Hypocrites (film)
Encyclopedia
Hypocrites is a 1915
silent
drama film
directed by Lois Weber
(1881-1939).
The film contained several full nude scenes of an uncredited Margaret Edwards (1877–1929) as Naked Truth, including a sequence with her posing nude as a statue. The film is regarded as anticlerical, and the nudity was justified by its religious context.
The film follows the parallel stories of an early Christian ascetic and a modern minister, with most actors in dual roles. Gabriel (Courteney Foote) is a medieval monk who devotes himself to completing a statue of “Truth,” only to be murdered by a mob when his work turns out to be an image of a naked woman. The contemporary Gabriel is the pastor of a large wealthy urban congregation for whom religion is a matter of appearances, not beliefs. The hypocrisy of the congregation is exposed by a series of vignettes in which the Naked Truth
, literally portrayed by a nude Margaret Edwards, reveals their appetites for money, sex and power.
Hypocrites was a shocking and controversial film whose release was held up for many months by the difficulty of distributing a film with full nudity. Weber’s sincerity and reputation allowed her to use something that in the hands of a male director would have been considered scandalous and immoral. The film was passed by the British Board of Film Censors
. However, because of the full and recurring nudity through the film, it caused riots in New York
, was banned in Ohio, and was subject to censorship in Boston when the mayor demanded that the film negatives be painted over to clothe the woman.
Hypocrites and the technique was widely admired at the time for its extraordinary use of multiple exposures and intricate editing, and propelled Weber to the front ranks of silent directors. The use in the film of traveling double exposure
sequences of the woman is considered impressive for 1915.
Most of the film has survived, though some scenes have suffered from some serious nitrate decomposition in places especially at the beginning and can't be restored. A print of the film is kept in the Library of Congress
.
1915 in film
The year 1915 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* February 8 : D.W Griffith's The Birth of a Nation premieres at Clune's Auditorium Los Angeles and breaks box office and film length records, running at a total length of 3 hrs 10 minutes.* June 18 : The Motion Picture Directors...
silent
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...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by Lois Weber
Lois Weber
Lois Weber was an American silent film actress, screenwriter, producer, and director, who is considered "the most important female director the American film industry has known", and "one of the most important and important and prolific film directors in the era of silent films". Film historian...
(1881-1939).
The film contained several full nude scenes of an uncredited Margaret Edwards (1877–1929) as Naked Truth, including a sequence with her posing nude as a statue. The film is regarded as anticlerical, and the nudity was justified by its religious context.
The film follows the parallel stories of an early Christian ascetic and a modern minister, with most actors in dual roles. Gabriel (Courteney Foote) is a medieval monk who devotes himself to completing a statue of “Truth,” only to be murdered by a mob when his work turns out to be an image of a naked woman. The contemporary Gabriel is the pastor of a large wealthy urban congregation for whom religion is a matter of appearances, not beliefs. The hypocrisy of the congregation is exposed by a series of vignettes in which the Naked Truth
Naked Truth
Naked Truth is the debut Album by American singer Sarah Hudson, released in 2005 .Track #6, "Unlove You", was covered by Ashley Tisdale on her 2007 debut album "Headstrong".-Track listing:...
, literally portrayed by a nude Margaret Edwards, reveals their appetites for money, sex and power.
Hypocrites was a shocking and controversial film whose release was held up for many months by the difficulty of distributing a film with full nudity. Weber’s sincerity and reputation allowed her to use something that in the hands of a male director would have been considered scandalous and immoral. The film was passed by the British Board of Film Censors
British Board of Film Classification
The British Board of Film Classification , originally British Board of Film Censors, is a non-governmental organisation, funded by the film industry and responsible for the national classification of films within the United Kingdom...
. However, because of the full and recurring nudity through the film, it caused riots in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, was banned in Ohio, and was subject to censorship in Boston when the mayor demanded that the film negatives be painted over to clothe the woman.
Hypocrites and the technique was widely admired at the time for its extraordinary use of multiple exposures and intricate editing, and propelled Weber to the front ranks of silent directors. The use in the film of traveling double exposure
Multiple exposure
In photography, a multiple exposure is the superimposition of two or more individual exposures to create a single photograph. The exposure values may or may not be identical to each other.-Overview:...
sequences of the woman is considered impressive for 1915.
Most of the film has survived, though some scenes have suffered from some serious nitrate decomposition in places especially at the beginning and can't be restored. A print of the film is kept in the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
Cast
- Courtenay FooteCourtenay FooteCourtenay Foote was an English actor of the silent era. He appeared in 59 films between 1910 and 1924. He was born in Harrogate, North Yorkshire and he died in Italy.-Selected filmography:* The Quicksands...
- Gabriel, the Ascetic - Myrtle StedmanMyrtle StedmanMyrtle Stedman was a leading lady and later character actress in motion pictures beginning in silent films in 1910. She was born in Chicago, Illinois and educated at a private finishing school there. Miss Stedman performed in light opera and musical comedies there. Her voice was cultivated in France...
- The Woman - Herbert StandingHerbert StandingHerbert Standing was a British stage and screen actor and the patriarch of the Standing family of actors. He was the father of numerous children who many of them had careers in the theatre and/or in cinema...
- The Abbot - Adele FarringtonAdele FarringtonAdele Farrington was an American actor of the silent era. She appeared in 74 films during her career between 1914 and 1926. She was a relatively old actress for the silent film era, being 47 at the beginning of her film career. She appeared in many films directed by Lois Weber and Phillips Smalley...
- The Queen - Margaret Edwards (1877–1929) - The Naked Truth