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| ~The White Rose~ 1923 |
| ~Plot Synopsis~ |
Too long by at least 3 reels, D. W. Griffith's The White Rose is nonetheless one of the best and most
accomplished of the director's "pastoral" films. Mae Marsh plays a virginal young lass of modest means
who pretends to be more worldly than she actually is. Aristocratic divinity student Ivor Novello, who feels
he must learn more about life in order to be an effective minister, accepts Mae's pose at face value and has
an affair with the girl. Tortured by guilt, Novello bids goodbye to Mae and returns home to his childhood
sweetheart Carol Dempster. When Mae discovers she is pregnant, she is cast out by her family and
neighbors. She is given comfort and shelter by a sympathetic black family, who look after her as she
brings her child into the world. Confronted by evidence of his indiscretion, Novello, by now a respected
clergyman, gives up his calling-and his fiancee-to do right by Mae. Meanwhile, Carol finds happiness in the
arms of businessman Neil Hamilton. The White Rose represented something of a comeback for the
extraordinarily gifted Mae Marsh, whose talents had previously been squandered in a series of cheap,
unimportant vehicles. The script was by someone named Irene Sinclair-who, under scrutiny, turned out to
be D. W. Griffith himself.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
accomplished of the director's "pastoral" films. Mae Marsh plays a virginal young lass of modest means
who pretends to be more worldly than she actually is. Aristocratic divinity student Ivor Novello, who feels
he must learn more about life in order to be an effective minister, accepts Mae's pose at face value and has
an affair with the girl. Tortured by guilt, Novello bids goodbye to Mae and returns home to his childhood
sweetheart Carol Dempster. When Mae discovers she is pregnant, she is cast out by her family and
neighbors. She is given comfort and shelter by a sympathetic black family, who look after her as she
brings her child into the world. Confronted by evidence of his indiscretion, Novello, by now a respected
clergyman, gives up his calling-and his fiancee-to do right by Mae. Meanwhile, Carol finds happiness in the
arms of businessman Neil Hamilton. The White Rose represented something of a comeback for the
extraordinarily gifted Mae Marsh, whose talents had previously been squandered in a series of cheap,
unimportant vehicles. The script was by someone named Irene Sinclair-who, under scrutiny, turned out to
be D. W. Griffith himself.
Plot Synopsis by Hal Erickson, AllMovie.com
| Directed & Written by: D.W. Griffith |
| ~Cast~ Mae Marsh ... Bessie 'Teazie' Williams Carol Dempster ... Marie Carrington Ivor Novello ... Joseph Beaugarde Neil Hamilton ... John White Lucille La Verne ... 'Auntie' Easter Porter Strong ... Apollo Jane Thomas ... Cigarstand Girl Kate Bruce ... An Aunt Erville Alderson ... Man of the World Herbert Sutch ... The Bishop Joseph Burke ... The Landlord Mary Foy ... The Landlady Charles Emmett Mack ... Guest Uncle Tom Jenkins ... An Old Negro (uncredited) |
| ~Remaining Credits~ Produced by: D.W. Griffith Productions Released by: United Artists Producer: D.W. Griffith Cinematography by: G.W. Bitzer, Hendrik Sartov & Harold S. Sintzenich Art Direction by: Charles M. Kirk Assistant Director: Herbert Sutch Special Effects by: Edward Scholl Stand In: Una Merkel Length: 12 Reels Runtime: 115 minutes Released: May 21, 1923 New York premiere: May 22, 1923 |
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