Smouldering Fires | 1925 | Drama

Title: Smouldering Fires | 1925 | Drama Director: Clarence Brown Studio: Universal Pictures Starring: Pauline Frederick, Laura La Plante, Malcolm McGregor, Tully Marshall, Wanda Hawley Release Date: January 18, 1925 Runtime: 83 Format: Silent, black-and-white, English intertitles, 8 reels Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Drama. --- Chapters: 00:00:00 At the Vale factory 00:16:30 Promotion and proposal 00:33:00 Dorothy returns 00:49:30 Marriage and strain 01:05:00 Jane’s decision 01:18:00 Resolution --- Summary: Jane Vale, a successful forty-year-old industrialist, promotes young employee Robert Elliott and agrees to marry him amid factory gossip. When Jane’s younger sister Dorothy returns from school, she and Robert develop feelings they conceal out of loyalty. Recognizing the emotional truth and the strain of their age difference, Jane engineers a separation to free Robert and Dorothy to be together, choosing self-sacrifice over personal happiness. --- Background: Produced and released by Universal Pictures, the film was developed during Clarence Brown’s mid‑1920s stint at the studio; trade sources reported a working title, The Marrying Age, and noted exterior shooting in Yosemite National Park. The Packard Humanities Institute later restored the film, with UCLA and festival screenings presenting a modern digital version derived from color‑tinted 16mm elements scanned in 4K. --- Trivia: Universal announced the project under the alternate title The Marrying Age during late 1924 publicity. Some exterior scenes were filmed in Yosemite National Park, according to contemporary trade reports. A restoration by the Packard Humanities Institute was supervised by Robert Gitt, with assistance from Jere Guldin and Michael Friend. Commentators have long noted that the plot was reworked in Warner Bros.’ Female . Archival holdings include copies at UCLA and the George Eastman Museum. Reports indicate a slightly longer European version circulated than the American release. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: January 18, 1925. Original Studio / Distributor: Universal Pictures. Copyright Status: Public Domain . Renewal: No. --- Hashtags: SmoulderingFires 1925 SilentFilm PublicDomain ClarenceBrown PaulineFrederick UniversalPictures LauraLaPlante Drama Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Smouldering_Fires_(1925).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/Smouldering_Fires_%281925%29.webm