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| Thank you Tony Fletcher! |
As Michelle Facey observed in her introduction, according
to Wikipedia The Argyle Case is a lost film, and, indeed whilst there
are no holdings in the Library of Congress, the AFI site also says that The
National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost
U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021. Yet here it was on the BFI’s
35mm print projecting almost perfectly onto the Bioscope’s screen with a few
missing frames here and there and a little deterioration on the blue/night
scenes especially but, overall, a very impressive survivor. The KB’s super sleuth
Tony Fletcher had located the print during the longs hours of eyeballing the
catalogue and playing lucky dip, viewing the elements on Steenbeck machines in
the BFI’s archive.
We are so lucky to have the KB and its team of
researchers, collectors, projectionists and accompanists for where else do you
get to see films like this that probably haven’t been projected in decades and
which, so far as their country of origin is concerned, no longer survives.
Preserving film is a global effort and I’m privileged to have seen this film
and to try and retell the experience with possibly it’s first review in decades…
even the audience plays its role!
The Argyle Case was directed by Ralph Ince,
younger brother of Thomas, and filmed in 1916 for release the following year.
It stars Robert Warwick as private detective Asche Kayton a man who uses all of
the latest forensic techniques to assist his Holmesian deductions and an actor
who has something of the bearing and look of Ivan Mosjoukine. He gets called
into the murder of the wealthy John Argyle (Frank McGlynn), a man who lives in
a Gotham palace somewhere up in the 900s on 5th Avenue.
Clearly Ralph Ince had been watching the French serials
of Louis Feuillade but his detective is far more grounded in authentic police
procedural technique and the narrative maintains a good balance between the
need to show each major step without either giving the game away or dragging
its feet. The film is propelled along by a mixture of uncertainty – does even
this great detective suspect the Police’s obvious perp – as well as the
mechanics of fingerprinting, “detectaphones” placed in the suspects rooms, and the
quick response and actions provided by telegram and telephone; this is the
modern criminal investigation unit who do rather show up the local police
force.
Winding back, the story opens with old man Argyle (Frank
McGlynn) fretting over the decision of his son Bruce (Arthur Albertson) to
marry Nan Thornton (Gazelle Marche) when he had planned on his marrying his
ward, Mary (Elaine Hammerstein) who he had adopted after promising her father on
his deathbed. Bruce and Mary are like siblings though and neither feels that
Nan is anything other than a love match. In a fury, Argyle throws out the
newlyweds and calls his solicitor Mr. Hurley (Frank Evans) re-writes his will
so that only Mary will be the beneficiary, despite her protests that Bruce is
his own flesh and blood.
The following night is disturbed, and in the morning,
house full of dread, Argyle is discovered murdered in the living room, with a
poker the likely implement but no sign of Professor Plum. The police duly
arrive and start making assumptions with Mary the one with the clearest motive
given the change in the will. The police, under the leadership of Inspector
Dougherty (John Fleming) start to follow Mary, clear that they’ve got their
woman, but her brother Bruce has other ideas, calling in the master investigator
Kayton to make sure of a thorough investigation.
Kayton quickly starts to join the dots, uncovering a woman’s
fingerprints on the bureau next to the murdered man’s chair and eliminating the
women in the house through taking their prints. He’s through and his logic
stands up in terms of supporting the unfolding narrative. Soon other potential
parties are uncovered such as Mary’s mother Nellie Marsh (Mary Alden) who is
working with a counterfeiter called Frederick Kreisler (H. Cooper Cliffe) one
of whose $100 Dollar forgeries is found at the scene of the murder.
Elaine Hammerstein
I won’t give anything further away just to say that this
script, adapted by Chapin and Ince from Harriet Ford and Harvey J. O'Higgins’
novel of the same name, has plenty of twists and turns. It’s a fine,
entertaining film with many interesting shots from cinematographer André
Barlatier, evidence of the growing technical sophistication of the age; an
overhead of Bruce as he sees his murdered father dead on the floor, numerous characters
silhouetted as they enter buildings backed by bright external light, a shoot
out in almost total darkness with flashes of light and gunfire the only illumination…
The title cards are also interesting with a drawing of a torch illuminating the
introduction of each new character and the actor’s name: playful Pulp!
Robert Warwick provides a perfect private detective with intelligence
and intensity, he was to go on to a long career in film and television but here
is a suave presence who, of course, attracts the interest of his client Mary. Elaine
Hammerstein is eye-catching with an open face that seems anachronistic,
transported from a more recent time, showing good expression and presence. She was
one of The Hammersteins, a theatrical dynasty and her cousin Oscar, was
indeed the lyricist of The Sound of Music and many more, A talented
family and she was as much on stage as in film.
Forensic accompaniment was provided by Ashley Valentine complementing
and completing the entertainment as he connected with this rare piece with
assured tone and dynamic lines: when was the last time this 117-year-old entertainment
was heard in the same way?
Michelle summed it all up by pointing out that, once
again, we were watching films that you would not see anywhere else and this was
not just the “lost” main feature but two earlier shorts from Ince that were
from private collections.
A Regiment of Two (1913) with Timothy Rumsey
We kicked off with a lively comedy co-directed by Ralph
Ince, who also features in the film as the bumptious Lord Dudley the preferred
choice of suitor for the daughter of Mrs Wilton (Rose Tapley), Laura (Edith
Storey, star of Vitograph’s gender-swapping A Florida Enchantment
(1915)). Of course, Laura loves another, the handsome Jack Brent (E.K. Lincoln)
who is also a member of the 13th Regiment, Army reserves.
This gives Laura’s father Ira (Sidney Drew) and his
son-in-law Harry Bennett (Harry T. Morey), an idea as they pretend to enlist
with the 13th so they can attend the Tiger Club on Fridays to cavort
with a French dancer, smoke cigars and drink. It’s a wizard wheeze until a war erupts
in Panama and the “boys” have to pretend to go along with the regiment to
battle leaving their wives and daughters distraught. Ira and Harry are in no
danger though as they head off for a fishing trip – what’s an innocent
deception between couples? Trouble’s a comin’ though as newspaper reports of
the 13th suffering a wipe-out cause them to work out their excuses…
It's fast-paced, inventive and pure daft and also
features Anita Stewart – just 18 at the time - as Mrs. Harry Bennett. We watched
a very impressive digital transfer from a 35mm copy in a private collection,
once again, only at the Bioscope!
His Phantom Sweetheart (1915) with Timothy Rumsey
Anita Stewart also features in this short as the titular
sweetheart who attracts the attention of Earle Williams - voted America’s
number one star in 1915 – with the two often playing romantic partners.
Williams’ character spies her at a performance at the Garrick Theatre – some fab
on-stage action here too – and we follow their growing intimacy before things
start to turn very dark indeed…
This was Timothy Rumsey’s Bioscope debut and he accompanied
both these films with assurance and some style; he’s already imbued with the
spirit of these precious films and the phantom forces that guide the players’
hands on the KB’s grand piano!
Another special evening in Kennington and once again, as
Michelle thanked the team, we can only re-iterate our gratitude for this museum,
this unique club and those passionate cineastes who make the magic happen!
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