The Witness for the Defense is a 1919 American silent drama film directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Elsie Ferguson, Warner Oland, and Wyndham Standing.[1]

The Witness for the Defense
period advertisement
Directed by	George Fitzmaurice
Written by	Ouida Bergère (scenario)
Based on	The Witness for the Defence by A. E. W. Mason
Produced by	Famous Players-Lasky
Starring	Elsie Ferguson Warner Oland Wyndham Standing
Cinematography	Arthur C. Miller and/or Hal Young
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	September 14, 1919 (1919-09-14)
Running time	50 minutes
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Production background

The film is based on the 1913 novel The Witness for the Defence by A. E. W. Mason. Mason's story was performed as a play on Broadway in 1911 and starred Ethel Barrymore.[2]

The film is the earliest of prolific director George Fitzmaurice's to survive and is likewise the only silent film of Elsie Ferguson that remains extant. The film is also the first feature length film art direction credit for William Cameron Menzies.

Cast

Preservation status

A print of The Witness for the Defense was discovered in the Gosfilmofond archive in Moscow.[1][3]

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Witness for the Defense.

• The Witness for the Defense at IMDb
• The Witness for the Defense as restored and presented by the University of North Dakota (with stills and clips from the movie)
• Synopsis at AllMovie

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