Experience (1921 film)

Experience
1921 theatrical poster
Directed by	George Fitzmaurice
Produced by	Adolph Zukor Jesse L. Lasky
Written by	Waldemar Young (scenario)
Based on	Experience by George V. Hobart
Starring	Richard Barthelmess Lilyan Tashman Reginald Denny Marjorie Daw
Cinematography	Arthur C. Miller
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release dates	October 23, 1921
Running time	70 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Experience is a 1921 American silent morality drama film produced by Famous Players-Lasky and distributed by Paramount Pictures. The allegorical film was directed by George Fitzmaurice and starred Richard Barthelmess. It was based on George V. Hobart's successful 1914 Broadway play of the same name.^[1] It was the film debut of Lilyan Tashman.

Experience is presumed to be a lost film.^[2]

Plot

The plot of Experience was summarized in the August 1921 issue of Photoplay magazine.

• 
  Youth (Richard Barthelmess) hears Ambition's call and leaves his mother (Kate Bruce) and Love (Marjorie Daw) to seek his fortune.^[3]
• 
  Experience (John Miltern) is to teach Youth many things about life.^[3]
• 
  Youth encounters Pleasure, Beauty, and Wealth. He asks Opportunity to wait for him. But Opportunity cannot!^[3]
• 
  Youth is enthralled by Pleasure (Lilyan Tashman) and, while Experience looks on, is welcomed into the gay party.^[3]
• 
  Youth's funds run low and Chance directs him to a gambling house where he can double his money. At first he wins, but later luck leaves him.^[3]
• 
  Temptation (Nita Naldi) fascinates Youth. She intercepts a letter telling Youth of his mother's death.^[3]
• 
  Experience meanwhile teaches Youth to know Excitement (Sibyl Carmen).^[3]
• 
  Smirking Conceit (Robert Schable) with his ever present mirror.^[3]
• 
  And Intoxication (an all-too-present companion) (Helen Ray).^[3]
• 
  And - eventually - the sanctimonious Prohibition (Leslie King).^[3]
• 
  Finally, accused of theft, Youth is ejected to the gutter.^[3]
• 
  Crime (Louis Wolheim) seeks to persuade Youth to rob Wealth's house.^[3]
• 
  But Youth returns home, where Love and Hope await.^[3]
• 
  With Love by his side, Youth is enriched by Experience.^[3]

Cast

• Richard Barthelmess as Youth
• Reginald Denny as ?Delusion (judging by cast of characters lineup in play; per IBDb)
• John Miltern as Experience
• Marjorie Daw as Love
• E. J. Ratcliffe as Ambition
• Betty Carpenter as Hope
• Kate Bruce as Mother
• Lilyan Tashman as Pleasure
• R. Senior as Opportunity
• Joseph W. Smiley as Chance
• Fred Hadley as Tout
• Harry J. Lane as Despair
• Helen Ray as Intoxication
• Jed Prouty as Good Nature
• Barney Furey as Poverty
• Nita Naldi as Temptation
• Louis Wolheim as Crime
• Robert Schable as Conceit

See also

• List of lost films
• Everywoman (1919)

References

1. Experience as produced on Broadway at the Booth, Casino and Maxine Elliott's Theatres, starting Oct. 27, 1914 - Jan. 1915 (Booth), Jan 11, 1915 - May 1915 (Casino), May 3, 1915 - June 5, 1915 (Maxine Elliott). Play revived in 1918 at Manhattan Opera House 23 performances; IBDb.com database
2. Progressive Silent Film List: Experience at silentera.com
3. "Experience". Photoplay. Chicago: Photoplay Publishing Co. 20 (3): 51. August 1921. Retrieved 2013-10-14.

External links

• Experience at the Internet Movie Database
• Experience synopsis at AllMovie
• Film still from Sayre Collection of University of Washington