The Red Mill (film)
Encyclopedia
The Red Mill is a 1927 comedy film
directed by Fatty Arbuckle and written by Frances Marion
. The film never had a VHS release, though it aired on the network channel Turner Classic MoviesTCM on January 3, 2008, which was the birthday of leading role actress Marion Davies
. It became available on DVD directly from The Warner Archive as of March 22, 2009.
that had starred comedian Fred Stone
and was based on the book and music of the same name. The show was produced by famed theatrical impresario Charles Dillingham. Henry Blossom wrote the lyrics to Victor Herbert's music. The musical was revived again in the mid-1940s.
) is the drudge of the Red Mill Tavern in Holland. She works hard and long hours, with her only company being a mouse. Willem (George Siegmann
) is the mean Tavern proprietor who catches her feeding the mouse. He is outraged and scares away the mouse and takes it out on Tina.
Dennis Wheat (Owen Moore
) is a foreigner who came to the Netherlands
for the damsels. He was accompanied by his valet Caesar Rinkle (Snitz Edwards
). One day, Tina notices and immediately falls in love with him. She sneaks out of the tavern to be closer to him and hears him saying he will judge an ice skating race. The winner of the race will be kissed by him.
Tina decides to enter and wins. When Dennis is about to kiss her, Willem storms out and takes Tina with him. She later finds out Dennis is leaving town and becomes sad. Tina goes back to her hard working days and fantasizes about Dennis returning. Dennis returns in the spring and takes an interest in the Burgomaster's daughter Gretchen (Louise Fazenda
), who is about to marry the Governor (William Orlamond
) but actually is in love with Captain Jacop Van Goop (Karl Dane
).
Jacop sends Gretchen a letter, begging her to elope with him at night. Gretchen has to cross her overprotecting father if she wants to leave the house and does not think there is any chance she will be able to leave the house. Tina, however, helps her escape successfully by dressing up like her and Gretchen dressing up like Tina. After Gretchen has left, Dennis sneaks into the house to meet the woman he noticed. He kisses Tina, thinking it is Gretchen.
Grechten goes back home when she is scared after Tina's mouse ran into her shoe. Meanwhile, Caesar overhears someone saying Gretchen will inherit her grandfather's estate the day she marries and immediately informs Dennis. Jacop climbs on a ladder leading to Gretchen's room to reunite with her. Dennis sees this and thinks Jacop is kissing the same girl he kissed. He is mad and throws a stone to him, making him fall off his ladder through the window of the tavern.
Tina comes up, still dressed up as Gretchen, and tells Dennis Jacop was a relative and it was only a formal kiss. She promises to elope with him in the morning. The next day, Gretchen is forced to marry the governor. She begs Tina to save her, before she leaves with her father. Tina eventually scares everyone away with her mouse and sneaks off with Gretchen. Gretchen is reunited with Jacop, but Tina is being chased by the wedding guests and the burgomaster.
Willem finds her hiding in the tavern and locks her up in a mill, which is rumored to be haunted by ghosts. Tina is scared, but Dennis comes after her and protects himself with a gun. An accident causes him to shoot Tina in the back. They kiss and are happy, but find out Willem is after them with a shotgun. Dennis and Tina escape through a window and can now finally love each other carefree.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
directed by Fatty Arbuckle and written by Frances Marion
Frances Marion
Frances Marion was an American journalist, author, and screenwriter often cited as the most renowned female screenwriter of the twentieth century alongside June Mathis and Anita Loos.-Career:...
. The film never had a VHS release, though it aired on the network channel Turner Classic MoviesTCM on January 3, 2008, which was the birthday of leading role actress Marion Davies
Marion Davies
Marion Davies was an American film actress. Davies is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, as her high-profile social life often obscured her professional career....
. It became available on DVD directly from The Warner Archive as of March 22, 2009.
Origins
The film is based on the 1906 musical The Red MillThe Red Mill
The Red Mill is an operetta written by Victor Herbert, with a libretto by Henry Blossom. It premiered on Broadway on September 24, 1906 at the Knickerbocker Theatre and ran for 274 performances, starring comedians Fred Stone and David Montgomery. It was revived on October 16, 1945, opening at the...
that had starred comedian Fred Stone
Fred Stone
Fred Andrew Stone was an American actor. Stone began his career as a performer in circuses and minstrel shows, went on to act on vaudeville, and became a star on Broadway and in feature films, which earned him a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.-Biography:He was particularly famous for appearing...
and was based on the book and music of the same name. The show was produced by famed theatrical impresario Charles Dillingham. Henry Blossom wrote the lyrics to Victor Herbert's music. The musical was revived again in the mid-1940s.
Plot
Tina (Marion DaviesMarion Davies
Marion Davies was an American film actress. Davies is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, as her high-profile social life often obscured her professional career....
) is the drudge of the Red Mill Tavern in Holland. She works hard and long hours, with her only company being a mouse. Willem (George Siegmann
George Siegmann
George Siegmann was an American actor in the silent film era. His more notable roles include Silas Lynch in Griffith's Birth of A Nation , the guard in the 1927 film The Cat and the Canary, Porthos in The Three Musketeers , Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist , and Dr...
) is the mean Tavern proprietor who catches her feeding the mouse. He is outraged and scares away the mouse and takes it out on Tina.
Dennis Wheat (Owen Moore
Owen Moore
Owen Moore was an Irish-born actor in American films, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937.-Life and career:...
) is a foreigner who came to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
for the damsels. He was accompanied by his valet Caesar Rinkle (Snitz Edwards
Snitz Edwards
Snitz Edwards was a notable character actor of the early years of the silent film era into the 1930s.- Background and career on the stage :...
). One day, Tina notices and immediately falls in love with him. She sneaks out of the tavern to be closer to him and hears him saying he will judge an ice skating race. The winner of the race will be kissed by him.
Tina decides to enter and wins. When Dennis is about to kiss her, Willem storms out and takes Tina with him. She later finds out Dennis is leaving town and becomes sad. Tina goes back to her hard working days and fantasizes about Dennis returning. Dennis returns in the spring and takes an interest in the Burgomaster's daughter Gretchen (Louise Fazenda
Louise Fazenda
Louise Fazenda was an American film actress, appearing chiefly in silent comedy films.-Early life:Of Portuguese ancestry, she was born in Lafayette, Indiana. Her father, Joseph Fazenda, was a merchandise broker. After moving west Louise attended Los Angeles High School and St. Mary's Convent...
), who is about to marry the Governor (William Orlamond
William Orlamond
William Orlamond was an American film actor.Orlamond appeared in 81 films between 1912 and 1938. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Los Angeles, California, United States.-Selected filmography:...
) but actually is in love with Captain Jacop Van Goop (Karl Dane
Karl Dane
Karl Dane was a Danish comedian and actor known for his work in American films, mainly of the silent film era. He worked alongside Rudolph Valentino, John Gilbert, and King Vidor. In 1926, he teamed up with George K. Arthur to form the successful comedy duo Dane & Arthur...
).
Jacop sends Gretchen a letter, begging her to elope with him at night. Gretchen has to cross her overprotecting father if she wants to leave the house and does not think there is any chance she will be able to leave the house. Tina, however, helps her escape successfully by dressing up like her and Gretchen dressing up like Tina. After Gretchen has left, Dennis sneaks into the house to meet the woman he noticed. He kisses Tina, thinking it is Gretchen.
Grechten goes back home when she is scared after Tina's mouse ran into her shoe. Meanwhile, Caesar overhears someone saying Gretchen will inherit her grandfather's estate the day she marries and immediately informs Dennis. Jacop climbs on a ladder leading to Gretchen's room to reunite with her. Dennis sees this and thinks Jacop is kissing the same girl he kissed. He is mad and throws a stone to him, making him fall off his ladder through the window of the tavern.
Tina comes up, still dressed up as Gretchen, and tells Dennis Jacop was a relative and it was only a formal kiss. She promises to elope with him in the morning. The next day, Gretchen is forced to marry the governor. She begs Tina to save her, before she leaves with her father. Tina eventually scares everyone away with her mouse and sneaks off with Gretchen. Gretchen is reunited with Jacop, but Tina is being chased by the wedding guests and the burgomaster.
Willem finds her hiding in the tavern and locks her up in a mill, which is rumored to be haunted by ghosts. Tina is scared, but Dennis comes after her and protects himself with a gun. An accident causes him to shoot Tina in the back. They kiss and are happy, but find out Willem is after them with a shotgun. Dennis and Tina escape through a window and can now finally love each other carefree.
Cast
- Marion DaviesMarion DaviesMarion Davies was an American film actress. Davies is best remembered for her relationship with newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst, as her high-profile social life often obscured her professional career....
- Tina - Owen MooreOwen MooreOwen Moore was an Irish-born actor in American films, appearing in more than 279 movies spanning from 1908 to 1937.-Life and career:...
- Dennis - Louise FazendaLouise FazendaLouise Fazenda was an American film actress, appearing chiefly in silent comedy films.-Early life:Of Portuguese ancestry, she was born in Lafayette, Indiana. Her father, Joseph Fazenda, was a merchandise broker. After moving west Louise attended Los Angeles High School and St. Mary's Convent...
- Gretchen - George SiegmannGeorge SiegmannGeorge Siegmann was an American actor in the silent film era. His more notable roles include Silas Lynch in Griffith's Birth of A Nation , the guard in the 1927 film The Cat and the Canary, Porthos in The Three Musketeers , Bill Sikes in Oliver Twist , and Dr...
- Willem - Karl DaneKarl DaneKarl Dane was a Danish comedian and actor known for his work in American films, mainly of the silent film era. He worked alongside Rudolph Valentino, John Gilbert, and King Vidor. In 1926, he teamed up with George K. Arthur to form the successful comedy duo Dane & Arthur...
- Capt. Jacop Van Goop - Russ PowellRuss PowellRuss Powell was an American film actor. He appeared in 186 films between 1915 and 1943.He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and died in Los Angeles, California.-Selected filmography:* Kindled Courage...
- Burgomaster (as J. Russell Powell) - Snitz EdwardsSnitz EdwardsSnitz Edwards was a notable character actor of the early years of the silent film era into the 1930s.- Background and career on the stage :...
- Caesar Rinkle - William OrlamondWilliam OrlamondWilliam Orlamond was an American film actor.Orlamond appeared in 81 films between 1912 and 1938. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and died in Los Angeles, California, United States.-Selected filmography:...
- Governor - Fred GambleFred Gamble (actor)Fred Gamble was an American film actor. He appeared in 138 films between 1913 and 1928.He was born in Indianapolis, Indiana, and died in Hollywood, California.-Selected filmography:* A Broadway Scandal...
- Innkeeper (as Fred Gambold) - Ignatz the Mouse
- Kay DeslysKay DeslysKay Deslys was a British comedy actress in American films from the 1920s.Born as Kathleen Herbert in London, one of her earliest roles was in Charlie Chaplin's celebrated feature The Gold Rush; she later appeared in several comedies at the Hal Roach Studios, including several early Laurel and...
- Skater (uncredited) - Sally EilersSally Eilers-Life and career:Born as Dorothea Sally Eilers in New York City to a Jewish-American mother, Paula, and an Irish-American father, Peter Eilers, . She was educated in Los Angeles and went into films because so many of her friends were in pictures. She studied for the stage, specialising in dancing...
- Skater (uncredited) - Scotty Mattraw - Cook (uncredited)
- Carl 'Major' Roup - Extra (uncredited)
- Turner Savage - Boy (uncredited)