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The Nightingale is a 1914 American silent drama film directed and written by Augustus Thomas and released by Alco Film Corporation. It is the motion picture debut of Ethel Barrymore in a story written especially for her by Thomas. Thomas, famed as a Broadway playwright, was the best friend of Barrymore's father Maurice and had known the actress since she was a child.[1] As with many of Barrymore's films to come, the advertising for this film says the film is told in 'acts' as with a stage play, an effort to remind the audience of the star's status and preference for the legitimate stage. This film is long thought to be lost.[2][3][4][5]

The Nightingale
Ad for film
Directed by	Augustus E. Thomas
Written by	Augustus Thomas
Produced by	All Star Feature Film Corporation
Starring	Ethel Barrymore
Distributed by	Alco Film Corporation
Release date	October 5, 1914 (1914-10-05)
Running time	5 reels
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Cast

• Ethel Barrymore as Isola Franti, 'The Nightingale'
• William Courtleigh as Tony Franti
• Frank Andrews as Andrea Franti
• Conway Tearle as Charles Marden
• Charles A. Stevenson as Nathan Narden
• Irving Brooks as 'Red' Galvin
• Mario Majeroni as David Mantz
• Philip Hahn as Jean de Resni
• Ida Darling as Mrs. Belmore
• Bobby Stewart as Nathan Marden II
• Henri Antiznat as Prefect of Police
• Frank Dudley as Frank
• M. Monet as Gazzi Catassi
• Caroline French as Maid
• Mrs. Cooper Cliffe as Nola
• Claude Cooper as Madonni
• Ed West as Police Sergeant

Production

The story of this film is similar to Clyde Fitch's 1901 play Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines in which Barrymore became a star playing an Italian opera singer. Fitch had died in 1909 and Charles Frohman, Barrymore's theatrical employer, owned the rights to Captain Jinks. Augustus Thomas, a Barrymore family friend and author, fashioned a similar story for Barrymore enticing her make a film with material she was familiar with. This was common practice in the silent era to make a write-around story to popular works in which screen rights could not be attained.

A screen version of Fitch's Captain Jinks was later made with Ann Murdock.

References

External links

• The Nightingale at IMDb.com
• allmovie/synopsis(*note this film was not based on a play as AMG states, it was written especially for the star)
• Moving Picture World advertisement

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