The Return of Thomas H. Ince
December 14–29, 2006

Thomas Harper Ince (American, 1880–1924) was a major figure in the early days of silent film. He began his film career in 1910 as an actor for the Biograph Company, but soon began directing one-reel films starring Mary Pickford for Carl Laemmle’s Imp Company. He moved to California in 1911 to direct two-reelers for the Bison 101 brand, and in 1913 he ceased full-time directing to concentrate on producing, returning briefly to the director’s chair to make Civilization (1916), an epic plea for peace and American neutrality. In 1915 he partnered with directors D.W. Griffith and Mack Sennett to form the Triangle Motion Picture Company, leaving two years later to found his own independent production company and build Culver City Studios, later the home of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. Many of the production methods and business techniques he developed formed the basis of the Hollywood studio system. Among the many luminaries whose films he produced were early cowboy star William S. Hart, Charles Ray, Blanche Sweet, Enid Bennett, Douglas MacLean, Madge Bellamy, and Florence Vidor.

In 1986, The Museum of Modern Art mounted a comprehensive exhibition of films produced or directed by Ince. Two decades later, and in cooperation with Le Giornate del Cinema Muto, where this program was first shown this past October, we present this update, covering the entire length of Ince’s career. Although many of the prints screened at MoMA in 1986 were in 16mm, this year all are in 35mm and most are either newly restored or not previously seen by the Museum’s audiences. All films directed by Ince, unless otherwise noted, and silent. Screenings in Titus Theater 2 feature piano accompaniment by Stuart Oderman and Ben Model.

Organized by Steven Higgins, Curator, Department of Film.

Program 1
The Deserter. 1912. USA. With Francis Ford, Ethel Grandin. Reel two only of an original two-reel film. Print from the Museum’s collection, preserved from an original tinted print, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). Approx. 12 min.
The Coward. 1915. USA. Directed by Reginald Barker. Screen-play by Ince. With Frank Keenan, Charles Ray. Print from the Museum’s collection, restored with funding from the National Film Preservation Foundation (NFPF)/NEA Millennium Grant. Approx. 75 min.
Thursday, December 14, 6:00. T2; Wednesday, December 27, 2:00. BA

Program 2
The Lieutenant’s Last Fight. 1912. USA. With Francis Ford, J. Barney Sherry. Courtesy Nederlands Filmmuseum, restored from two nitrate prints of the European release version. Dutch intertitles and inserts. Approx. 25 min.
Branding Broadway. 1918. USA. Directed by William S. Hart. Screenplay by C. Gardner Sullivan. With Hart, Seena Owen. Print from the Museum’s collection, restored with funding from NEA and the Celeste Bartos Film Preservation Fund. Approx. 53 min.
Thursday, December 14, 8:00. T2; Wednesday, December 27, 4:00. BA

Program 3
War on the Plains. 1912. USA. With Francis Ford, Ethel Grandin. Courtesy the UCLA Film and Television Archive, restored in cooperation with the Library of Congress (LOC), with funding from NFPF and NEA, with additional funding by the Louis B. Mayer Foundation. Approx. 19 min.
The Bargain. 1914. USA. Directed by Reginald Barker. Screen-play by Ince, William H. Clifford. With William S. Hart, J. Frank Burke. Courtesy LOC, restored from original copyright deposit materials in the Paper Print Collection. Approx. 69 min.
Monday, December 18, 6:00. T2; Thursday, December 28, 2:00. BA

Program 4
The Lighthouse Keeper. 1911. USA. Screenplay by Ince, based on Shore Acres by James A. Herne. With Mary Pickford, John Harvey. Preceded by footage featuring President William Howard Taft. Courtesy LOC. Approx. 13 min.
Hail the Woman. 1921. USA. Directed by John Griffith Wray. Screenplay by C. Gardner Sullivan. With Florence Vidor, Lloyd Hughes. Print from the Museum’s collection. Approx. 94 min.
Monday, December 18, 8:00. T2; Thursday, December 28, 4:00. BA

Program 5
The Dream. 1911. USA. Screenplay by Mary Pickford. With Pickford, Owen Moore. Print from the Museum’s collection. Approx. 11 min.
Civilization. 1916. USA. Directed by Raymond B. West, Irvin Willat, et al. Screenplay by C. Gardner Sullivan. With Herschel Mayall, Howard Hickman. This version was edited by Pierre Arnaud for reissue in 1931 and was acquired by MoMA in 1940 from Elinor Ince. It is the only version known to survive. Print from the Museum’s collection, preserved with funding from NEA and The Film Foundation/Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Approx. 86 min.
Friday, December 22, 6:00. T2; Friday, December 29, 2:00. BA

Program 6
The Last of the Line. 1914. USA. Directed by Jay Hunt. Screen-play by Ince, C. Gardner Sullivan. With Joe Goodboy, Sessue Hayakawa. Print from the Museum’s collection. Approx. 27 min.
The Typhoon. 1914. USA. Directed by Reginald Barker. Screen-play likely by Charles Swickard, based on the play by Menyhert Lengyel. With Sessue Hayakawa, Frank Borzage. Courtesy George Eastman House, restored with funding from NEA. Approx. 56 min.
Friday, December 22, 8:00. T2; Friday, December 29, 4:00. BA

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