1st watched 2/18/2007 - 6 out of 10(Dir-William O'Connor): Honest portrayal of alcoholism and it's effects in this rarely seen film. The title character, a family man named Joe Morgan, has a daughter who is very sick and visit's the new doctor in town at the local hotel and bar. The only problem is he steps his foot into the bar and orders a drink(his family history is such that one drink will start a cycle that he won't be able to stop). Up to this point, he is seen as a hard-working, family-loving man but things get worse as he frequents the bars day after day. After a few months, he is to the point where he needs the doctor worse than his daughter as she is getting better under his care. He loses his job and all his money in a card game and soon he is spending more time at the bar than at home. There are a couple un-forgettable scenes where his daughter visits him in the bar asking him to come home because she misses him so much that is heart-breaking(although the 2nd scene makes it a little over-done). This movie started as a portrait of a sick girl and became a portrait of a sick man who is only temporarily won over by the love of his daughter. The movie doesn't try to explain away the problem, it just presents it. He still loves his daughter and his family but he is taken away from it by his alcoholism. It also doesn't try to candy-coat things with a Hollywood-type ending, it just ends(actually on a pretty negative note). The only real negative to the movie is it's attempt to throw in minor scenes of comedy and a very slight portrayal of the effect on the family but these things really don't diminish from the overall impact of the movie.
5 Reviews
An odd combination...incredibly old fashioned yet very realistic!
planktonrules20 February 2016
In the 19th and early 20th century, moralistic and sensationalistic tales about the evils of drink were very popular on stage. Not surprisingly, in the early days of film, these sorts of stories were also extremely popular. The stories were generally very, very melodramatic and even a bit silly. They had a good point to make but told the stories in such ridiculous ways that they are laughable by today's standards. "Ten Nights in a Barroom" is clearly inspired by all these previous stories and even features some super- sentimental and old time music and is a bit ridiculous. However, oddly, it also is much more realistic at times--particularly in its portrayal of advanced alcoholism and the DTs. So, we have a definite mixed bag of a film that is super-familiar if you've seen any of these anti-drink silent movies. I've seen quite a few and they are all essentially the same--a decent family man avoids alcohol until one day he is pressed repeatedly by his so-called friends to have 'just one'....and he soon is a raging drunk who is abusive and neglectful of his poor family. If course, being an hour long, it's got more to it as well--including a very odd scene near the end when the drunken guy burns down the bar!! Oddly enjoyable despite its being old fashioned even when it debuted in 1931.
"Charity..., for a drunkard's family!"
classicsoncall27 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Not what I expected from a movie titled "Ten Nights In a Barroom", particularly since it was packaged with a variety of anti-drug propaganda films from the 1930's like "The Marijuana Menace" and "Reefer Madness". This one played more like a melodramatic morality play at one end, and as another reviewer on this board pointed out, like a standard 'B' Western from the era wherein the main character was duped by an unscrupulous villain to take away his business and livelihood. For a very early talkie film, it deserves some credit for a gripping story, but upon analysis, falls victim to a number of problems to the discerning viewer.
For starters, there was an issue with the film's continuity relative to Joe Morgan's (William Farnum) sick young daughter Mary (Peggy Lou Lind). Early in the story, Dr. Romaine's diagnosis allowed for Mary to get over her illness with bed rest after a couple of days. Yet after six months, Mary's still in bed with no further explanation of her ailment, and that drags on until another title card states it's one year later! The young actress portraying Mary does a serious heart string number when she encounters her father in the bar for the first time, but then the picture goes on to attempt the scenario again when the initial impact provided the pathos needed to engage the viewer in her family's plight. At that time, the effectiveness of the scene was measured in the follow up where all the family men of the town stopped their drinking to go home to their families.
Where the film achieves a measure of success is the way it keeps one in suspense about villain Slade's (Tom Santschi) angle in leading Morgan down the path of the demon rum. It was easy enough to guess I suppose, but it wasn't clear early in the picture that Morgan was a man of some means, or that his family history was scourged by alcoholism. It's that unveiling that makes for an absorbing story, even if some of the acting has that forced look and feel of early talking pictures that tended to lay it all out for the viewer instead of allowing for one to use their own imagination.
For starters, there was an issue with the film's continuity relative to Joe Morgan's (William Farnum) sick young daughter Mary (Peggy Lou Lind). Early in the story, Dr. Romaine's diagnosis allowed for Mary to get over her illness with bed rest after a couple of days. Yet after six months, Mary's still in bed with no further explanation of her ailment, and that drags on until another title card states it's one year later! The young actress portraying Mary does a serious heart string number when she encounters her father in the bar for the first time, but then the picture goes on to attempt the scenario again when the initial impact provided the pathos needed to engage the viewer in her family's plight. At that time, the effectiveness of the scene was measured in the follow up where all the family men of the town stopped their drinking to go home to their families.
Where the film achieves a measure of success is the way it keeps one in suspense about villain Slade's (Tom Santschi) angle in leading Morgan down the path of the demon rum. It was easy enough to guess I suppose, but it wasn't clear early in the picture that Morgan was a man of some means, or that his family history was scourged by alcoholism. It's that unveiling that makes for an absorbing story, even if some of the acting has that forced look and feel of early talking pictures that tended to lay it all out for the viewer instead of allowing for one to use their own imagination.
Where are the violins and organ music? Oh wait. This is a talking picture.
mark.waltz16 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
Silent screen star William Farnum stars as Joe Morgan in this creaky early talkie (the third version of the same story) as a barfly who has an ailing daughter, causing additional worry for his wife and mother as his alcoholism gets worse. His drinking gets him into more trouble when he gets into a fight with a member of a local gang. Issues with his drinking causes him to loose the mill he has inherited from a generation of drunken Morgans and before long, he is begging for drinks and on the verge of dying from excessive consumption, haunted by the sudden visit of his ailing daughter (Patty Lou Lynd) who somehow makes her way from her sick bed through the bar's swinging doors to beg papa to come home.
This tedious melodrama seems inspired by viligant temperance leagues with mom always on his case with reminders of past male members of the family getting progressively preachy. Farnum does add more dimensions to his troubled character than the others which includes the long suffering wife (Phyllis Barrington), the Carrie Nation like nagging mother (Kathrin Clare Ward) and the men who enable him in getting continuously schnockered. Each time Lynd appears at the bar, I found myself rolling my eyes and laughing at the film, a scene that should have had me more emotionally engrossed. A shocking twist concerning her character does add some dimension to the story but seems forced and manipulated to get the audience to confront their own drinking.
Excessively old fashioned and dripping in its silent film like melodrama, this becomes more laughable as it goes on. In fact, it's one step from being an exploitation film in the realm of "Reefer Madness" and "Narcotic" but fortunately never completely crosses that line. Ancient plots like this were spoofed deliciously by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in "Strike Up the Band!" a decade later. Comic relief involving the bar's cleaning lady (hatchet faced Fern Emmett) and dish washer (Harry Todd) is a strange element of a strange prohibition era drama that has not stood the test of time. The final five minutes of the film (involving a fire in the bar) just really raise the level of absurdity and had me laughing at the idea that two fighting grown men wouldn't smell the bar burning around them. A similar film ("The Struggle") made the same year marked D.W. Griffith's exodus from the screen, and this film does no favors for anybody involved, either.
This tedious melodrama seems inspired by viligant temperance leagues with mom always on his case with reminders of past male members of the family getting progressively preachy. Farnum does add more dimensions to his troubled character than the others which includes the long suffering wife (Phyllis Barrington), the Carrie Nation like nagging mother (Kathrin Clare Ward) and the men who enable him in getting continuously schnockered. Each time Lynd appears at the bar, I found myself rolling my eyes and laughing at the film, a scene that should have had me more emotionally engrossed. A shocking twist concerning her character does add some dimension to the story but seems forced and manipulated to get the audience to confront their own drinking.
Excessively old fashioned and dripping in its silent film like melodrama, this becomes more laughable as it goes on. In fact, it's one step from being an exploitation film in the realm of "Reefer Madness" and "Narcotic" but fortunately never completely crosses that line. Ancient plots like this were spoofed deliciously by Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland in "Strike Up the Band!" a decade later. Comic relief involving the bar's cleaning lady (hatchet faced Fern Emmett) and dish washer (Harry Todd) is a strange element of a strange prohibition era drama that has not stood the test of time. The final five minutes of the film (involving a fire in the bar) just really raise the level of absurdity and had me laughing at the idea that two fighting grown men wouldn't smell the bar burning around them. A similar film ("The Struggle") made the same year marked D.W. Griffith's exodus from the screen, and this film does no favors for anybody involved, either.
Magnificent William Farnum
kidboots5 February 2009
Warning: Spoilers
William Farnum had such a presence, he could make even the most dismal Western memorable. He came from a family almost as steeped in theatrical tradition as the Barrymores. His older brother, Dustin was a renowned star of the American theatre as were he and his parents. Dustin originally came to films as the star of Cecil B. DeMille's first feature "The Squaw Man" (1914). William made his film debut in the western "The Spoilers" (1914) - although he was extremely versatile and his favourite role was as Sidney Carton in "A Tale of Two Cities"(1917). Dustin died in 1929 but William kept going, giving intensity to every part he played. I thought he was excellent in "The Painted Desert" and "Between Men", but I agree with the reviewer that in this film he gives his all and it may be his finest performance.
There is a new doctor in town and Joe Morgan (William Farnum) has high hopes that he will be able to cure his sick daughter Mary, (Peggy Lou Lynd). He finds the doctor in the bar, a place Morgan is reluctant to go. His family has a history of alcoholism, but after a fight (to prove his manliness) he is persuaded by the evil owner Simon Slade to have a drink (or three). As a result he arrives home drunk and his mother is distraught. His father was a drunkard and the family struggled in poverty.
Six months later Joe is the town drunkard, his mill is losing business and his hired hands are getting fed up. One night his little girl gets out of her sick bed and fetches her father from the bar. Although he is shocked, it is not enough to keep him from his bad ways. In desperation he signs the deeds of his mill over to Slade. Slade, who first introduced him to alcohol, over time has been fleecing him out of whatever money Joe has. When Joe has a fit of the DTs Slade refuses to serve him, calling him a "drunken bum". The doctor finds him and nurses him back to health but one night the old craving gets to Joe and he wanders into the bar. After an altercation with Slade, Mary wanders in and is hit by a bottle that Slade has thrown. Although Mary recovers, Joe, seeing himself in a mirror, realises what he has become and decides to change.
Farnum and Tom Santschi originally appeared together in "The Spoilers" (1914) and the fight between them was renowned for it's realism. It seems that fight was recreated in "Ten Nights in a Barroom" as it is one of the most realistic fights I have ever seen on film. For the fight alone the film is worth seeing and also for Farnum's magnificent portrayal of Joe Morgan.
Highly Recommended.
There is a new doctor in town and Joe Morgan (William Farnum) has high hopes that he will be able to cure his sick daughter Mary, (Peggy Lou Lynd). He finds the doctor in the bar, a place Morgan is reluctant to go. His family has a history of alcoholism, but after a fight (to prove his manliness) he is persuaded by the evil owner Simon Slade to have a drink (or three). As a result he arrives home drunk and his mother is distraught. His father was a drunkard and the family struggled in poverty.
Six months later Joe is the town drunkard, his mill is losing business and his hired hands are getting fed up. One night his little girl gets out of her sick bed and fetches her father from the bar. Although he is shocked, it is not enough to keep him from his bad ways. In desperation he signs the deeds of his mill over to Slade. Slade, who first introduced him to alcohol, over time has been fleecing him out of whatever money Joe has. When Joe has a fit of the DTs Slade refuses to serve him, calling him a "drunken bum". The doctor finds him and nurses him back to health but one night the old craving gets to Joe and he wanders into the bar. After an altercation with Slade, Mary wanders in and is hit by a bottle that Slade has thrown. Although Mary recovers, Joe, seeing himself in a mirror, realises what he has become and decides to change.
Farnum and Tom Santschi originally appeared together in "The Spoilers" (1914) and the fight between them was renowned for it's realism. It seems that fight was recreated in "Ten Nights in a Barroom" as it is one of the most realistic fights I have ever seen on film. For the fight alone the film is worth seeing and also for Farnum's magnificent portrayal of Joe Morgan.
Highly Recommended.
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