The Hope Diamond Mystery
The Hope Diamond Mystery is a 1921 American action film serial directed by Stuart Paton and featuring Boris Karloff.[1] The film survives with a copy at the Library of Congress.[1]
| The Hope Diamond Mystery | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Stuart Paton |
| Written by | John B. Clymer Charles W. Goddard May Yohé |
| Starring | Grace Darmond Boris Karloff |
| Distributed by | Kosmik Film Co. |
Release date |
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Running time | 15 episodes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent English intertitles |
Plot
The curse of the legendary blue Hope Diamond on all its owners is dramatized from the gem's discovery in 17th Century India until its donation to the Smithsonian Institute.
Cast
- Grace Darmond as Mary Hilton / Bibi
- George Chesebro as John Gregge / Jean-Baptiste Tavanier
- Boris Karloff as Dakar / High Priest of Sita
- Harry Carter as Sidney Atherton / Nang Fu
- William Marion as James Marcon / Bagi
- Carmen Phillips as Wanda Atherton / Miza
- Arthur Clayton as Lord Francis Hale
- Ethel Shannon as Lady Francis Hale
- William Buckley as Reginald Travers
- Frank M. Seki as Saki
- Harry Archer as Johnson
- May Yohe as Lady Francis Hope (Herself)
Production
This serial was shot on the Universal Pictures lot and a custom set, the "Temple of Sita," which reportedly cost $100,000 to build, and was Boris Karloff's first major film role. A blue color tint was used on title cards in the serial with an illustration of the diamond in the background, and legend has it that additional special color effects may have been incorporated into other scenes showing the diamond as well, and evidence of such remains in the existing print of the film Color effects have been retained in the 2014 restoration of the serial by Eric Stedman of the Serial Squadron. The color effects of this film are so unique and ahead of their time that no other film had tried to imitate them. Not until 2 strip Technicolor could similar visuals be attained. When watching the film, there are multi-colored tints in a single scene, reminiscent of the old hand painted color shorts of Georges Méliès. The last 6 chapters almost exclusively feature them. May Yohe appears as herself in episode opening and closings.
References
- "Progressive Silent Film List: The Hope Diamond Mystery". silentera.com. Retrieved April 6, 2008.
- THE HOPE DIAMOND MYSTERY original film
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Hope Diamond Mystery. |