This magical little gem from the studios of Thomas Edison is one of the revelations of the "Treasures from American Film Archives" program shown on TCM and available on DVD. In it a poor newsboy who lives with an alcoholic and abusive grandmother in a city slum gets to visit the countryside and participate in a picnic for the underprivileged. There he becomes transformed by a fairy-tale story that is read to the kids and is inspired to seek for himself that land beyond the horizon, where all is happiness and joy, a desire which all of us on this planet must surely share from time to time. The music track added to this presentation features some lovely songs which, together with the compelling images, transport us all to that better beyond.
16 Reviews
This Film IS Available on DVD
marie_D2 March 2001
You can see this and other terrific rare and vintage movies on THE TREASURES FROM AMERICAN FILM ARCHIVES DVD. I highly recommend this 4 DVD set. The short film itself is a sad tale of a poor street urchin who takes fairy tales too seriously.
A somewhat beautiful little movie
Red-Barracuda28 April 2012
A young impoverished boy wins the opportunity to spend a pleasant day out in the countryside. The under privileged children are told a fairy tale and this transforms the young lad. He imagines a land beyond the sunset. The film ends on a poetic enigmatic note.
The film is an unusual combination of social drama and otherworldly fantasy. It has to be said that these two seemingly opposing genres are combined here quite beautifully. There is definitely a social conscience here. The squalor of the city slums is compared to the country and it's clear that the film implies the latter is much better and purer. The fairy tale sequence itself is very nice, helped a great deal by the lilting Irish music accompanied by it in the version I saw and fitted with the images perfectly. The ending itself is somewhat ambiguous and open to different interpretations but this is one of the very reasons it is so effective and why this old film still feels so fresh.
The film is an unusual combination of social drama and otherworldly fantasy. It has to be said that these two seemingly opposing genres are combined here quite beautifully. There is definitely a social conscience here. The squalor of the city slums is compared to the country and it's clear that the film implies the latter is much better and purer. The fairy tale sequence itself is very nice, helped a great deal by the lilting Irish music accompanied by it in the version I saw and fitted with the images perfectly. The ending itself is somewhat ambiguous and open to different interpretations but this is one of the very reasons it is so effective and why this old film still feels so fresh.
A Thoughtful, Memorable Drama
Snow Leopard21 September 2005
This thoughtful, memorable drama is the kind of movie that sticks with you after it is over, and it provides some thoughtful, sensitive commentary on problems that are, unfortunately, still all too present in our society. It is also one of the best Edison Company films of the 1910s, and while they did make a fair number of entertaining movies during this time, "The Land Beyond the Sunset" stands out in addressing a sensitive subject without resorting to easy answers.
The story focuses on Joe, a young newsboy living in a squalid situation, who one day has the opportunity for a pleasant outing in the country, courtesy of the Fresh Air Fund. The story is simple, but it portrays the characters quite realistically. For a time, you expect to see an upbeat if pat resolution of Joe's struggles, but the finale is much better than that. Another reviewer here has very aptly described its "haunting ambiguity", because indeed it rejects all easy answers, leaving the viewer challenged to think for himself or herself.
There are also a couple of fine moments on the technical side. The one that stands out most of all is the crucial scene when the children on the outing are listening to the fairy tale told them by their well-meaning hosts. The composition is excellent, catching the detail in the foreground with a partial glimpse of the expanse of water in the background, fitting in nicely with the content of the story and the situation. Then there is added a double exposure shot that communicates exactly what Joe is thinking, nicely setting up the finale.
It all works very well, and is well worth taking the time to watch if you have any interest in silent dramas.
The story focuses on Joe, a young newsboy living in a squalid situation, who one day has the opportunity for a pleasant outing in the country, courtesy of the Fresh Air Fund. The story is simple, but it portrays the characters quite realistically. For a time, you expect to see an upbeat if pat resolution of Joe's struggles, but the finale is much better than that. Another reviewer here has very aptly described its "haunting ambiguity", because indeed it rejects all easy answers, leaving the viewer challenged to think for himself or herself.
There are also a couple of fine moments on the technical side. The one that stands out most of all is the crucial scene when the children on the outing are listening to the fairy tale told them by their well-meaning hosts. The composition is excellent, catching the detail in the foreground with a partial glimpse of the expanse of water in the background, fitting in nicely with the content of the story and the situation. Then there is added a double exposure shot that communicates exactly what Joe is thinking, nicely setting up the finale.
It all works very well, and is well worth taking the time to watch if you have any interest in silent dramas.
dreaming of a better life
mjneu5929 December 2010
I was fortunate to see this rarity on the big screen at the Pacific Film Archive in Berkeley, back in early 1987, on a double bill supporting the 1928 Russian Revolution potboiler 'The Red Dance', directed by Raoul Walsh (if my memory is correct, the program was presented by historian William K. Everson, during his regular annual visit to the theater).
'The Land Beyond the Sunset' is an early (1912) one-reeler about an underprivileged orphan who finds peace of mind at a charity picnic. The film is short and sweet, with an eloquent ending completely out of character for the usually prosaic Edison studios.
'The Land Beyond the Sunset' is an early (1912) one-reeler about an underprivileged orphan who finds peace of mind at a charity picnic. The film is short and sweet, with an eloquent ending completely out of character for the usually prosaic Edison studios.
Pretty good stuff for 1912
planktonrules29 October 2006
Warning: Spoilers
This is a pretty good film for 1912 and at 14 minutes, this is about average length for a movie during this era. The film is a bit overly melodramatic, but its still an interesting story. A young boy in rags is about to go on an outing for underprivileged kids. You see his tough and heart-breaking life and then you see him sneak off to the train that takes them out to the country for the picnic. All this is very well done. However, once at the picnic, things get a bit "schmaltzy" as well as VERY confusing. One of the women is reading the boy and a few other kids some story about magical fairies. Then, a bit later, the kid decides he, too, wants to go off to fairyland and hops aboard a small boat and drifts away and then the movie ends?! What did all this mean? Did the kid die and this was some sort of symbolic tale or did he just go crazy and go off in the boat to die or did he REALLY make it to fairyland? All this and much more is possible and it's really disappointing how vaguely the film concluded. Up until then, it had been pretty good stuff.
Haunting
danc-264 December 2014
This little film has a powerful, haunting final scene that gives me a chill, not only when I watch it, but when I think about it. An unusual film for 1912, particularly the ambiguity, the lack of a comforting ending. Reminiscent of the final scene in Hitchcock's The Birds — the uneasy ambiguity, of being on edge, of having the viewer fill in the finale. I am reluctant to write more, as I follow the view of Irish playwright Samuel Beckett, who said he refrained from producing more written works, because it was an "unnecessary stain on the silence." This is a short film that should be paid respect with an equally short review.
The pursuit of happiness
Horst_In_Translation12 March 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Sometimes, the simplest films are the best. There is really nothing outstanding about the plot or the performances in "The Land Beyond the Sunset", an American black-and-white silent film from 1912 and yet it is proof of how early silent films did not need sound or color in order to deliver emotion. You may find versions with a soundtrack or with color even, but I am talking about the original of course. A boy gets abused by his evil grandmother and dreams of getting into a land where he is accepted and loved by people who care for him. And in the end, he goes on his journey to happiness. I must say I enjoyed the watch. It's touching and nicely done overall. These 13 minutes are probably the most known work by Harold M. Shaw, who was pretty prolific back during his time, even if the end if silent films also meant the end of his career, which was so often the case back then. I recommend checking this one out. Well done to everybody involved.
Perfect
kidboots16 December 2014
Warning: Spoilers
The more I see of other studios at this particular time, the more I realise that Biograph seems to have an over exulted reputation. Edison Studios, who didn't have a reputation for being innovative, collaborated with the "Fresh Air Fund", a charity that organised country trips and outings for slum children, to produce this haunting film of an abused child (actually it indicates on the title credits that it is a re-issue from 1904 but I don't really believe that). The film is so clear - it's like you could reach into the screen and touch the players, as though it were made yesterday and the plaintive music is a big bonus.
Newsboy Joe trudges home after hours on the street hawking papers, to a drunken mother. Initially Joe is shown on a blank screen that gradually shows up the bustle and movement of the city. A mother and child take pity on him and give him some money and that is what he keeps back from his mother so he can go on the picnic. Joe almost misses the train but he is soon transported to a magical world - open spaces, trees, the river and fairy stories. The nice teacher reads the children one and Joe is soon dreaming of fairies and the land beyond the sunset. Joe seems to have developed a special bond with the young teacher which makes it disturbing when he is completely forgotten about.
This short film is so full of innovations, when the group go home Joe is left behind - his thoughts are materialised behind him and the horrible home coming that awaits him, so he decides to take a boat and find his own perfect land beyond the sunset. Martin Fuller was outstanding as Joe even though he only appeared in a handful of films in 1912.
Newsboy Joe trudges home after hours on the street hawking papers, to a drunken mother. Initially Joe is shown on a blank screen that gradually shows up the bustle and movement of the city. A mother and child take pity on him and give him some money and that is what he keeps back from his mother so he can go on the picnic. Joe almost misses the train but he is soon transported to a magical world - open spaces, trees, the river and fairy stories. The nice teacher reads the children one and Joe is soon dreaming of fairies and the land beyond the sunset. Joe seems to have developed a special bond with the young teacher which makes it disturbing when he is completely forgotten about.
This short film is so full of innovations, when the group go home Joe is left behind - his thoughts are materialised behind him and the horrible home coming that awaits him, so he decides to take a boat and find his own perfect land beyond the sunset. Martin Fuller was outstanding as Joe even though he only appeared in a handful of films in 1912.
The First Promotional Non-Profit Movie
springfieldrental17 April 2021
Art combines with messaging in cinema's first nonprofit promotional film, October 1912's "The Land Beyond Sunset." The short movie, sponsored by the still active non-profit organization The Fresh Air Fund, encourages poor city children to make an effort to visit the outdoors. The ending is absolutely stunning.
Edison Studios took on the task of creating a story--script written by Dorothy Shore--of convincing people, especially children, to escape the confining tenements of the big cities and journey into the countryside. An abused boy constantly being beaten by his drunken grandmother, takes up the offer to go on a children's trip to a countryside lake. The excursion proves to be such an eyeopener and refreshing that he's hesitant to return to his nightmarish home environment.
This first ever promotional movie was eventful and convincing to those in the audience. Yet the film, directed by Harold Shaw, is so beautifully done that it set the template of how to produce a persuasive message on film by an organization who wants to improve the lives of those in destitute.
Edison Studios took on the task of creating a story--script written by Dorothy Shore--of convincing people, especially children, to escape the confining tenements of the big cities and journey into the countryside. An abused boy constantly being beaten by his drunken grandmother, takes up the offer to go on a children's trip to a countryside lake. The excursion proves to be such an eyeopener and refreshing that he's hesitant to return to his nightmarish home environment.
This first ever promotional movie was eventful and convincing to those in the audience. Yet the film, directed by Harold Shaw, is so beautifully done that it set the template of how to produce a persuasive message on film by an organization who wants to improve the lives of those in destitute.
Edison Studios
yusufpiskin23 November 2020
Forever abused by his alcoholic grandmother, an impoverished, orphaned newspaper boy escapes his wretched home-life for a day, when he goes to the countryside on a charitable outing for poor children. Whilst there, he is regaled with a story about a young boy who makes an escape from a wicked witch. Aided by fairies, the story's protagonist is taken on a boat journey across the sea to The Land Beyond the Sunset, where he lives happily ever after, proving an inspiration to the young boy in the process, in this Edison Studios production-an affecting, beautifully crafted short, which expertly juxtaposes fantasy and reality for maximum impact.
Tracking down the incomplete dreams beyond limits in early age.
SAMTHEBESTEST28 February 2021
The Land Beyond the Sunset (1912) :
Brief Review -
Tracking down the incomplete dreams beyond limits in early age. While you read this sentence let me tell you what that 'Early Age' stands for. It stands with two meanings, one is Early Age of The Boy shown in the film and second of course Early Age of Cinema. This sweet little film has so much to teach in haunting manners that one can never forget if understands the long-living message of it. A young boy, opressed by his mother, goes on an outing in the country with a social welfare group where he dares to dream of a land where the cares of his ordinary life fade. That's the overall narrative expect for one fairy tale sequence which plays a major role in setting the climax right. For that boy's age it was necessary to tell the story in simple manners because as a character he needed to understand the situation according to his maturity level and that's where the idea fairy tale hits top notch. With intricate or dramatic perspective it might have gone wrong but fortunately it didn't go down. Only that last scene is enough to make this one a must watch not only for its time but for our time as well. Dorothy Shore's writing is convincing upto the satisfying mark or if i may say it's little beyond because the impact of the storyline is infinitive. There was nothing much left for the director Harold Shaw after the great writing as far as the conviction part was concerned yet he had a chance to make it even better with his visionary framework. Like i said, the last scene is more than enough to call it a must watch and the reason for it is Shaw's direction. He presents the story in simplest way possible and yet keeps his cinema art alive through execution. Overall, a Fine film for kids as well as adults cause everybody has some dreams or had dreams at least once in the life.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest
Tracking down the incomplete dreams beyond limits in early age. While you read this sentence let me tell you what that 'Early Age' stands for. It stands with two meanings, one is Early Age of The Boy shown in the film and second of course Early Age of Cinema. This sweet little film has so much to teach in haunting manners that one can never forget if understands the long-living message of it. A young boy, opressed by his mother, goes on an outing in the country with a social welfare group where he dares to dream of a land where the cares of his ordinary life fade. That's the overall narrative expect for one fairy tale sequence which plays a major role in setting the climax right. For that boy's age it was necessary to tell the story in simple manners because as a character he needed to understand the situation according to his maturity level and that's where the idea fairy tale hits top notch. With intricate or dramatic perspective it might have gone wrong but fortunately it didn't go down. Only that last scene is enough to make this one a must watch not only for its time but for our time as well. Dorothy Shore's writing is convincing upto the satisfying mark or if i may say it's little beyond because the impact of the storyline is infinitive. There was nothing much left for the director Harold Shaw after the great writing as far as the conviction part was concerned yet he had a chance to make it even better with his visionary framework. Like i said, the last scene is more than enough to call it a must watch and the reason for it is Shaw's direction. He presents the story in simplest way possible and yet keeps his cinema art alive through execution. Overall, a Fine film for kids as well as adults cause everybody has some dreams or had dreams at least once in the life.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest
The Ending Alone Makes it a Must See
Michael_Elliott17 August 2011
Land Beyond the Sunset, The (1912)
*** (out of 4)
This is a rather interesting and sadly forgotten film from Edison. Poor boy Joe (Martin Fuller) is abused by his alcoholic grandmother so he gets on a train where a group of under privileged children are going on a picnic. At the picnic the teacher tells Joe a story about a kid who was put in a boat and sailed off for a fairy land beyond the sunset. I won't ruin how the film ends but you really have to give it credit for having the guts to end like it does. Again, I won't ruin anything but the ending certainly makes one think as there are several things that might have happened and it's up to the viewer to make up their own mind. I think it's fair to say that this Edison film was trying to copy the work of D.W. Griffith as it certainly has a political message about the poor but it also has the view that happiness can be found in the country, which are two things that the Biograph director made a lot of films about. For the most part I found this piece to be interesting for a number of reasons. One is the before mentioned ending. Another is how it shows the poor living and the effect on Joe after seeing the country, which is seen as a much more pleasant and safe place. I also enjoyed the rather surreal nature of how the film told the "story" of Joe in such a way where it really did seem like a fairy tale. Fuller is very good in his role as the poor boy who dreams of something better.
*** (out of 4)
This is a rather interesting and sadly forgotten film from Edison. Poor boy Joe (Martin Fuller) is abused by his alcoholic grandmother so he gets on a train where a group of under privileged children are going on a picnic. At the picnic the teacher tells Joe a story about a kid who was put in a boat and sailed off for a fairy land beyond the sunset. I won't ruin how the film ends but you really have to give it credit for having the guts to end like it does. Again, I won't ruin anything but the ending certainly makes one think as there are several things that might have happened and it's up to the viewer to make up their own mind. I think it's fair to say that this Edison film was trying to copy the work of D.W. Griffith as it certainly has a political message about the poor but it also has the view that happiness can be found in the country, which are two things that the Biograph director made a lot of films about. For the most part I found this piece to be interesting for a number of reasons. One is the before mentioned ending. Another is how it shows the poor living and the effect on Joe after seeing the country, which is seen as a much more pleasant and safe place. I also enjoyed the rather surreal nature of how the film told the "story" of Joe in such a way where it really did seem like a fairy tale. Fuller is very good in his role as the poor boy who dreams of something better.
Exquisite mini-masterpiece.
lorenellroy19 April 2016
This short but affecting movie was produced as a, promotional tool by the New York Fresh Air Fund, a charity dedicated to providing short breaks for children living in the slums of that city. A poor boy sells newspapers for his precarious living. His alcohol ravaged mother abuses him and he finds respite when taken for an excursion into the surrounding countryside. During the picnic he socialises with other children and listens, rapt, to a tale of an enchanted, fairytale world where he sees himself as a prince rescued from the clutches of an evil witch (his real life mother). In the the vision he is rescued by a young woman with a magic wand and transported to the Land of Eternal Happiness. When the time comes to return to the city and the life of abuse and grinding poverty he opts to stay behind. He makes a choice, the importance and implications of which are monumental. The closing shots are incredibly moving. Pure poetry. The movie is an expert blend of social realism and fairy tale. Undeniably sentimental, it is also utterly memorable.
Excellent, poignant silent film that still entertains 110 years later
mrb198015 November 2022
A lot of people I know won't even watch silent films, because the think that they're old-fashioned, creaky, exhibit overblown acting, they aren't in color, and there are no explosions or violent deaths. People like that should watch "The Land Beyond the Sunset", a little silent gem with a touching (and sad) story.
Joe is a poor newsboy in a big city who makes a pitiful living selling papers and who is horribly abused by his drunken grandmother. She confiscates Joe's meager earnings to buy more alcohol, beats Joe in her drunkenness, and forces him to sleep on the floor.
One day Joe obtains a ticket for a Saturday children's outing arranged by the Fresh Air Fund, which introduces him to the world outside the inner city for the first time. Joe is enthralled by the beauty of the country, and is befriended by a young teacher and several of the children. A preacher reads the children a story about a land beyond the sunset, in which a child was abused but rescued and sent by boat to a beautiful faraway land, where there is only happiness. Finally the children and the adults leave to go home, but Joe hides and stays behind. He finds a rowboat and drifts away into the sunset.
This irresistible silent film goes from Joe's wretched and impoverished existence to a beautiful place full of loving people, then ends with a haunting shot of a distant boat drifting away on the sea. No matter how one feels about silent films, this one is a must-see. It's original, touching, and haunting...and you'll never forget it.
Joe is a poor newsboy in a big city who makes a pitiful living selling papers and who is horribly abused by his drunken grandmother. She confiscates Joe's meager earnings to buy more alcohol, beats Joe in her drunkenness, and forces him to sleep on the floor.
One day Joe obtains a ticket for a Saturday children's outing arranged by the Fresh Air Fund, which introduces him to the world outside the inner city for the first time. Joe is enthralled by the beauty of the country, and is befriended by a young teacher and several of the children. A preacher reads the children a story about a land beyond the sunset, in which a child was abused but rescued and sent by boat to a beautiful faraway land, where there is only happiness. Finally the children and the adults leave to go home, but Joe hides and stays behind. He finds a rowboat and drifts away into the sunset.
This irresistible silent film goes from Joe's wretched and impoverished existence to a beautiful place full of loving people, then ends with a haunting shot of a distant boat drifting away on the sea. No matter how one feels about silent films, this one is a must-see. It's original, touching, and haunting...and you'll never forget it.
Very Good Early Film
gavin694226 January 2016
A young boy (Martin Fuller), oppressed by his mother, goes on an outing in the country with a social welfare group where he dares to dream of a land where the cares of his ordinary life fade.
This film looks great more than 100 years later. The picture is very crisp, and the use of double exposure is not only very well done ,but still works excellently as a fade in or out after all this time. Whoever preserved this film did much better than almost everyone else.
I loved how this incorporated some fantasy elements. Whether or not it was the first, it is great to see the costumes and the use of witches and fairies. A boy who must escape the world could ask for no better companions.
This film looks great more than 100 years later. The picture is very crisp, and the use of double exposure is not only very well done ,but still works excellently as a fade in or out after all this time. Whoever preserved this film did much better than almost everyone else.
I loved how this incorporated some fantasy elements. Whether or not it was the first, it is great to see the costumes and the use of witches and fairies. A boy who must escape the world could ask for no better companions.
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