Vintage original 4 x 9 in. US herald from the lost silent film social drama, THE ESCAPE, released in 1914 by the Mutual Film Corporation and directed by D.W. Griffith.
The Escape was only the second feature-length film directed by D.W. Griffith after he left the Biograph Company. The front cover notes that this was "D.W. Griffith's Greatest All-Star Feature Film" that was founded on Paul Armstrong's play of the same name was was "showing the Escape of a Woman from Poverty and Degradation, through Sin, Suffering and Sorrow to a Better Life." It opens to reveal three black-and-white photographic scenes from this lost film with a description of the story beneath them. One of the pages features a detailed "Synopsis" as well as a cast list of the major characters. The back cover lists the major characters as well.
Original release material of any kind from this film is extremely rare. This herald is in good- condition only.
*"The Escape was a 1914 American silent drama film written and directed by D. W. Griffith and starred Donald Crisp. The film is based on the play of the same name by Paul Armstrong who also wrote the screenplay. It is now considered lost. The master negative of the production was destroyed in the disastrous 1914 Lubin vault fire in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The Escape was based on a play by Paul Armstrong, a prolific playwright best known for his properties Alias Jimmy Valentine (1910) and Salomy Jane (1907). Griffith's film version was begun first, finished second, but released third among the cycle of five films he made at Reliance-Majestic Studiosbetween his ouster at Biograph Company and the advent of The Birth of a Nation (1915).
Filming of The Escape began in New York City, but was completed in Los Angeles partly due to an illness in the cast. There was a long delay in getting it out; although Mutual Film finally released it on June 1, 1914, response to The Escape was of a mixed character and the film was dumped on the States' Rights market by the end of the year. Lillian Gish recalled The Escape as one of the finest films Griffith ever made, whereas Griffith himself regarded its failure as a momentary distraction during the planning stages of The Birth of a Nation.
Iris Barry first reported The Escape as a lost film in 1940 and despite an international search for Griffith's film output lasting the decades since, The Escape remains one among a small handful of Griffith features that have never been located."
*(source: Wikipedia)
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