prostitution. Flash, as character and as way of life, in any case is defeated. Zola in miniature.

This film was directed by famed female director, Lois Weber and was included as an extra on the DVD from her film HYPOCRITES. While HYPOCRITES is a full-length film (for 1915--at less than 50 minutes it seems a bit short compared to later films), ELEANOR'S CATCH is a short--at only about 12 minutes.

The movie is a preachy film about a Lothario that wants to lead a young woman astray. This good woman appears rather gullible, as she accepts his wicked advances, though by the end of the film the tides are turned--resulting in an unexpected twist.

Overall, a very slight and not especially enjoyable film. The only things I think it has to highly recommend it today is the film's showing a woman in an untraditional role. Additionally, as the work of one of the few female directors of the day (or even today), it is noteworthy.