Paul and Virginia (film)

Paul and Virginia
Thanhouser used Pierre Auguste Cot's The Storm to advertise the film.
Produced byThanhouser Company
Distributed byMotion Picture Distributing and Sales Company
Release date
  • November 15, 1910 (1910-11-15)
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent film
English inter-titles

Paul and Virginia is a 1910 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film was adapted from Jacques-Henri Bernardin de Saint-Pierre' novel Paul et Virginie and features Frank H. Crane and Violet Heming as the title characters. The film follows two young lovers who grew up living on an island in the Indies. When Virginia is 16, her wealthy aunt in Paris offers to make Virginia her heir and educate her. With her mother's pleading, Virginia accepts and goes to France. Her aunt insists that she marry a rich nobleman, but Virginia refuses, is disowned and sent back home. The ship returns home in a hurricane and she drowns, with Paul nearly dying in a vain attempt to save her. Released on November 15, 1910, the film received mixed reviews in trade publications. The film was advertised with Pierre Auguste Cot's The Storm painting, said to have been inspired by the original novel. The title characters' costumes also appear to be based on Cot's painting. The film is presumed lost.