The Scarlet Drop

The Scarlet Drop
Film poster
Directed by	John Ford
Written by	John Ford George Hively
Starring	Harry Carey
Cinematography	Ben F. Reynolds
Distributed by	Universal Film Manufacturing
Release date	April 22, 1918 (1918-04-22)
Running time	50 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent English intertitles

The Scarlet Drop is a 1918 American silent Western film directed by John Ford and featuring Harry Carey. For several decades, just over 30 minutes of footage of the film was thought to have survived in the Getty Images Archive.^[1] In January 2024, academic film historian Jaime Córdova Ortega [es] found it at an abandoned warehouse in Providencia, Chile, discovered a complete version. It was later digitized, and screened at the Valparaiso Recovered Film Festival, organized by Córdova Ortega.^[2][3]

Plot

As described in a film magazine,^[4] "Kaintuck" Ridge (Carey), refused admission to the local militia to fight on the side of Union in the American Civil War, joins a gang of marauders and at the end of the conflict finds himself a fugitive with a price on his head. He goes west and becomes a bandit. Marley Calvert (Pegg), who kept Kaintuck out of the army, also goes west and takes up mining. Betty Calvert (Schade) is taken captive when Kaintuck holds up a stage coach. His hatred for the Calverts is overcome by his admiration for Molly (Malone) and later, when her honor is attacked by a former suitor, he defends her and wins her love.

Cast

• Harry Carey as "Kaintuck" Harry Ridge
• Molly Malone as Molly Calvert
• Vester Pegg as Marley Calvert
• Betty Schade as Betty Calvert
• Millard K. Wilson as Graham Lyons (credited as M.K. Wilson)
• Martha Mattox as Mammy
• Steve Clemente as Buck (credited as Steve Clemento)

Reception

Like many American films of the time, The Scarlet Drop was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors issued an Adults Only permit for the film and cut, in Reel 2, the shooting of man standing in church yard, Reel 3, placing tree in road, all scenes of coach holdup except where young woman and bandit are conversing, two scenes of outlaws taking spoils from passengers, Reel 5, three fight scenes were man presses knife towards opponent, two scenes of men throwing knives, and man shooting Ridge.^[5]

See also

• Harry Carey filmography
• List of films and television shows about the American Civil War
• List of rediscovered films

References

1. "Progressive Silent Film List: The Scarlet Drop". Silent Era. Retrieved March 1, 2008.
2. Mullally, William (November 25, 2024). "Lost John Ford film found in Chile after 100 years". The National. Archived from the original on November 25, 2024. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
3. Cooperativa.cl. ""Como el santo grial": Encuentran en Chile película perdida de John Ford rodada hace un siglo". Cooperativa.cl (in Spanish). Retrieved November 30, 2024.
4. "Reviews: The Scarlet Drop". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (17). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 28. April 20, 1918.
5. "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (19). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 31. May 4, 1918.

External links

• The Scarlet Drop at IMDb