Don't go by the smarmy, eye-rolling illustration on the old movie poster displayed on this site. I have no idea who painted that image, but it has nothing whatever in common with Lillian Gish's wonderful performance in this marvelous movie.
Although "The Scarlet Letter" hasn't been filmed very often, I don't believe it has ever been filmed any better than it was in this 1926 silent version. Apart from being mounted as a fully-rigged MGM production with all the trimmings, it is beautifully directed, acted and photographed. Above all, in "The Scarlet Letter", Lillian Gish demonstrated once again what a truly fine actress she really was, miles better than such contemporaries as Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. Lillian Gish's was real acting, not broad pantomime, as was so often the case in silent movies, and is the reason why some of the genre seem so dated today. "The Scarlet Letter is one silent film that doesn't seem dated and there is little doubt that is due in no small measure to Lillian Gish's performance.
Lars Hanson as Reverend Dimmsdale and Henry B. Walthal as Roger Chillingworth are very good. However, the former's perpetual had- wringing anguish, and the latter's equally perpetual scowling, seem cartoonish compared with Gish's far more subtle characterization.
Unfortunately, this movie isn't shown very often anymore. Nevertheless, anyone interested in the Scarlet Letter ought to see this version. It will not only increase their appreciation of Hawthorne's story, but that of silent movies as well.
Although "The Scarlet Letter" hasn't been filmed very often, I don't believe it has ever been filmed any better than it was in this 1926 silent version. Apart from being mounted as a fully-rigged MGM production with all the trimmings, it is beautifully directed, acted and photographed. Above all, in "The Scarlet Letter", Lillian Gish demonstrated once again what a truly fine actress she really was, miles better than such contemporaries as Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson. Lillian Gish's was real acting, not broad pantomime, as was so often the case in silent movies, and is the reason why some of the genre seem so dated today. "The Scarlet Letter is one silent film that doesn't seem dated and there is little doubt that is due in no small measure to Lillian Gish's performance.
Lars Hanson as Reverend Dimmsdale and Henry B. Walthal as Roger Chillingworth are very good. However, the former's perpetual had- wringing anguish, and the latter's equally perpetual scowling, seem cartoonish compared with Gish's far more subtle characterization.
Unfortunately, this movie isn't shown very often anymore. Nevertheless, anyone interested in the Scarlet Letter ought to see this version. It will not only increase their appreciation of Hawthorne's story, but that of silent movies as well.