| The Oubliette | |
|---|---|
 Poster | |
| Directed by | Charles Giblyn |
| Written by | Harry G. Stafford George Bronson Howard (story) |
| Starring | Murdock MacQuarrie Pauline Bush Lon Chaney |
| Cinematography | Lee O. Bartholomew |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 30 minutes (3 reels) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent with English intertitles |
The Oubliette is a 1914 American silent historical drama film directed by Charles Giblyn, featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney.[1] It is part one of a four-film series directed by Giblyn called The Adventures of François Villon.[2] The Oubliette was written by Harry G. Stafford, based on a short story of the same name by George Bronson Howard published in The Century Magazine.[3]
Of the four films in the series, Chaney appears only briefly in The Oubliette and reappeared as a completely different character in the second installment of the serial, The Higher Law, which is not known to survive in any archive.[4] A still exists showing Chaney as Bertrand de la Payne[4] moments before the character is killed in the swordfight. The film co-starred Millard K. Wilson, who became a lifelong friend of Chaney and later served as his director in films at M-G-M.[5]
This film and By the Sun's Rays are two of Lon Chaney's earliest surviving films. The Oubliette was considered lost until the summer of 1983 when a nitrate print in excellent condition was discovered in Georgia. A couple rebuilding the steps of their front porch uncovered all three reels of the film, still in their metal cans.[4]
- ^ "The Oubliette". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. 2011. Archived from the original on May 20, 2011. Retrieved June 19, 2008.
- ^ "The Oubliette". Silent Era. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ "Amusements". El Paso Morning Times. El Paso, Texas. August 13, 1914. p. 8.
- ^ a b c Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Oubliette". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 1. ISBN 1-879511-26-6.