Falling Leaves is a 1912 American silent short film by Alice Guy-Blaché, produced at Solax Studios. Starring Solax stock actors, the story concerns a child's earnest effort to keep her dying sister alive by naive means.
In the opening scene, Dr. Headley demonstrates the success of his cure for consumption. He is congratulated by his colleagues.
Meanwhile, it is autumn and Winifred is seriously ill with consumption. Her mother and younger sister, Trixie, are distraught. The family doctor tells Winifred's parents that she will die by the time the last leaf falls. Trixie takes these words literally; after the child is tucked into bed, she sneaks outside and starts tying fallen leaves back on branches with string. Passerby Dr. Headley sees her and learns from her what she is doing. He is led into the house where he administers an injection of his serum cure.
Three months later, Winifred is well on the way to recovery. The beginnings of romance between doctor and patient are depicted in the closing scene.
The plot of Falling Leaves owes elements to the O. Henry short story "The Last Leaf" (1907).[2][3] The child hero is a recurring theme in Guy-Blaché films;[4] the first film produced by Solax, A Child's Sacrifice (1910), which also starred Magda Foy, is another example.
When Falling Leaves was made in early 1912, Solax was still operating out of the Flushing studio it rented from Gaumont.[5] The sets were designed by Henri Ménessier,[6] who had worked with Guy-Blaché since 1904.[7] All the primary roles were filled by members of the Solax stock company.
Releaseedit
Falling Leaves was released March 15, 1912.
The review in The New York Dramatic Mirror commented on the cast's capability and complimented the production as "developed and played with a compelling naturalness".[8] In a similar vein, Moving Picture News said of the film that the story unfolded "in an atmosphere of delicacy and charming naturalness".[9]
Preservationedit
A 35mm print of Falling Leaves is in the collection of the Library of Congress, transferred there in 1983 from the Library and Archives Canada where it was part of the Jerome House collection.[10]
The Whitney Museum's 2009–2010 retrospective of Guy-Blaché included a print of Falling Leaves, restored by Dayton Digital Filmworks and with a new score composed by Tamar Muskal.[12]
Referencesedit
^Bennett, Carl (ed.). "Falling Leaves". Progressive Silent Film List. Retrieved October 3, 2015 – via Silent Era.
^Leitch, Thomas (2007). Film Adaptation and Its Discontents: From Gone with the Wind to The Passion of the Christ. JHU Press. p. 31. ISBN978-0-8018-8565-5.
^Bold, Christine (2011). The Oxford History of Popular Print Culture. Oxford University Press. p. 196. ISBN978-0-19-923406-6.
^Villreal, Jose, ed. (October 1, 2009). "Alice Guy Blaché Retrospective at the Whitney will Rediscover an Early Force in Film". artdaily.org. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
^McMahan, Alison (2014). Alice Guy Blaché: Lost Visionary of the Cinema. Bloomsbury Pub. p. 129. ISBN978-1-5013-0269-5.
^McMahan, Alison (September 2009). "Key Events in the Life of Alice Guy Blaché". Alice Guy Blaché. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
^"Falling Leaves" (PDF). Reviews of Sales Company Films. New York Dramatic Mirror. LXVII (1735): 32. March 20, 1912. Retrieved October 2, 2015 – via Fulton History.
^"Falling Leaves—Solax". Motion Picture News. V (9): 7. March 2, 1912. Retrieved October 2, 2015 – via Internet Archive.
^"More Treasures from American Film Archives, 1894–1931". National Film Preservation Foundation. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
^For the restoration: (PDF) (Press release). Whitney Museum of American Art. September 29, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 4, 2016. Retrieved October 3, 2015. For the score: Kozinn, Allan (October 2, 2009). "Creating New Scores for a Pioneering Woman's Century-Old Silent Films". The New York Times. Retrieved October 3, 2015.
Falling Leaves is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive
November 16, 2023
falling, leaves, 1912, film, falling, leaves, 1912, american, silent, short, film, alice, blaché, produced, solax, studios, starring, solax, stock, actors, story, concerns, child, earnest, effort, keep, dying, sister, alive, naive, means, falling, leavesdirect. Falling Leaves is a 1912 American silent short film by Alice Guy Blache produced at Solax Studios Starring Solax stock actors the story concerns a child s earnest effort to keep her dying sister alive by naive means Falling LeavesDirected byAlice Guy BlacheProduced byAlice Guy BlacheStarringSee belowProductioncompanySolax StudiosRelease dateMarch 15 1912 1912 03 15 Running time12 minutesCountryUnited StatesLanguageEnglishA print of the film is preserved in the Library of Congress 1 Contents 1 Plot 2 Cast 3 Production 4 Release 5 Preservation 6 References 7 External linksPlot editIn the opening scene Dr Headley demonstrates the success of his cure for consumption He is congratulated by his colleagues Meanwhile it is autumn and Winifred is seriously ill with consumption Her mother and younger sister Trixie are distraught The family doctor tells Winifred s parents that she will die by the time the last leaf falls Trixie takes these words literally after the child is tucked into bed she sneaks outside and starts tying fallen leaves back on branches with string Passerby Dr Headley sees her and learns from her what she is doing He is led into the house where he administers an injection of his serum cure Three months later Winifred is well on the way to recovery The beginnings of romance between doctor and patient are depicted in the closing scene Cast editMace Greenleaf as Dr Earl Headley a specialist Blanche Cornwall as Mrs Griswold Thompson Marian Swayne as Winifred Thompson Magda Foy as Little Trixie Thompson Darwin Karr as Mr Griswold ThompsonProduction editThe plot of Falling Leaves owes elements to the O Henry short story The Last Leaf 1907 2 3 The child hero is a recurring theme in Guy Blache films 4 the first film produced by Solax A Child s Sacrifice 1910 which also starred Magda Foy is another example When Falling Leaves was made in early 1912 Solax was still operating out of the Flushing studio it rented from Gaumont 5 The sets were designed by Henri Menessier 6 who had worked with Guy Blache since 1904 7 All the primary roles were filled by members of the Solax stock company Release editFalling Leaves was released March 15 1912 The review in The New York Dramatic Mirror commented on the cast s capability and complimented the production as developed and played with a compelling naturalness 8 In a similar vein Moving Picture News said of the film that the story unfolded in an atmosphere of delicacy and charming naturalness 9 Preservation editA 35mm print of Falling Leaves is in the collection of the Library of Congress transferred there in 1983 from the Library and Archives Canada where it was part of the Jerome House collection 10 In 2004 the National Film Preservation Foundation included Falling Leaves on its second DVD set a restored print that runs 12 minutes 11 The Whitney Museum s 2009 2010 retrospective of Guy Blache included a print of Falling Leaves restored by Dayton Digital Filmworks and with a new score composed by Tamar Muskal 12 References edit Bennett Carl ed Falling Leaves Progressive Silent Film List Retrieved October 3 2015 via Silent Era Leitch Thomas 2007 Film Adaptation and Its Discontents From Gone with the Wind to The Passion of the Christ JHU Press p 31 ISBN 978 0 8018 8565 5 Bold Christine 2011 The Oxford History of Popular Print Culture Oxford University Press p 196 ISBN 978 0 19 923406 6 Villreal Jose ed October 1 2009 Alice Guy Blache Retrospective at the Whitney will Rediscover an Early Force in Film artdaily org Retrieved October 3 2015 Slide Anthony 1996 The Silent Feminists America s First Women Directors Scarecrow Press pp 18 19 ISBN 978 0 8108 3053 0 McMahan Alison 2014 Alice Guy Blache Lost Visionary of the Cinema Bloomsbury Pub p 129 ISBN 978 1 5013 0269 5 McMahan Alison September 2009 Key Events in the Life of Alice Guy Blache Alice Guy Blache Retrieved October 3 2015 Falling Leaves PDF Reviews of Sales Company Films New York Dramatic Mirror LXVII 1735 32 March 20 1912 Retrieved October 2 2015 via Fulton History Falling Leaves Solax Motion Picture News V 9 7 March 2 1912 Retrieved October 2 2015 via Internet Archive Fallings Leaves Film Video and Sound Database Library and Archives Canada Retrieved October 3 2015 More Treasures from American Film Archives 1894 1931 National Film Preservation Foundation Retrieved October 3 2015 For the restoration Alice Guy Blache Retrospective at the Whitney Rediscovers an Early Force in Film PDF Press release Whitney Museum of American Art September 29 2009 Archived from the original PDF on March 4 2016 Retrieved October 3 2015 For the score Kozinn Allan October 2 2009 Creating New Scores for a Pioneering Woman s Century Old Silent Films The New York Times Retrieved October 3 2015 External links editExcerpt from Ephemeral Podcast regarding Falling Leave https www youtube com watch v mq7nvuUw6ZM Falling Leaves at IMDb Falling Leaves is available for free viewing and download at the Internet Archive Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Falling Leaves 1912 film amp oldid 1167348463, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
