The Boston Tea Party (1908 film)
| The Boston Tea Party | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Edwin S. Porter |
| Written by | James Cogan |
| Starring |
Herbert Prior Charles Ogle |
| Cinematography |
Frederick S. Armitage J. Searle Dawley |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Edison Manufacturing Company |
Release dates |
|
Running time | ~10 minutes (550 feet) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent |
The Boston Tea Party is a 1908 silent film directed by Edwin S. Porter, and produced and distributed by Edison Studios. The film is a fictionalized depiction of the events of the Boston Tea Party.[1] It was the film debut of actor Charles Stanton Ogle.[2]
Plot
Described by Edison Films as an "unrivalled historical production of colonial times", the synopsis of scenes was:[3]
BEFORE THE STORM. — Epoch-making days — Liberty stirs the blood of the Colonists — Grave issues discussed — "Sons of Liberty" take action.THE MAN AND THE HOUR. — "Market Day" — Eager for news — Arrival of hero at tavern — Posted call for mass meeting — Informer (rival of heroine) off to sell information — Heroine welcomes hero.
BRITISH HEADQUARTERS. — Informer reports — Leads soldiers — Off to capture hero — Posting £1,000 reward — Searching house.
HEROINE OUTWITS THE ENEMY. — Secreting hero — Informer baffled — Fruitless chase — Heroine throws off disguise — Escape of hero.
THE RENDEZVOUS. — Tea Tax arouses populace — "Sons of Liberty" disguise as Indians — Off to the harbor.
ATTACK ON THE SHIP. — A dark, silent night — Unexpected attack — Crew overpowered — Piling the tea on deck.
HEROINE'S WARNING. — A fast ride — Tea party warned in time — Soldiers get warm reception — Soldiers and crew Imprisoned.
THE RATTLESNAKE FLAG. — Throwing the tea overboard — Home thrust at tyranny — Rattlesnake Flag unfurled — Informer attacks hero — He follows the tea overboard.
TABLEAU. — Great Historic Picture of "The Tea Party in Boston Harbor."
Production
The film was one of the first two films at Edison Studios made using a two production-unit system, by J. Searle Dawley and Frederick S. Armitage under the supervision of Edwin S. Porter.[4]
Reception
The film received both positive and negative reviews. It was criticized for a lack of coherent narrative, and described as "marred by the obscurity of the opening scenes."[4] Newspapers reportedly described it as "an exciting historical film"[5] and "an exceptionally interesting reproduction of that historic event."[6]
References
- ↑ Langman, Larry; Borg, Ed (1989). "American Revolution". Encyclopedia of American War Films. Garland Reference Library of the Humanities. Garland Publishing. p. 22. ISBN 978-0-8240-7540-8.
Edison presented a one-reel depiction of the tea-dumping as early as 1908 titled 'The Boston Tea Party.'
- ↑ Holmes, Dr. John R. (1 June 2009). Remembering Steubenville: From Frontier Fort to Steel Valley. History Press. p. 101. ISBN 978-1-62584-247-3. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-11-25.
Edison Studios in New York led the pack, and in 1908, Charles Stanton Ogle, son of Steubenville preacher Joseph C. Ogle, appeared in the Edison feature The Boston Tea Party.
- ↑ Chalmers, J.P., ed. (11 July 1908). "Film Review". The Moving Picture World. 3 (2). New York: The World Photographic Publishing Company. pp. 10,18 – via Internet Archive.
- 1 2 Musser, Charles (1991). Before the Nickelodeon: Edwin S. Porter and the Edison Manufacturing Company. University of California Press. p. 418. ISBN 978-0-520-06986-2.
- ↑ Chalmers, J.P., ed. (8 August 1908). "Newspaper Comments on Film Subjects". The Moving Picture World. 3 (6). New York: The World Photographic Publishing Company. p. 6 – via Internet Archive.
- ↑ Chalmers, J.P., ed. (29 August 1908). "Newpaper Comments on Film Subjects". The Moving Picture World. 3 (2). New York: The World Photographic Publishing Company. p. 6 – via Internet Archive.