STELLA MARIS (1918) is the story of two very different girls, set in early 20th century London. The title character is a bedridden invalid who has been shielded from the harsh realities of life by her well-meaning aunt and uncle, and believes the world to be a beautiful place. The other girl, Unity Blake, is a Cockney orphan who knows the harsh realities of life all too well, especially after her servitude under the abusive Louise Risca. Their lives converge in an unexpected way, and both of them change forever
SCRIPT: The script balances the stories of the two main characters well. This is definitely a melodrama, but not as sentimental or as pretentious as many others of the time. The story shows how Stella Maris eventually discovers the realities of life and realistically depicts how this change affects her. The movie moves along briskly, though being a melodrama, there are some rather implausible events, especially towards the end. Some may have issues with the end (I won't spoil it), but it does pack a punch. SCORE: 9/10
ACTING: The acting is, with one slight exception, of a high caliber that can be easily appreciated today. The restrained naturalism of the performances helped to counteract some of the more florid aspects of the story and keeps it from descending into bathos. Mary Pickford plays the roles of Stella and Unity, and is compelling in both performances. She is rightly credited for ushering in a restrained and realistic acting style (in contrast to the florid, melodramatic mannerisms of contemporary theater acting) that continues to influence actors today. Pickford is charming and sweet as Stella without being cloying, and is impish and haggard as Unity. Her appearance as the two characters clearly emphasizes their difference in personality and circumstances. I also enjoyed Conway Teale's turn as John Risca, the writer who loves Stella but has to contend with an alcoholic wife. He was also quite naturalistic and very believable. The one performance I did have an issue with was Marcia Manon's turn as the villainous Louise Risca. She wasn't quite as overwrought as some other performers were at that time, but her occasional histrionics stuck out like a sore thumb in comparison to the restraint of the other cast members. Still, when she chooses to be more restrained she is quite effective. SCORE: 9/10
CINEMATOGRAPHY/PRODUCTION: STELLA MARIS benefits from the sensitive and skillful direction of Marshall Neilan. I had never heard of him before this movie, but this fine film makes me want to investigate more of his work. The camera doesn't move that much, but the varied use of medium shots and close-ups, as well as the well-paced editing, make up for it. No shot feels like it is on the screen for too long. Walter Stradling displays considerable skill as a cameraman. The lighting, tinting, and composition show Mary Pickford's luminous blonde beauty to great effect. The movie uses tinting to differentiate not only between day and night, but also to establish moods (the sunny yellowish tint of Pickford's scenes as the happy Stella Maris contrast with the black and white, untinted shots of Unity Blake's drab existence at the orphanage and with Louise Risca). Flashbacks and thoughts in the characters' minds are conveyed by double exposures superimposed on the frame, which was more effective than the then-contemporary device of fading out from the scene, then showing the flashback, then fading back in (which DW Griffith was still using in 1920's THE LOVE FLOWER). Superb work overall. SCORE: 10/10
SUMMARY: STELLA MARIS is a superb showcase for Mary Pickford's acting talents. The story is melodramatic and at times implausible, but it is told briskly and in a fairly well balanced fashion. The performances, for the most part, hold up beautifully today and help to counteract some of the story's more florid moments. The cinematography and production of the film are top-notch. This movie definitely merits viewing today. SCORE: 10/10
SCRIPT: The script balances the stories of the two main characters well. This is definitely a melodrama, but not as sentimental or as pretentious as many others of the time. The story shows how Stella Maris eventually discovers the realities of life and realistically depicts how this change affects her. The movie moves along briskly, though being a melodrama, there are some rather implausible events, especially towards the end. Some may have issues with the end (I won't spoil it), but it does pack a punch. SCORE: 9/10
ACTING: The acting is, with one slight exception, of a high caliber that can be easily appreciated today. The restrained naturalism of the performances helped to counteract some of the more florid aspects of the story and keeps it from descending into bathos. Mary Pickford plays the roles of Stella and Unity, and is compelling in both performances. She is rightly credited for ushering in a restrained and realistic acting style (in contrast to the florid, melodramatic mannerisms of contemporary theater acting) that continues to influence actors today. Pickford is charming and sweet as Stella without being cloying, and is impish and haggard as Unity. Her appearance as the two characters clearly emphasizes their difference in personality and circumstances. I also enjoyed Conway Teale's turn as John Risca, the writer who loves Stella but has to contend with an alcoholic wife. He was also quite naturalistic and very believable. The one performance I did have an issue with was Marcia Manon's turn as the villainous Louise Risca. She wasn't quite as overwrought as some other performers were at that time, but her occasional histrionics stuck out like a sore thumb in comparison to the restraint of the other cast members. Still, when she chooses to be more restrained she is quite effective. SCORE: 9/10
CINEMATOGRAPHY/PRODUCTION: STELLA MARIS benefits from the sensitive and skillful direction of Marshall Neilan. I had never heard of him before this movie, but this fine film makes me want to investigate more of his work. The camera doesn't move that much, but the varied use of medium shots and close-ups, as well as the well-paced editing, make up for it. No shot feels like it is on the screen for too long. Walter Stradling displays considerable skill as a cameraman. The lighting, tinting, and composition show Mary Pickford's luminous blonde beauty to great effect. The movie uses tinting to differentiate not only between day and night, but also to establish moods (the sunny yellowish tint of Pickford's scenes as the happy Stella Maris contrast with the black and white, untinted shots of Unity Blake's drab existence at the orphanage and with Louise Risca). Flashbacks and thoughts in the characters' minds are conveyed by double exposures superimposed on the frame, which was more effective than the then-contemporary device of fading out from the scene, then showing the flashback, then fading back in (which DW Griffith was still using in 1920's THE LOVE FLOWER). Superb work overall. SCORE: 10/10
SUMMARY: STELLA MARIS is a superb showcase for Mary Pickford's acting talents. The story is melodramatic and at times implausible, but it is told briskly and in a fairly well balanced fashion. The performances, for the most part, hold up beautifully today and help to counteract some of the story's more florid moments. The cinematography and production of the film are top-notch. This movie definitely merits viewing today. SCORE: 10/10