The Ancient Highway Explained

The Ancient Highway
Director:Irvin Willat
Producer:Jesse L. Lasky
Adolph Zukor
Screenplay:James Shelley Hamilton
Eve Unsell
Starring:Jack Holt
Billie Dove
Montagu Love
Stanley Taylor
Lloyd Whitlock
William A. Carroll
Cinematography:Alfred Gilks
Studio:Famous Players–Lasky Corporation
Distributor:Paramount Pictures
Runtime:70 minutes
Country:United States
Language:Silent (English intertitles)

The Ancient Highway is a 1925 American silent adventure film directed by Irvin Willat and written by James Shelley Hamilton and Eve Unsell based upon the novel of the same name by James Oliver Curwood. The film stars Jack Holt, Billie Dove, Montagu Love, Stanley Taylor, Lloyd Whitlock, and William A. Carroll. The film was released on November 8, 1925, by Paramount Pictures.[1] [2]

Plot

As described in a film magazine reviews, Cliff Brant wanders the world but eventually returns to Canada to avenge the death of his father, which was caused by Ivan Hurd. He beats Hurd almost to death. The fight is witnessed by Antoinette St. Ives, owner of a paper company that is a competitor of Hurd’s. Hurd loves Antoinette also, and tries to ruin her company to force her to accept him. Antoinette warns Brant that Hurd has reported him to the police and he takes to “The Ancient Highway,” a famous stream in Quebec. He rescues Antoinette’s brother from a crowd of ruffians and takes him home. The lad introduces Brant to Antoinette and he falls in love with her. He declares his love but she is repulsed by his primitive tactics though she loves him. Hurd plots the ruin of Antoinette’s company once more and tries to jam the logs going to her mill. Brant prevents this and establishes himself solidly with the young woman. A frenzied monk kills Hurd.

Preservation

The Ancient Highway is presumed to be a lost film.[3] [4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Movie Review - The Ancient Highway - THE SCREEN; Logs and Dynamite. - NYTimes.com. The New York Times. February 7, 2015.
  2. Web site: The Ancient Highway. afi.com. February 7, 2015.
  3. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/diglib/ihas/loc.mbrs.sfdb.3429/default.html The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: The Ancient Highway
  4. http://www.silentsaregolden.com/arneparamountpictures.html The Ancient Highway at Lost Film Files: Lost Paramount films - 1925