'The New York Hat' crowns Mary Pickford's stint at Biograph

The New York Hat (1912)

Starring: Mary Pickford, Lionel Barrymore, Charles Hill Mailes, and Madge Kirby

Director: D.W. Griffith

Rating: Eight of Ten Stars

A village parson (Barrymore) triggers mean-spirited, self-righteous gossipers when he buys an expensive hat for a teenaged girl, Mollie (Pickford). 

I usually don't have the patience for silent dramas., especially the ones from the early 1910s. More often than not, when I try to watch one, I give up a few minutes in. I'm usually turned off by the pacing, the disorganized and uninspired staging of most scenes, and the style of acting which seems laughably over-the-top to my modern eyes.

When it comes to the dramatic short films helmed by director D.W. Griffith, however, I have yet to disappointed. He's three for three in holding my attention, as well as showing that he deserves to be remembered as one of the greatest directors of the silent film era.

Unlike many of his contemporaries, Griffith understood how to frame a scene and how to place actors within it to get the greatest impact; it's like he's creating paintings that move instead of just recording stage plays with indifferent blocking. And speaking of stage plays, Griffith also seemed to understand that if he just let stage actors give their usual kind of performances, he'd get all the impact that was needed, with the audience being more than able to pick up on the action. Griffith had a feel for the film media that was far superior to many of his contemporary, and this is why these short films are worth watching today.

And this is very much true of "The New York Hat". Aside from being a showcase for Griffith's ability to frame a scene, his ability to let actors be their very best is also on brilliant display here, with Mary Pickford convincingly portraying the hurt and excitement of a naïve young teen, despite the fact she was 20 when this film was made; and with Lionel Barrymore being allowed for the first time to show he could do more than comedy in film. (While this film was a first for Barrymore, it was a last for Pickford--it was the last film she'd make at the company that launched her film career in 1909... but far from her last collaboration with Griffith.)

In addition to great performances from its stars, "The New York Hat" is filled with other excellent performances, ranging from bit parts by customers at the hat shop to church elders; to minor players, such as the "mean girls" and the three town gossips; and supporting characters like the hat-shop clerk (Madge Kirby) and Mollie's skinflint, domineering father (Charles Hill Mailes). In fact, the only thing that isn't excellent about this film is the ending which is just a little too pat for my liking.

I invite you to take a few minutes out of your busy day and check out this great movie, right here from this post.