Mary Pickford is quite taken with Edwin August; in fact, he is her "ideal". But, Mr. August's refusal to get mixed up in a street brawl makes him look like a coward to Ms. Pickford. Meanwhile, convict Alfred Paget has escaped from prison; and, he is "A Beast at Bay". While Pickford and August go for a ride in her nifty 1900s automobile, criminal Paget ambushes one of his guards, taking the man's clothing and gun. Next, Pickford drops off August, still arguing he is a coward, and drives off. Alone, Pickford gets out of her car to retrieve a fallen garment; then, on-the-lam Paget moves in to carjack her. From a distance, August witnesses Pickford being taken at gunpoint - can he save his girl, and prove he's not a coward?
Another D.W. Griffith film with a criminal invading an otherwise unrelated situation; this time, the interest is heightened as August's cowardice does play well against the danger offered by convict Paget. August seems, possibly, a little more reasonable than cowardly, given the circumstance depicted; however, the characterizations are interesting and believable. The "parallel" stories have a structural reason to juxtapose.
The engine pursuit is genuinely thrilling - Griffith and his crew continue to offer great, innovative movie excitement. Mae Marsh is the best of the always fine Biograph supporting troupe; she's Pickford's best girlfriend. Pickford is fine as the demanding damsel; she plays the heroine with a relatively high level of resourcefulness - and, it's nice to see Mary Pickford in the "driver's seat"! Paget steals some acting honors, with his portrayal of the desperate convict. Look for a great scene between Paget and Pickford - at about 11:00 minutes in - Paget will touch Mary Pickford's curls, finger her lapel, and reach down to open her coat, suggesting sexual violation; it's creepily well-played.
******* A Beast at Bay (5/27/12) D.W. Griffith ~ Mary Pickford, Alfred Paget, Edwin August
Another D.W. Griffith film with a criminal invading an otherwise unrelated situation; this time, the interest is heightened as August's cowardice does play well against the danger offered by convict Paget. August seems, possibly, a little more reasonable than cowardly, given the circumstance depicted; however, the characterizations are interesting and believable. The "parallel" stories have a structural reason to juxtapose.
The engine pursuit is genuinely thrilling - Griffith and his crew continue to offer great, innovative movie excitement. Mae Marsh is the best of the always fine Biograph supporting troupe; she's Pickford's best girlfriend. Pickford is fine as the demanding damsel; she plays the heroine with a relatively high level of resourcefulness - and, it's nice to see Mary Pickford in the "driver's seat"! Paget steals some acting honors, with his portrayal of the desperate convict. Look for a great scene between Paget and Pickford - at about 11:00 minutes in - Paget will touch Mary Pickford's curls, finger her lapel, and reach down to open her coat, suggesting sexual violation; it's creepily well-played.
******* A Beast at Bay (5/27/12) D.W. Griffith ~ Mary Pickford, Alfred Paget, Edwin August