{{short description|1919 film}} {{Use American English|date=September 2021}} {{Use mdy dates|date=September 2021}} {{Infobox film | name = Scarlet Days | image = Scarlet Days 1919.jpg | caption = Film poster | director = D. W. Griffith | producer = D. W. Griffith | writer = Stanner E. V. Taylor (original story, scenario) | starring = {{Plainlist| * Richard Barthelmess * Clarine Seymour }} | cinematography = G. W. Bitzer | editing = James Smith | distributor = Paramount Pictures/Artcraft | released = {{Film date|1919|11|30|U.S.}} | runtime = 7 reels (6,916 feet) | country = U.S. | language = Silent (English intertitles) }} thumb|thumbtime=3|upright=1.5|''Scarlet Days'' thumb|Clarine Seymour as Chiquita '''''Scarlet Days''''' is a 1919 American silent Western film produced and directed by D. W. Griffith and released through Paramount/Artcraft Pictures, Artcraft being an affiliate of Paramount. Richard Barthelmess stars in a role for which Griffith had screentested Rudolph Valentino.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.silentera.com/PSFL/data/S/ScarletDays1919.html|title=Progressive Silent Film List: ''Scarlet Days''|website=Silent Era |access-date=January 20, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |title=The American Film Institute Catalog Feature Films: 1911–20 |publisher=The American Film Institute |year=1988}}</ref> In today's time, this film is considered by many to be one of Griffith's worst films though it might have worked better as a short film.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mz04AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA12|title=The Films of D. W. Griffith|last=Simmon|first=Scott|date=July 31, 1993|publisher=CUP Archive|isbn=9780521388207|page=12|access-date=February 22, 2016}}</ref> This film was unlike others created by D. W. Griffith. According to an article written for ''The Cincinnati Enquirer'', written on November 16, 1919: "Unlike other recent Griffith production, ''Scarlet Days'' is a story of the old West, of the gold rush days of 49- Bret Harte transferred to the screen!"<ref name="cincinatti">{{cite news |newspaper=Cincinnati Enquirer |date=November 16, 1919 |page=B3 |title=The Silent Drama |id={{ProQuest|865910060}}}}</ref> The Western film genre was expanding at this time and ''Scarlet Days'' fits into this category. Western films were popular for this time.
Considered a lost film, a print was found in the State Film Archives of the Soviet Union, which donated it to the Museum of Modern Art in 1969.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/momaorg/shared/pdfs/docs/press_archives/4220/releases/MOMA_1969_Jan-June_0053_40.pdf?2010|title=Soviet Film Archives Provide Americana Two Missing Works of D.W. Griffith|date=March 24, 1969|publisher=Museum of Modern Art|access-date=February 21, 2016}}</ref> The film was screened to the public, for the first time since its rediscovery, on March 24 and 25, 1969. ''Scarlet Days'' was shown alongside another missing film, ''A Romance of Happy Valley'', at the Museum of Modern Art's auditorium with titles still printed in Russian. English titles were later created by the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moma.org/momaorg/shared/pdfs/docs/press_archives/4220/releases/MOMA_1969_Jan-June_0053_40.pdf|title=Soviet Film Archives Provide Americana Two Missing Works of D.W. Griffith|website=The Museum of Modern Art |access-date=January 20, 2025}}</ref>
==Plot== Rosie Nell, a dance hall performer in early frontier California, is falsely accused of murdering a fellow entertainer. Her daughter, Lady Fair, unaware of her mother's occupation, is due to return from school in the East. Rosie Nell is granted a three-day reprieve to spend time with her daughter in a nearby cabin.
During this time, the dance hall manager, King Bagley, becomes infatuated with Lady Fair and attempts to take her by force. Rosie Nell and her daughter barricade themselves in the cabin. Alvarez, a notorious outlaw, aids in their defense. John Randolph, who is also in love with Lady Fair, joins their efforts.
Following several confrontations, the sheriff arrives in time to prevent further violence. His intervention ends the confrontation.<ref>{{cite journal |title=Reviews: ''Scarlet Days'' |journal=Exhibitors Herald |volume=9 |issue=26 |page=71 |publisher=Exhibitors Herald Company |location=New York City |date=December 20, 1919 |url=https://archive.org/details/exhibitorsherald09exhi_0/page/n326/mode/1up |quote=Rosy Nell, a woman of the dance halls in California during the early lawless days of that community, is wrongfully charged with the murder of one of her fellow entertainers. Because her daughter, who knows nothing of her mother's station in life, is to return the next day from her school in the East, Rosy Nell is granted three days of grace, the time to be spent in company with her daughter in a cabin nearby. The three days pass happily, but the manager of the dance hall has seen the daughter and is determined to have her for his own. The women barricade themselves in the cabin to resist capture, Alvarez, a young outlaw who has considerable local prestige, coming to their assistance. John Randolph, who also loves the daughter, joins their side of the fight. The timely arrival of the sheriff brings about, after many complications, the happy ending.}}</ref>
==Cast== {{Cast listing| * Richard Barthelmess as Alvarez * Eugenie Besserer as Rosie Nell * Carol Dempster as Lady Fair * Clarine Seymour as Chiquita * Ralph Graves as Randolph * George Fawcett as the sheriff * Walter Long as King Bagley * Kate Bruce as aunt * Rhea Haines as Spasm Sal * Adolph Lestina as Randolph's friend * Herbert Sutch as the second sheriff * J. Wesley Warner as Alvarez's man }}
==Reception== Public response to this film was overwhelmingly positive during its release in November 1919. Many news sources in 1919 published review articles complimenting and comparing ''Scarlet Days'' to other films created by D. W. Griffith. News outlets such as the ''New-York Tribune'', ''San Francisco Chronicle'', ''Cincinnati Enquirer'', and more were including reviews on ''Scarlet Days'' as well as announcing local showtimes for this film. A review article from the ''Cincinnati Enquirer'' stated that: "The latest D. W. Griffith production soon will be ready for local release. Griffith as usual has assembled a sparkling cast for his new picture."<ref name="cincinatti"/> ''Scarlet Days'' traveled across the country to show in various theaters after its release date on November 9, 1919. Prior to the actual showing, news articles would be released to inform readers of short plot summaries and events in the production.
On an opposing view written for ''Variety'' magazine wrote on ''Scarlet Days'' negatively, and claimed that: "''Scarlet Days'' as a story was not worthy of Griffith's direction in picturization. It is entire too commonplace."<ref name="variety">{{cite magazine |magazine=Variety |volume=56 |issue=12 |date=November 14, 1919 |page=58 |title=Scarlet Days |id={{ProQuest|1475613315}}}}</ref> For current day moviegoers, this film is one of the least popular of D. W. Griffith's directed pictures. ''Scarlet Days'' was considered to be made too late in the era where Western films were becoming popular. Though some new sources gave positive feedback in response to the release of this film, opposing viewpoints claimed that: "Outside of [the lack of plot depth] there is nothing more to say except that it is a surprise that Griffith should at this late date take to filming rip-snorting Western mellers with a lot of harum-scarum rough stuff with gunplay."<ref name="variety"/>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{IMDb title|id=0010662}} * [https://www.allmovie.com/movie/scarlet-days-am72790 ''Scarlet Days'' synopsis] at AllMovie * {{Internet Archive film|ScarletStreet_546|Scarlet Days}} * [http://www.movieposterdb.com/poster/f3cb5cc1 Lobby poster]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20200111180935/http://silenthollywood.com/scarletdays1919.html Film stills] at silenthollywood.com * DVD availability at [http://www.oldies.com/product-view/0793ED.html Oldies.com] and [http://www.grapevinevideo.com/scarlet_days.html Grapevine Video]
{{D. W. Griffith |state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Scarlet Days}} Category:1919 films Category:1919 Western (genre) films Category:1919 American films Category:1919 English-language films Category:1910s rediscovered films Category:American black-and-white films Category:American silent feature films Category:Articles containing video clips Category:Films directed by D. W. Griffith Category:Paramount Pictures films Category:Rediscovered American films Category:American silent Western (genre) films Category:Surviving American silent films Category:English-language Western (genre) films