| The Exploits of Elaine | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Theatrical poster for Chapter 13 | |
| Directed by | Louis J. Gasnier George B. Seitz Leopold Wharton Theodore Wharton |
| Written by | Charles W. Goddard George B. Seitz Basil Dickey Arthur B. Reeve |
| Produced by | Leopold Wharton Theodore Wharton George B. Seitz |
| Starring | Pearl White Arnold Daly Sheldon Lewis |
| Distributed by | Pathé Exchange Whartons Studio |
Release date |
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| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (Englishintertitles) |
The Exploits of Elaine is a 1914 Americanfilm serial in thedamsel in distress genre ofThe Perils of Pauline (1914).
The Exploits of Elaine tells the story of a young woman named Elaine who, with the help of a detective, tries to find the man, known only as "The Clutching Hand", who murdered her father.[1] The Clutching Hand was the firstmystery villain to appear in a film serial. The concept was widely used for the remainder of the format's existence.
The serial starsPearl White (who also starred inThe Perils of Pauline),Arnold Daly,Sheldon Lewis,Creighton Hale, andRiley Hatch.Lionel Barrymore had a small role. The serial was written byArthur B. Reeve (novel),Charles W. Goddard, andGeorge B. Seitz, and directed byLouis J. Gasnier, Seitz, andLeopold Wharton. The film was produced by theWharton Studio of Ithaca, New York, and distributed byPathé Exchange, the American distribution branch of the French companyPathé at that time. Pathé was the largest film equipment and production company in the world during the first part of the 20th century.
The film was followed in 1915 byThe New Exploits of Elaine.
The serial, which is extant, was named to the United StatesNational Film Registry in 1994 for its cultural and historic importance.[2][3]
The Exploits of Elaine was based on a book in the "Craig Kennedy, Scientific Detective" series by Arthur B. Reeve.[4] It was a prototype for the scientific mystery serials but has less interest for later audiences. A lot of the technology and science demonstrated in the serial soon became out of date or considered mundane. For example, the serial has to explain the concept offingerprinting in dramatic fashion.[4] Nevertheless, the serial was a success on its release and led to two sequels,The New Exploits of Elaine (1915) andThe Romance of Elaine (1915).[4]
Similar to other film serials, each chapter typically closed with acliffhanger with Elaine in some physical peril or confronted with a shocking revelation. For example, at the close of Chapter 10 Elaine actually dies. She is then brought back to life in the next chapter by Craig Kennedy.[5]
In the opinion of film critic Stedman, this serial is an improvement onThe Perils of Pauline, with better acting, script, and direction.[4]
The Exploits Of Elaine public domain audiobook atLibriVox