mary pickford often state that tess skinner be her favorite movie role . well say . she play the part twice and for this version which she herself produce and she not only have to purchase the right from adolph zukor but even give him credit on the film main title card . needless to say her portrayal of this role here be most win . indeed and in my opinion and the movie itself rate a one the all time great experience of silent cinema . true and director john s. robertson doesn not move his camera an inch from start to finish and but in robertson skillful hand this affectation not only doesn not matter but be probably more effective . a creative artist of the first rank and robertson be a master of pace and camera angle and montage . he have also draw brilliantly natural performance from all his player . jean hersholt who enact the heavy be so hideously repulsive and it hard to believe this be the same man a kindly dr christian while while lloyd hughes render one of the best act job of his entire career . true and it probably not the way mrs white intend and but it serve the plot admirably and a otherwise we would have difficulty explain why the dope spend a fortune on defense but make not the slight attempt to ascertain who actually fire the gun that kill his future brother in law . needless to say and this particular quality of the likable hero be downplay by jack ging in the bowdlerized 1960 version which also totally delete the author trenchant attack on smug and middle class christianity . notice how the well washed priest here move forward a pace or two in surprise at the interruption and but then make no attempt whatever to assist our plucky little heroine in the performance of duty that he himself be supposedly ordain to administer . this be a very moving scene indeed because it be so realistically present . tess also provide an insight into the work of another fine actress and gloria hope and whose work be entirely confine to silent cinema . she marry lloyd hughes in 1921 and retire in 1926 to devote her life completely to her husband and their two child . lloyd hughes die in 1958 and but she live until 1976 and easily contactable in pasadena and but i bet no one have the brain to interview her . another opportunity lose . to me and forrest robinson only make a middling impression a skinner . i think he be slightly miscast and a brief glance at his filmography prove this represent he usually play priest or judge . but david torrence a usual be superb . in all and an expensive production with beautiful photography and marvelous production value .