Neptune's Daughter (1914 film)
| Neptune's Daughter | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Herbert Brenon |
| Written by | Leslie T. Peacocke |
| Starring | Annette Kellerman |
| Cinematography | André Barlatier (French Wikipedia) |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Universal Film Manufacturing Company |
Release date |
|
Running time | 7 reels |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
| Budget | approximately $50,000 |
| Box office | $1 million |
Neptune's Daughter is a 1914 American silent fantasy film featuring the first collaboration between actress Annette Kellerman and director Herbert Brenon.[1] It was based on Kellerman's idea of "a water fantasy movie with beautiful mermaids in King Neptune's garden together with a good love story." It was filmed by Universal in Bermuda[2] during January and February,[3] cost approximately $50,000,[2] and grossed one million dollars at the box office.[2]
Plot
[edit]The daughter of the king of the water, King Neptune, takes on human form to avenge the death of her young sister, who was caught in a fishing net. However, she falls in love with the king of the land, King William, the man she holds responsible.[4]
- Annette Kellerman as Annette, Neptune's daughter
- William E. Shay as King William
- William Welsh as King Neptune
- Leah Baird as Princess Olga
- Mrs. Allen Walker as The Sea Witch
- Herbert Brenon as Roador the Wolf
- Edmund Mortimer as Duke Boris
- Lewis Hooper as Count Rudolph
- Millie Liston as Jailer's mother
- Katherine Lee as Angela, Annette's sister
Reception
[edit]George Blaisdell, writing for The Moving Picture World after seeing a pre-release screening, gave the film a positive review, noting that "There is a wealth of incident in 'Neptune's Daughter.' The story of intrigue at court is convincing and well portrayed. The transition of Annette from the dominions of Father Neptune to the world of mortals and vice versa is so skillfully treated that it seems the perfectly natural course of events".[4]
The film received renewed interest after 1916 when the popular A Daughter of the Gods was released, which also starred Kellerman and included a brief nudity scene.[5]
Preservation
[edit]One reel of Neptune's Daughter footage is currently held in two archives, the National Film and Sound Archive and Gosfilmofond of Russia. This can be found on the Venus of the South Seas Region 1 DVD release as an extra feature.[6][7][8]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Neptune's Daughter (1914) ⭐ 5.7 | Fantasy. Retrieved 2024-05-23 – via m.imdb.com.
- ^ a b c "Neptune's Daughter". silentera.com. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ^ Holston, Kim R. (December 18, 2012). Movie Roadshows: A History and Filmography of Reserved-Seat Limited Showings, 1911-1973. McFarland. pp. 14–15. ISBN 9780786492619. Retrieved March 2, 2016.
- ^ a b c "Neptune's Daughter". Moving Picture World. May 9, 1914. Retrieved June 7, 2020.
- ^ "Sol Lesser and Leon Netter Acquire Rights to Big Film for Their Pennsylvania Territory". Motion Picture News. 14 (18). New York City: Motion Picture News, Inc.: 2844 4 November 1916. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
- ^ "These films left a lasting impression. . ". silentsaregolden.com.
- ^ Neptune's Daughter at TheGreatStars.com; Lost Films Wanted(Wayback Machine)
- ^ Neptune's Daughter at American Silent Feature Film Survival Database
External links
[edit]
- 1914 films
- 1914 romantic drama films
- 1910s American films
- 1910s English-language films
- 1910s fantasy films
- American black-and-white films
- American silent feature films
- Films about mermaids
- Films directed by Herbert Brenon
- Films shot in Bermuda
- Silent American fantasy films
- Silent American romantic drama films
- Silent horror films
- Universal Pictures films
- English-language romantic drama films
- English-language fantasy films