VCI Entertainment, working the with The Mary Pickford Foundation and the Library of Congress, has a new 4K film restoration of director: William Beaudine’s 1926 silent film classic, Sparrows, ready for a Blu-ray/DVD Combo Pack debut on Nov. 9.
From the depths of despair comes hope in the form of Molly (Mary Pickford, who was 34 at the time … she also produced the film), a young woman, who lives with Mr. Grimes (Gustav von Seyffertitz) and his wife in the swamps of Florida. They run a rather shady “orphanage” for young children, which is really a front for their child trafficking operation — you need a baby or small child outside of the legal system, go see Mr. and Mrs. Grimes and their son Ambrose (Spec O'Donnell) and they will fix you right up.
Molly has grown up there, never “adopted,” so she is now tasked with caring for the youngsters. We get a glimpse of how the operation works when a “buyer” comes to inquire about a hog … baby out the door.
We also discover that the Grimes are involved with kidnappers, who cleverly hide their victims in plain sight by stashing the small fry at the Grimes. It’s a perfect operation, until … until the latest kidnapping goes south and Ambrose is tasked with disposing of the “evidence.” The alligators will be well-fed tonight!!
Molly has reached her limit and tries to save the baby, but is caught by Ambrose, who decides to be rid of her as well … in for a nickel, in for a pound! Desperate, she takes the baby and the rest of the children and makes for the gator-invested swamp!! All hope is lost.
OK, it is Mary Pickford, “America’s Sweetheart,” so despite the deadly peril, there will be justice and a happy ending. She knows what her audience wants and she delivers both a powerful story and some pretty intense action.
Of note, an elaborate three-acre set was built in Hollywood, just south of present-day Santa Monica Blvd. and just west of La Brea. It was a “real” swamp, and real alligators were used. Since Mary Pickford was the producer, she brought the child cast members to the set several weeks before the actual shooting was to commence so that they could be toughened up … their feet, which are bare for the entire film, needed to get accustomed to the “Hollywood” swamp.
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