Renee is a French artist's model who uses morphine as an escape from the dull reality of her life. She recommends it to a neurotic artist because "it kindles the fires of genius." The artist quickly becomes addicted to the drug and the quality of his work begins to disintegrate. He takes on a new model, marries her, and starts her on the same path of moral degradation, until a guilt-ridden Renee decides to intervene in order to save them both. According to silent film historian Kevin Brownlow, THE DEVIL'S NEEDLE was banned by the state of Ohio, but the censor board reversed its decision after recognizing the positive message beneath the film's scandalous surface. This special edition was mastered from a 35mm preservation print of the 1923 re-release version. The only known surviving copy, the element suffers significant nitrate decomposition during some scenes.
08-12-1916
1h 6m
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Main Cast
Movie Details
Production Info
Director:
Chester Withey
Writer:
Chester Withey
Production:
Fine Arts Film Company
Locations and Languages
Country:
US
Filming:
US
Languages:
en
Main Cast
Norma Talmadge
Norma Talmadge started her career in one-reelers in 1909 for Vitagraph, playing bit roles as a young teenager starting. As she continually worked at the studio over the next several years, her parts grew until she frequently started as the leading lady.
Her young promising career got a huge boost after her marriage to exhibitor Joseph M. Schenck. Together, they formed the Norma Talmadge Film Corporation in 1917 and began producing Star vechiles for Talmadge. Specializing in melodramas and woman’s pictures, Talmadge became one of the biggest stars of the 1920s, starting in hits such as Smilin’ Through, Secrets, The Lady, and Kiki.
With her star already fading when the talkie revolution swept Hollywood, Talmadge made just two sound films before retiring from the screen. Although largely forgotten today, Talmadge was a pioneering producer and director who stood as one of the most popular and powerful women in early Hollywood.
From Wikipedia
Marguerite Marsh (April 18, 1888 – December 8, 1925) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in 73 films between 1911 and 1923.
Marsh was the eldest child of S. Charles Marsh and May T. Warne born in Lawrence, Kansas, and she died in New York City from complications of bronchial pneumonia. She was the sister of actress Mae Marsh and cinematographer Oliver T. Marsh.
According to the 1910 Census for Los Angeles, California, Margeurite Marsh was living with her mother, May, and stepfather, William Hall, and she was listed as being married to Donald Loveridge with a daughter Leslie Loveridge. Her daughter appeared in one film called The Battle of Elderbush Gulch (1913) with her aunt Mae Marsh.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. F. A. Turner (12 October 1858 – 13 February 1923) was an American actor of the silent era. He appeared in 68 films between 1914 and 1922. He was born in New York.
Description above from the Wikipedia article F. A. Turner, licensed under CC-BY-SA,full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Monte Blue (January 11, 1887 – February 18, 1963) was a movie actor who began his career as a romantic leading man in the silent film era, and later progressed to character roles.
Blue was born as Gerard Montgomery Bluefeather in Indianapolis, Indiana. His father was half French, half Cherokee Indian. One of five children, his father died and his mother could not raise five children alone. Along with another brother, they both admitted to the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Children's Home. This did not stop him working his way through to Purdue University.
When growing up, Blue built up his physique to become a football player (he grew to six feet three inches tall). He not only played football, but he was also a fireman, railroad worker, coal miner, cowpuncher, ranch hand, circus rider, lumberjack, and finally, a day laborer at the studios of D. W. Griffith.
He had no theatrical experience when he came to the screen. In his first movie, The Birth of a Nation (1915), he was a stuntman and an extra in the movie. In his next movie, he starred in another small part in the movie, Intolerance (1916). Gradually moving to supporting roles for both D. W. Griffith and Cecil B. DeMille, Blue earned his breakthrough role as Danton in Orphans of the Storm, starring sisters, Lillian Gish and Dorothy Gish. Then he rose to stardom as a rugged romantic lead along with top leading actresses such as Clara Bow, Gloria Swanson, and Norma Shearer. His most prolific female screen partner was Marie Prevost with whom he made several films in the mid 20s at Warner Brothers. Blue's finest silent screen performance was as the alcoholic doctor who finds paradise in MGM's White Shadows in the South Seas (1928). Blue became one of the few silent stars to survive the talkie revolution. However, he lost his investments in the stock market crash of 1929.
He rebuilt his career as a character actor, working until his retirement in 1954. One of his more memorable roles was the sheriff in Key Largo. He divorced his first wife in 1923 and married Tova Jansen in 1924. He had two children, Barbara Ann and Richard Monte. During the later part of his life, Monte Blue was an active Mason and the advance man for the Hamid-Morton Shrine Circus; while on business in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, he had a heart attack because of complications from influenza, dying at age 76.
Monte Blue has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6286 Hollywood Blvd.
Description above from the Wikipedia article Monte Blue, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.
