Better Times is a 1919 American silentcomedy film directed by King Vidor.[1][2] A print survives in the EYE Institut Filmmuseum Nederlands.[3] Produced by the Brentwood Corporation, the film stars the then unknown Zasu Pitts in an early screen appearance.[4]
David Butler and Zasu Pitts look lovingly at each other while Jack McDonald glares in a still from the film
The picture is the second of four Christian Science “preachment” films that represent a brief phase in Vidor’s output, championing the superiority of self-healing through moral strength, supplemented by the benefits of rural living.[5]
As described in a film magazine,[6] the plot of the film is as follows. A western Pennsylvania town has two hotels that have seen better days. Nancy Scroggs (Pitts) is the neglected daughter of Ezra Scroggs (McDonald), who is the chief reason no one visits his hotel, the Lakeview. A gambler and procrastinator, he has succeeded in diverting trade from himself to Si Whittaker (De Vaull), proprietor of the Majestic.
Nancy, finally spurred into action by lines printed on a calendar, takes an ancient automobile used in the hotel's glory days and takes a stand at the train depot. Her one and only passenger is Spike Macauley, champion pinch hitter for a baseball team, who partly for pity and partly for a lark accompanies the girl. Through Spike's advertisement of the culinary department among the summer boarders of the Majestic, the later's guests are soon transferred to Nancy's care. A sudden telegram causes Spike to leave for the city, which leaves Nancy, who believes he has gone to see his sweetheart, sad.
In the days that follow, tragedy hits when Ezra gambles away his life savings and the hotel and then commits suicide. Nancy, using the insurance money from her father, goes to boarding school. While there she writes pretend love letters to herself from a famous ball player whom she only knows as Peter, make believing to have a sweetheart. This leads to a distressing situation, not anticipated by Nancy, when she is entertained at a box party at a ball game with expectations that she will meet her "lover." However, when she looks and sees that Peter (Butler) and Spike are one and the same, and jumps onto the field with joy.
^Baxter 1976, p. 9: “...romantic comedy...” Durgnat and Simmons, 1988 p. 28: “...a rural comedy…”
^Progressive Silent Film List: Better Times at silentera.com
^The Library of Congress/FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog:Better Times
^Baxter 1976, p. 9: Vidor “spotted [Pitts] on a Hollywood streetcar")
^(Gustafssson, 2016: “The film “advocated views associated with Christian Science (not to be confused with Scientology), a then relatively new religious movement that came about towards the end of the 19th century and to which Vidor claimed allegiance.” Durgnat and Simmons, 1988 p. 26 Baxter 1976 p. 9
^MacDonald, Margaret I. (June 21, 1919). "Reviews and Advertising Aids: Better Times". Moving Picture World. New York City: Chalmers Publishing Company. 40 (12): 1821, 1823. Retrieved September 22, 2014.
References
Baxter, John. 1976. King Vidor. Simon & Schuster, Inc. Monarch Film Studies. LOC Card Number 75-23544.
better, times, film, better, times, 1919, american, silent, comedy, film, directed, king, vidor, print, survives, institut, filmmuseum, nederlands, produced, brentwood, corporation, film, stars, then, unknown, zasu, pitts, early, screen, appearance, better, ti. Better Times is a 1919 American silent comedy film directed by King Vidor 1 2 A print survives in the EYE Institut Filmmuseum Nederlands 3 Produced by the Brentwood Corporation the film stars the then unknown Zasu Pitts in an early screen appearance 4 Better TimesAd for filmDirected byKing VidorWritten byKing VidorStarringZaSu PittsCinematographyWilliam ThornleyDistributed byRobertson ColeRelease dateJuly 13 1919 1919 07 13 CountryUnited StatesLanguageSilent English intertitles David Butler and Zasu Pitts look lovingly at each other while Jack McDonald glares in a still from the film The picture is the second of four Christian Science preachment films that represent a brief phase in Vidor s output championing the superiority of self healing through moral strength supplemented by the benefits of rural living 5 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Footnotes 4 References 5 External linksPlot EditAs described in a film magazine 6 the plot of the film is as follows A western Pennsylvania town has two hotels that have seen better days Nancy Scroggs Pitts is the neglected daughter of Ezra Scroggs McDonald who is the chief reason no one visits his hotel the Lakeview A gambler and procrastinator he has succeeded in diverting trade from himself to Si Whittaker De Vaull proprietor of the Majestic Nancy finally spurred into action by lines printed on a calendar takes an ancient automobile used in the hotel s glory days and takes a stand at the train depot Her one and only passenger is Spike Macauley champion pinch hitter for a baseball team who partly for pity and partly for a lark accompanies the girl Through Spike s advertisement of the culinary department among the summer boarders of the Majestic the later s guests are soon transferred to Nancy s care A sudden telegram causes Spike to leave for the city which leaves Nancy who believes he has gone to see his sweetheart sad In the days that follow tragedy hits when Ezra gambles away his life savings and the hotel and then commits suicide Nancy using the insurance money from her father goes to boarding school While there she writes pretend love letters to herself from a famous ball player whom she only knows as Peter make believing to have a sweetheart This leads to a distressing situation not anticipated by Nancy when she is entertained at a box party at a ball game with expectations that she will meet her lover However when she looks and sees that Peter Butler and Spike are one and the same and jumps onto the field with joy Cast EditZaSu Pitts as Nancy Scroggs David Butler as Peter Van Alstyne Jack McDonald as Ezra Scroggs William De Vaull as Si Whittaker as William De Vaulle Hugh Fay as Jack Ransom George Hackathorne as Tony Julanne Johnston as Julianne Johnstone Footnotes Edit Baxter 1976 p 9 romantic comedy Durgnat and Simmons 1988 p 28 a rural comedy Progressive Silent Film List Better Times at silentera com The Library of Congress FIAF American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog Better Times Baxter 1976 p 9 Vidor spotted Pitts on a Hollywood streetcar Gustafssson 2016 The film advocated views associated with Christian Science not to be confused with Scientology a then relatively new religious movement that came about towards the end of the 19th century and to which Vidor claimed allegiance Durgnat and Simmons 1988 p 26Baxter 1976 p 9 MacDonald Margaret I June 21 1919 Reviews and Advertising Aids Better Times Moving Picture World New York City Chalmers Publishing Company 40 12 1821 1823 Retrieved September 22 2014 References EditBaxter John 1976 King Vidor Simon amp Schuster Inc Monarch Film Studies LOC Card Number 75 23544 Durgnat Raymond and Simmon Scott 1988 King Vidor American University of California Press Berkeley ISBN 0 520 05798 8 Gustafsson Fredrik 2016 King Vidor An American Romantic La furia umana LFU 28 Winter 2016 http www lafuriaumana it index php 61 archive lfu 28 548 fredrik gustafsson king vidor an american romantic Retrieved June 4 2020 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Better Times film Better Times at IMDb Better Times at AllMovie Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Better Times film amp oldid 1122941177, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
