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The Spirit and the Clay
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Captain Harry Lambert (Harry Lambart)
Cast: Darwin Karr [Paul], Naomi Childers [Marie], Edward Kimball [Galton], Rex Hitchcock (Rex Ingram) [Emil], George Stevens [Gordon], Kate Price [Gordon’s mother], William Shea [Gordon’s father], Paul Kelly [Paul, as a teenager], Audrey Berry [Marie, as a child], Robert Huggins, Dorothy Kelly
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / From a screen story by Beta Breuil. / Released 21 April 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Stevens is the British-born actor, not the American cinematographer/director.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? After finishing his day’s work in the field, Paul, a young farmer, who lives with his aged father and mother, goes with Marie, his orphan cousin, to an old shed which they have fitted up as a workshop and there sets to work at his clay-modeling. While he is working, Galton, an artist, appears and realizing that Paul is a born sculptor, tells him to come to New York with him to his study. Marie, Galton and Paul tell the aged parents of the plan. They finally consent. Paul proves a worthy pupil and makes marvelous progress. Paul’s father writes him to come home, as he is needed on the farm. Marie hears of it and she agrees to do Paul’s work and her own too. She finally breaks down, but feels that it is well worthwhile for Paul’s sake. Paul returns home successful, learns what Marie has done for him and marries her. They return to his studio in New York, but she quickly declines. Her physician orders her to leave the city and find more suitable climate. She is about to return to her home when she learns Paul cannot find a desirable model for his Statue of Fame, which he expects to place in competition. Marie consents to pose, and although the doctor advises her strongly against it, she will not listen. When the model is nearly completed, the strain proves too much for her and she falls dead. Paul’s mind is affected by his great sorrow, and he sees a beautiful vision of his dead wife. Inspired by it, he works feverishly on his unfinished model. His friends watch his untiring industry, knowing his mind is safe in the occupation. When the statue is finished, his delirium returns and he believes the image to be his wife in the clay and tries to warm it into life by his mad kisses and embraces. His friends decide to make a last effort to save his sanity by stealing the statue and hiding it. After the doctor has given Paul an opiate, they cautiously approach the statue. Paul awakens, fights them off and backing toward the open window, crashes through it, carrying the statue with him. Lying amid the scattered fragments he sees again the vision of his wife beckoning to him. As the moonbeams play upon his upturned face, he dies with a smile on his lips.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 27 January 2025.
References: Website-IMDb.
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