Tess of the Storm Country

Starring:Mary Pickford, Lloyd Hughes, Gloria Hope, David Torrence, Forrest Robinson, Jean Hersholt, Danny Hoy, Robert Russell, Gus Saville, Madame De Bodamere, Milton Berle, Jeanne Carpenter
Director: John S. Robertson
Studio: Image Entertainment
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
Tess of the Storm Country might be seen as the archetypal Mary Pickford film. Pickford plays Tessibel Skinner, a dirt-poor fisherman's daughter living with a community of squatters in ramshackle huts by the water's edge. Tess was reportedly one of Pickford's favorite roles (both in this 1922 version and in an earlier one, shot in 1914), and it shows. She brings a sparkling energy to her performance. Dressed in rags, her hair a frazzled mop, she creates an indelible character. ("The more ragged and dirty I look, the better I can play," declared Pickford in a 1914 Photoplay Magazine interview.)

Every man in squatter town has eyes for the beautiful, fearless Tess, from brutish Ben Letts (Jean Hersholt) to pathetic Ezra Longman (Danny Hoy). But Tess's heart belongs to her sweet daddy (Forrest Robinson). High on a hill above these indigent folk dwells the wealthy Graves family. Father Elias (David Torrence) considers the squatters a stench in his nostrils and tries to evict them; son Frederick (Lloyd Hughes) sympathizes with them and falls in love with Tess; daughter Teola (Gloria Hope) finds her life becoming inextricably bound with Tess's, in ways neither girl could have imagined.

Amazon.com

Tess of the Storm Country might be seen as the archetypal Mary Pickford film. Pickford plays Tessibel Skinner, a dirt-poor fisherman's daughter living with a community of squatters in ramshackle huts by the water's edge. Tess was reportedly one of Pickford's favorite roles (both in this 1922 version and in an earlier one, shot in 1914), and it shows. She brings a sparkling energy to her performance. Dressed in rags, her hair a frazzled mop, she creates an indelible character. ("The more ragged and dirty I look, the better I can play," declared Pickford in a 1914 Photoplay Magazine interview.)

Like so many films in which Mary Pickford appears, Tess of the Storm Country pits rich against poor. In the microcosm of this movie, the rich are steeped in moral turpitude; it takes poor, pure-hearted Tess to, in the words of a chastened Elias Graves, teach them the true "meaning of Christianity." This densely plotted picture also takes on such weighty themes as murder, perjury, out-of-wedlock pregnancy, suicide, and attempted rape. A rousing melodrama, the film draws the viewer right in and doesn't let go until its riveting climax. --Laura Mirsky

Description

America's sweetheart, Mary Pickford, in a powerful story of survival. In this all-fired melodrama, wealthy Elias Graves builds a house on a hill and tries unsuccessfully to evict the squatters who live in the valley below. Tess (Pickford) leads the squatters' struggle for survival and wins the sympathy and love of Graves's son, Frederick. This 1922 remake of Pickford's 1914 version of the same story demonstrates the remarkable growth of Pickford as an actress, producer and filmmaker--and of cinema itself.

Customer Reviews:

A compelling story.......2006-02-02

This is a really compelling drama, and a film that easily would have been in the running for at least one Academy had the awards existed in 1922. The basic outline of the story is that Elias Graves, an unfeeling capitalist, is trying to drive away the poor squatters living at the bottom of his hill. He lives in a lovely mansion with his two children (his wife is deceased) while they live in poverty and in shacks. This part of the plot is a compelling portrayal of the eternal class struggle and the exploitation of the poor and working-classes by the rich. Mary Pickford's character, Tess, has caught the eye of a number of the young men living in her neighborhood at the bottom of the hill, although she doesn't care for any of them. By far the most aggressive suitor is Ben Letts, who isn't a very nice guy, to say the very least. Ben eventually frames Tess's father for the murder of Teola Graves's fiancé Daniel. This not only devastates Tess, who maintains her father's innocence all during his incarceration and trial, but also Teola. Not only has Teola lost the man she loves, but she had also recently told Daniel that he had gotten her into trouble and they would have to be married sooner than planned. (Many modern audiences today, particularly the younger generation, wouldn't realise that that meant Teola was pregnant.) Mr. Graves himself has been out of town while these things have been going on, so this buys Teola some time. Meanwhile Tess and Frederick, Teola's brother, have developed feelings for one another, but a romance seems out of the question since they come from different classes. Trouble develops when Fred comes home from college and sees his sister and Tess together, with the baby who has since been born. He believes it is Tess's illegitimate child, and feels lied to and betrayed. He now believes she is an immoral woman. Things get even more complicated when Mr. Graves comes back to town. All in all, this is the stuff of compelling drama. (It would have been a nice treat if the original 1914 version of this story Mary did had been included as an extra, particularly since her leading man in that version was Harold Lockwood, and that is one of the few surviving films of this extremely popular but today all but forgotten actor.)

To many people in the modern audience, however, pivotal parts of the story may now seem dated. People today are so used to people having children without being married that it seems like a completely different world where it was actually a disgrace and a scandal to get caught in the family way, and then worse yet to have the child's father die before a wedding could occur. This movie never even uses the word "pregnant," and it does sort of suspend the modern person's sense of disbelief that Teola is never shown to actually be pregnant. She looks exactly the same at the beginning of the story as she does when Tess finds her about to about to take her own life and saves her, taking her back to her house so she can give birth. It's hard to believe that people once thought it was disgusting and improper to show a pregnant woman on the screen. I also found the story to be a little preachy in spots, with some rather heavy-handed Christocentric messages.

There's also the issue of the quality of the print. Obviously some of the frames are not in a very good state, but it seems clear that that is the result of disintegration of the film stock, not a blurry print that wasn't given a better digital remastering. People who complain too much about the quality of the print often miss the bigger picture, and it's not as though we should expect every single silent film to be as crystal-clear and beautifully preserved as 'Cobra' or 'The Garden of Eden.' Isn't it better this film still exists and is in pretty good overall condition than to have it lost or so far along in its disintegration that nothing can be done to save it?

If You Don't Like This You Don't Like Pickford.......2005-09-16

This movie might subtly endorse bad hygiene, but I have to get over that. This is a must if you have seen other Pickford movies and liked them. If you haven't, it is still recommended as a beginning point.

Tess is the quintessential Pickford spitfire - a beautiful but dirty, intelligent but uneducated hellion. None of her emotions seem genuine; even in the serious parts of the movie she is emotionally detached from the story. That isn't a bad thing; how can one take such an implausible story seriously? Mary Pickford wasted her talent and most of her career on dated melodramas that are barely watchable today, but movies like these are gems.

Just consider one scene where she is seen peering through the bars of the rich antagonist's front gate, making monkey faces at him. And when she is asked how she got a hold of the bible that she moralizes from, she replies "I cribbed it from the church." [SPOILER] There is a fight scene where she is the damsel, but not a distressed one - she eggs the fight on, and when the hero begins to lose to the villain she gets impatient and smashes a chair over the villain's head. End of that.

The movie is far from perfect -- the characters are archetypal and the plot is too dramatic to happen in real life -- but the real reason to watch this is to see Pickford herself. Her personality, energetic disposition, and remarkably photogenic face carry this and nearly every other movie she's in. The plot and other characters are just a means to provide her with a showcase. If you don't like this movie -- and it's fair if you don't -- you won't like any Mary Pickford movies and I can't recommend them to you, either.

Beautiful.......2003-07-07

I was apprehensive when I first started watching this movie. I am usually not a big fan of 'heartwarming stories' with poor girls who prove their worth, but I wanted to see the movie Mary thought important enough to re-make.

This is an amazing film!

Although some of it has been damaged over time, like a blurry scene in the beginning that seems clouded over with water damage where Tess dances around, it is easy to understand and engaging. Mary Pickford handles the inspirational cliché plot with seriousness that allows many audiences to relate.

I definitely recommend this movie. Even if you aren't a fan of silent movies, Mary will grab your attention and you'll find it hard to look away.

Marvelous Mary Pickford, A MUST.......2001-10-16

There is little doubt as to Mary Pickford's brilliance. As a silent screen star she was not the most beautiful nor the MOST dramatic, but she was by far one of the most marvelous stars on the silent screen. With expressions and mannerisms so refined and masterful and ability that far exceeded many of those around her she made any role a GREAT one.

"Tess of the Storm Country" is a masterful film. It really does show Mary Pickford at "top form" her acting is superb and her performance clearly does her justice. The film quality is not as good as some of her other roles that have been transposed to DVD but if you love Mary you MUST watch this movie.

Mary Pickford plays "Tess" a fisherman's daughter who lives in a shanty town just below the "hill toppers" a rich family whose patriarch despises his low brow "neighbors". With manipulation and cruelty he will do anything, even use his daughters would be fiancee to get rid of the shanty people to give him an "unrestricted" view of the water. Mary Pickford plays Tess with vitality, warmpth, and a certain rough neck edge that will have you laughing and crying at the same time. Tess eventually catches the eye and the heart of a rich young man, who... oh no happens to be the "hill toppers" college bound son. With classic twists and many developments "Tess of the Storm Country" will captivate you. Be aware that this movie has a heavy Christian theme and is quite "heavy handed" when doling out its doses of morality. There is little doubt as to the good vs. evil in this film and the ideal of sinners and repenters. However, "Tess of the Storm Country" is a certain MUST for all Pickford fans.

A film for Pickford fans.......2001-01-09

Tess of the Storm Country is one of Mary Pickford's best films. This was the first of her films which I saw and rather got me hooked, for I have gone on to buy four other Pickford DVDs. It may be that her style is somewhat out of favour now, but she is often funny and in this film shows great personality. It is true that the print quality of this edition is not always perfect. There are signs of decay of the film stock, but one has to accept this when one watches silent films. I would rather watch a slightly damaged 'complete' print than one that has been edited. The DVD box is not misleading if the print it describes is the best available, the best available undoubtedly is this print. Anyway why not focuss on what we have, which is a highly enjoyable film with a delightful story and star performance? There is no point grieving over what we have lost forever, i.e. a perfect print. Perfect prints of silent movies will rarely be available to us now, but that is no reason to ignore a style of filmaking which at its best is unforgettable.

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