The Lonely Villa

Cross-cutting editing in movies builds suspense by going from one action to another. The film technique, still used in today's movies, illustrates events happening at the same time but in different locations. In D. W. Griffith's June 1909 "The Lonely Villa," the director advanced this particular editing craft from previous films. It was introduced as far back as the early 1900's, in particular Edwin Porter's "The Great Train Robbery (1903)."

After some prefunctory scenes in "The Lonely Villa" setting the stage of a father being called away for urgent business, Griffith then goes about following two storylines: the family home with just the mother and three daughters, the oldest being Mary Pickford, invaded by thieves while then cutting to the father going to the fake emergency site, only to discover the danger his family is in.

The rescue scenarios take on a quickened pulse as Griffith shortens each advancing clip by going back and forth between the two plots. The director's intention is to get his viewers' hearts beating faster and faster as the tension increases on the screen. Griffith would use this cross-cutting technique throughout the remainder of his film directing career, but with greater sophistication as his experience in movies gained more experience.

"Thank God, they're saved!" said a woman behind us at the conclusion of the Biograph film bearing the above title. Just like this woman, the entire audience were in a state of intense excitement as this picture was being shown. And no wonder, for it is one of the most adroitly managed bits of bloodless film drama that we have seen. From the moment the picture starts all is expectancy. Indeed, when we saw the picture at Fourteenth street, the house literally "rose" at the story, it is so closely, effectively and convincingly told. As good a piece of sharp, rapid, decisive, dramatic work as we have seen. As is usual nowadays, with all Biograph stories, and the Biograph Company certainly have the art of getting hold of good stories, this one is finely photographed. The acting, too, is of a high order. The villains are villainous, the husband very realistic in his agony, especially at the telephone, whilst the Biograph heroine is as handsome and graceful as ever. We really felt inclined to kick that burglar man for so unceremoniously stripping the jewels from this fair lady's neck. "Lonely Villa" is another Biograph success. – The Moving Picture World, June 19, 1909

This 1909 Biograph drama cleverly uses a telephone to heighten the stories suspense. A gang of thieves pick a well to do family to rob, by luring the husband away from his home, leaving his wife and three young daughters alone. Watching the husband leave, the gang breaks into the home as the wife and her daughters run to safety into another room, they start barricading the door with furniture. Meanwhile, the car the husband was being chauffeured in breaks down in front of an Inn, as the chauffeur starts to check out the car's motor, the husband notices a sign advertising a telephone inside. He decides to call his wife and tell her about his delay, luckily the room she and her daughters are trying to keep the crooks from breaking into has a telephone. She frantically tells her husband what is taking place, then one of the robbers cuts the telephone line. The husband rushes madly outside and finds a gypsy wagon, he and a group of men race home just in time to save his family. For 1909 audiences watching someone using a telephone was very exciting in itself, and it's use in this manner helps to heighten the viewers anticipation. D.W Griffith keeps the action flowing, making good use of Fort Lee, New Jersey for the outdoor location scenes. The Biograph actors all portray their characters adequately and Mary Pickford fans will instantly recognize the young actress as one of the daughters and Owen Moore as the villain who delivers the letter that summons the husband away from his home. This silent drama is a perfect example of what kept early silent film audiences excitement growing for this popular new form of entertainment.

This is a decent short drama that creates some fairly good suspense with a story of a mother and her children being attacked by a gang of deceitful and brutal thieves. For its time, the story is told pretty well, shifting scenes at times to heighten the suspense. It does get a bit choppy in places, and things don't always fit together smoothly, whether due to the editing or perhaps simply due to its age. (It just doesn't seem to be as carefully pieced together as many of Griffith's short films.) But it's all watchable, and the story makes you want to find out what will happen. It should be interesting enough for anyone who likes these early short melodramas. A young Mary Pickford also has a small role.

Three burglars (Owen Moore, Herbert Prior, and Anthony O'Sullivan) lurk outside the Cullison estate. When the family butler and maid leave on a date, the burglars trick master-of-the-house David Miles (as Robert Cullison) into vacating the premises; Mr. Miles doesn't know it, but the lurking trio are planning a robbery. After Miles leaves, the thieves terrorize helpless Marion Lenard (as Mother Cullison) and the three Cullison girls - Mary Pickford, Gladys Egan, and Adele DeGarde. As the burglars bust in, Ms. Leonard's uses her telephone to desperately call for help…

For its time, "The Lonely Villa" likely packed an audience pleasing punch; but it's rather ordinary, when compared to director D.W. Griffith's later revisitations of its story/situation. The location footage is a highlight, and the cutting of the Cullisons' telephone cord is a nice touch. Ms. Pickford, with her relatively small stature, makes a convincing little girl. Real little girl Egan shines as the first Cullison who notices something is not quite right…

**** The Lonely Villa (6/10/09) D.W. Griffith ~ David Miles, Marion Leonard, Mary Pickford