Mary Pickford Revived
In 2012 BEV's focus on culturally ground-breaking and inspired women of the world, turned its spotlight onto screen icon and movie mogul Mary Pickford (1892-1979). As part of BEV Springs 2012, we brought you Mary Pickford Revived - bringing four of Pickford's best loved films back to life over two days in March.
This work was supported with funds from the PRS for Music Foundation.
Sparrows
Plus live score from Aristazabel Hawkes
US 1926 Dir. William Beaudine 84min. Evil Mr Grimes (Gustav von Seyffertitz) runs a baby farm deep in the heart of a hideous swamp. The children are housed in squalid conditions with only quick-witted orphan Molly (Mary Pickford) there to protect them. Blending comedy, melodrama, action and horror this superb Pickford production had Ernst Lubitsch describe it to her as one of the eight wonders of the world.
Plus live score by double bass player and vocalist Aristazabal Hawkes, well known for her central part in Brit Awarded nominated band, Guillemots.
The Female of the Species
Plus live score from British/Canadian/Rwandan experimental pop multi-instrumentalist Tanya Auclair
US 1912. Dir D. W. Griffith. Four survivors of a deserted mining camp head for the desert. A woman, encouraged by her sister, becomes suspicious that another woman has designs on her injured husband. When he dies their loneliness and paranoia, encouraged by the arid, windy landscape, lead to murderous intentions. See Pickford here in wicked Machiavellian guise.
Plus live score from British/Canadian/Rwandan experimental pop multi-instrumentalist Tanya Auclair:
“Gobsmacking!" - Tom Robinson, BBC Radio 6
The New York Hat
Plus live score from classical/electronic composer Anna Meredith
US 1912. Dir D. W. Griffith. Small town bigotry is revealed in this tragicomic film starring a luminous Pickford. When a priest (Lionel Barrymore) buys a new hat for a recently bereaved girl (Pickford), he is mistakenly believed to be courting her. This delightful Biograph short shows how, even at this early period of filmmaking, sensitive direction and nuanced performance could combine to reveal a character’s inner life.
Plus live score from Anna Meredith, one of the UK’s most in-demand young composers of electronic/contemporary classical work:
"In the sedate classical world she’s a blast of fresh air" - The Times
Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley
Plus live score from Welsh/Iranian folk fusion singer songwriter Roshi
US 1918. Dir Marshall Neilan, 67Min. Feisty Amarilly (Pickford) lives in a working class district with her contented but poor family. She is adored by her boyfriend Terry but their relationship is tested when she meets a flighty artist and is introduced to high society. Amarilly was adapted by Frances Marion, Pickford’s life long friend and ‘official scenarioist’. Marion was the most prolific and highest paid scriptwriter of the time. Through her titles she provides an explicit social commentary and criticism of the upper classes. Indeed Pickford and Marion did much to bring working class audiences into the cinema.
Plus live score from Welsh/Iranian folk fusion singer songwriter Roshi:
“Exceptional” - New Internationalist Magazine