The Taint (1915)
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“The Taint”
A three-reel Lubin photoplay of the south, produced by Sidney Olcott, with Valentine Grant in the leading role.
Reviewed by Edward Weitzel.
The one remarkable feature connected with the production of The Taint, a three-reel Lubin [Edwin Lubin] drama directed by Sidney Olcott, is the effective way in which the burning of an extensive lumber yard has been utilized in the telling of the story. The locale is in Florida, and a costly and spectacular fire is made an integral part of the plot.
The story itself furnishes material for an interesting photoplay. The spoken drama contains two notable examples of plays built on a similar subject, The Octoroon, by Dion Boucicault, and Bartley Campbell’s The White Slave. Like The Taint, the heroine of both these dramas is wrongly accused of having negro blood in her veins. The author of the Lubin photoplay has treated the theme on original lines and fashioned it into an interesting, and at times intensely dramatic picture. As already indicated, the scenes incident to the burning of the lumber yard are the most outstanding feature of the production, but The Taint has other positive merits, and is worthy of serious consideration on account of the strength of its story and the general excellence of its transference to the screen.
“Valentine Grant plays the girl with the spurious taint. She is easily mistress of every situation imposed by the exigencies of the plot, and is aided as much by her personality as by the resources of her art. Roy Sheldon, P. H. O’Malley and James Vincent are laudable members of the cast.
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Scene from The Taint (Lubin).
Collection: Moving Picture World, January 1915
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Roy Sheldon | Valentine Grant | Sidney Olcott (Director)
Rest of cast:
Pat O’Malley | James Vincent | Pearl Gaddis (Writer) | Siegmund Lubin (Producer)
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see also