"Hoodoo Ann" (1916) By Lloyd Ingraham

Ferdinand Von Galitzien · Post by **Ferdinand Von Galitzien** » Sat Jul 18, 2009 12:30 am

Whenever silent fans around the world talk about the Amerikan actress
Dame Mae Marsh, inevitably the name of Herr D. W. Griffith is part of
the silent chatter due to the importance that the Amerikan director had
in Dame Marsh's career, a close and fruitful collaboration indeed. Both
silent celebrities started their careers during the pioneers times with
Dame Marsh being discovered accidentally by Herr Griffith and then
later becoming one of his most distinctive classical heroines.

After having worked with her mentor in the milestone film "The Birth Of
A Nation" (1915), Dame Marsh played "Hoodoo Ann" in the silent year of
1916, a film actually directed by Herr Lloyd Ingraham but with a
scenario by Herr Griffith. The Dame Marsh character in this small film
production has many recognizable elements of Herr Griffith's heroines
(not surprising considering who did the script) that this count
mentioned before: a little orphan girl ( it is well-known that Herr
Griffith has a special fondness for little orphans… ), an innocent and
long-suffering child who will overcome many problems during her life
with her special persistence.

So we have a classic Herr Griffith heroine who is outspoken and
encounters some unexpected misfortunes but finds a handsome and rich
fiancée who will bring about a happy ending. However, first an
intriguing mystery will have to be solved.

But not all the credit of "Hoodoo Ann" should go to the Griffith/Marsh
duo; Herr Ingraham did his part too, directing the film with resolute
hand, using elaborate film narratives techniques to entwine comedy with
tragedy.

In spite of Dame Marsh being too grown up to be playing a little girl,
her performance is honest and unpretentious like the film itself. After
all, "Hoodoo Ann" is a small film whose principal intention is to
entertain, much like what happens when our heroine attends a "moving
pitcher" show, in which she can escape from reality, like so many
others, and be fascinated by such an odd invention. Surprisingly, the
movies play a strong part in resolving the plot when a curious incident
happens in the vicinity; after all, reality is stranger than fiction.

And now, if you'll allow me, I must temporarily take my leave because
this German Count must act as godfather to a little but rich German
orphan.

Herr Graf Ferdinand Von Galitzien
http://ferdinandvongalitzien.blogspot.com/

Post by **Christopher Jacobs** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 1:36 pm

HOODOO ANN is an underappreciated film that deserves wider exposure (and at least there's a very nice DVD available). It's almost like two films crammed into one, and is a wonderful time capsule of life of the period, especially that movie-going sequence. It's on my list of top 10 films from 1916.

--Christopher Jacobs
http://www.und.edu/instruct/cjacobs
http://hpr1.com/film

Kevin2 · Post by **Kevin2** » Fri Jul 31, 2009 4:14 pm

I, too, really enjoy this film. I was under the impression that Griffith was an uncredited co-director, but either way I think Marsh gives quite a good performance, and I absolutely love the staging of the kiss she and Harron share on the front porch.