FILM SCREENINGS

The Scarlet Letter

1926. USA. Directed by Victor Sjöström. Screenplay by Frances Marion, based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne. With Lars Hanson. Gish’s clout helped bring Hawthorne’s scandalous novel to the screen. Although playing legendary literary sinner Hester Prynne may seem out of character for Gish, her chaste Hollywood persona provided a compelling foil for the conflicting motivations of this complex character—mother, lover, and adulterer—and lent depth to Sjöström’s adaptation. This was Gish’s personal print of the film, which the longtime champion of film preservation generously donated to MoMA. Silent, with musical accompaniment by Stuart Oderman. Approx. 76 min.