Human Wreckage
Encyclopedia
Human Wreckage was an independent silent
film production by Dorothy Davenport
, widow of actor Wallace Reid
, who died on 18 January 1923 from complications of morphine
addiction.
, Bessie Love
and Lucille Ricksen, portrayed the dangers of drug addiction, and was shown across the country by Davenport herself, billed as Mrs. Wallace Reid, in an early example of what would later be called a roadshow
engagement. The film was co-produced with Thomas Ince
and distributed by Film Booking Offices of America
. No print of this film is known to exist today, and it is considered a lost film
.
Four days before Wallace Reid's death, the movie studios appointed Will H. Hays
as president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Although it took some years for the Hays Code to be finalized, Hays did set certain standards for movies early on, including a ban on any reference to drug use. Despite this, Davenport received a dispensation from Hays allowing her to produce Human Wreckage because of its anti-drug message.
According to the website SilentEra, the film was banned by the British Board of Film Censors in 1924.
Silent film
A silent film is a film with no synchronized recorded sound, especially with no spoken dialogue. In silent films for entertainment the dialogue is transmitted through muted gestures, pantomime and title cards...
film production by Dorothy Davenport
Dorothy Davenport
Dorothy Davenport was an American actress, screenwriter, film director, and producer who appeared in silent film for Biograph Studios under the direction of D.W. Griffith.-Early career:...
, widow of actor Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid
Wallace Reid was an actor in silent film referred to as "the screen's most perfect lover".-Early life:Born William Wallace Reid in St...
, who died on 18 January 1923 from complications of morphine
Morphine
Morphine is a potent opiate analgesic medication and is considered to be the prototypical opioid. It was first isolated in 1804 by Friedrich Sertürner, first distributed by same in 1817, and first commercially sold by Merck in 1827, which at the time was a single small chemists' shop. It was more...
addiction.
Production background
The film, featuring James Kirkwood, Sr.James Kirkwood, Sr.
James Kirkwood, Sr. was an American actor and director....
, Bessie Love
Bessie Love
Bessie Love was an American motion picture actress who achieved prominence mainly in the silent films and early talkies. With a small frame and delicate features, she played innocent young girls, flappers, and wholesome leading ladies. Her role in The Broadway Melody earned her a nomination for...
and Lucille Ricksen, portrayed the dangers of drug addiction, and was shown across the country by Davenport herself, billed as Mrs. Wallace Reid, in an early example of what would later be called a roadshow
RoadShow
RoadShow , formerly known as "資訊娛樂共同睇" [paraphrased as Integrated View of Information and Entertainment]) is the first "Multi-Media On Board" service on transit vehicles in the world. It was launched by Kowloon Motor Bus Company on 26 November 2000...
engagement. The film was co-produced with Thomas Ince
Thomas H. Ince
Thomas Harper Ince was an American silent film actor, director, screenwriter and producer of more than 100 films and pioneering studio mogul. Known as the "Father of the Western", he invented many mechanisms of professional movie production, introducing early Hollywood to the "assembly line"...
and distributed by Film Booking Offices of America
Film Booking Offices of America
Film Booking Offices of America was an American film studio of the silent era, a producer and distributor of mostly low-budget films. The business began as Robertson-Cole , the American division of a British import–export company...
. No print of this film is known to exist today, and it is considered a lost film
Lost film
A lost film is a feature film or short film that is no longer known to exist in studio archives, private collections or public archives such as the Library of Congress, where at least one copy of all American films are deposited and catalogued for copyright reasons...
.
Four days before Wallace Reid's death, the movie studios appointed Will H. Hays
Will H. Hays
William Harrison Hays, Sr. , was the namesake of the Hays Code for censorship of American films, chairman of the Republican National Committee and U.S. Postmaster General from 1921 to 1922....
as president of the Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of America. Although it took some years for the Hays Code to be finalized, Hays did set certain standards for movies early on, including a ban on any reference to drug use. Despite this, Davenport received a dispensation from Hays allowing her to produce Human Wreckage because of its anti-drug message.
According to the website SilentEra, the film was banned by the British Board of Film Censors in 1924.
Cast
- Dorothy DavenportDorothy DavenportDorothy Davenport was an American actress, screenwriter, film director, and producer who appeared in silent film for Biograph Studios under the direction of D.W. Griffith.-Early career:...
- Ethel MacFarland (as Mrs. Wallace Reid) - James KirkwoodJames Kirkwood, Sr.James Kirkwood, Sr. was an American actor and director....
- Alan MacFarland - Bessie LoveBessie LoveBessie Love was an American motion picture actress who achieved prominence mainly in the silent films and early talkies. With a small frame and delicate features, she played innocent young girls, flappers, and wholesome leading ladies. Her role in The Broadway Melody earned her a nomination for...
- Mary Finnegan - George HackathorneGeorge HackathorneGeorge Hackathorne was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 59 films between 1916 and 1939...
- Jimmy Brown - Claire McDowellClaire McDowellClaire McDowell was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 360 films between 1908 and 1945. Still somewhat of a youthful beauty when she started in early silent films she appeared in numerous short & early feature films. She graduated to playing character and mother types...
- Mrs. Brown - Robert McKimRobert McKim (actor)Robert McKim was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 99 films between 1915 and 1927. He is best remembered for playing the arch villain opposite Douglas Fairbanks's Zorro in The Mark of Zorro in 1920. McKim also starred with Lon Chaney in the 1923 silent version of All The Brothers...
- Dr. Hillman - Harry Northup - Steve Stone
- Victory BatemanVictory BatemanVictory Bateman was an American silent film actress.On stage, Ms. Bateman appeared in the 1900 tour of "The Man From Mexico" and in the 1919 tour of "Seven Days' Leave".-Filmography:...
- Mother Finnegan - Eric Mayne - Dr. Blake
- Otto HoffmanOtto HoffmanOtto Hoffman was an American film actor. He appeared in 199 films between 1915 and 1944.He was born in New York and died in Los Angeles, California from lung cancer.-Selected filmography:* The Haunted Bedroom...
- Harris - Philip Sleeman - Dunn
- George Clark - The Baby
- Lucille Ricksen - Ginger
External links
- Human Wreckage at the Internet Movie Database
- a still photo from the film with Dorothy Davenport and James Kirkwood Sr.
- Dorothy Davenport and Bessie Love in a scene from the film(Univ of Washington Sayre Collection)
- Human Wreckage lobby poster
- still photos from the production photo #1, photo #2, photo #3, photo #4
- literature/write up on Human Wreckage
- Human Wreckage; allmovie.com
- lantern slide; Human Wreckage 1923
