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A Winter’s Tale
Also known as {The Winter’s Tale}
(1910) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by [?] Theodore Marston and/or Barry O’Neil?
Cast: Miss Rosamonde (Anna Rosemond) [Hermione, Queen of Sicilia], Martin Faust [Leontes, King of Sicilia], Frank Hall Crane [Polixenes, King of Bohemia], Amelia Barleon [Perdita, Princess of Sicilia], Alfred Hanlon [Florizel, Prince of Bohemia], Mignon Anderson
Thanhouser Company production; distributed by Thanhouser Company. / Produced by Edwin Thanhouser. Scenario by Lloyd F. Lonergan and Mrs. Edwin Thanhouser (Gertrude Thanhouser), from the play A Winter’s Tale by William Shakespeare. / Released 27 May 1910. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Anderson’s film debut.
Drama: Historical.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 28 May 1910, page ?] The kings of Bohemia and Sicilia, monarchs of adjoining kingdoms, have been close friends since boyhood. But after each has assumed his regal duties, they find that they are unable to see much of each other. Therefore, as the story opens they have not met in several years, during which each has married and the King of Bohemia has sired a son, now four years old. The King of Bohemia enjoys a visit to his boyhood friend of Sicilia, is royally received and presented to his host’s queen who, n fulfilling her hostess duties, unconsciously arouses her royal husband’s jealousy. Blinded by jealousy, the King of Sicilia orders his royal guest, whom he considers his rival, poisoned. The King of Bohemia escapes a horrible death through the confession of the courtier who has been employed to kill him. He returns safely to his own kingdom, carrying with him the courtier who saved his life. Enraged at the escape of his victim, the King of Sicilia orders his Queen imprisoned. From her prison the Queen sends her infant daughter to her royal father, hoping to soften his heart. But the King will not be won over. He heartlessly orders the child taken beyond the borders of his kingdom and left in the wilderness to perish. The Queen is tried at a public tribunal and there, overcome with grief at the false accusation, she swoons and is pronounced dead by her lady-in-waiting Paulina. The body is left in Paulina’s charge, and when the Queen revives later, she is taken to Paulina’s house, where she dwells in seclusion, her existence unknown to all but Paulina. A shepherd of Bohemia finds the infant Princess of Sicilia, takes her to his home, and raises her as his daughter, keeping her costly robes and jewels so that at some future time they might assist in identifying her as the child of wealthy parents. After 15 years, the young Prince of Bohemia is seen starting out from the palace in a mysterious manner. When his father, the King, questions where he is going, he refuses to answer. The King allows him to go, but he trails him accompanied by his trusted friend. The Prince disguises himself as a shepherd, in which guise he romances a beautiful maiden whom he supposes is only the simple shepherdess she appears to be — but she is actually the Princess of Sicilia. The King arrives at the shepherd’s hut just in time to hear the Prince announce his intention of marrying the shepherdess. The King forbids the engagement and leaves the Prince in anger. His faithful courtier, however, befriends the young couple and advises them to fly for protection to the court of the King of Sicilia. The lovers arrive in Sicilia accompanied by the old shepherd. Here they are gladly received by the repentant King, who, too late, realizes that his jealousy was groundless. He mourns his lost Queen and his estranged friend. The shepherd, in endeavoring to prove that his adopted daughter is of gentle birth, thus permitting of her marriage to the Prince, shows the King the clothes she had been wearing when he found her as a baby, and the King recognizes the clothes as those his own child wore. The King of Bohemia then arrives upon the scene and is told the glad news amid general rejoicings. As a final surprise the royal party is invited by Paulina to visit her house and there view a statue of the Queen. The statue comes to life before the eyes of the royal party, or rather the Queen who had made up to resemble a statue, extends her hand to her grieving spouse, who is glad to receive her, whom he had thought lost and now found again.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 11 June 1910, page ?] The pictorial characteristics of the film are made a prominent feature and are never lost sight of. Every scene was set with fidelity to the original, but always with the development of the pictorial feature as an important factor. Then the acting. It would be a captious critic indeed who could discover a flaw in it. Every actor seems to appreciate the opportunities of his part and to make the most of them. Seldom, indeed, is the final scene, where the supposed statue comes to life, so well done, and involuntarily one rejoices with the King of Bohemia in the return of his lamented queen. Few, indeed, will be the releases of the month to surpass this, and few, indeed, are the pictures that seem so complete and in every way satisfactory. Mr. Thanhouser deserves the heartiest congratulations upon his success.
Survival status: Print exists in the Library of Congress film archive (Snyder collection) [35mm nitrate positive].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Authors: William Shakespeare (1564?-1616)
Listing updated: 10 July 2024.
References: Ball-Shakespeare pp. 68-70, 73, 96d, 316-317, 391; Blum-Silent p. 18 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb : with additional information provided by Ned Thanhouser.
Home video: DVD.
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