Ten Nights in a Barroom | 1926 | Drama, Melodrama

Title: Ten Nights in a Barroom | 1926 | Drama, Melodrama Director: Roy Calnek Studio: Colored Players Film Corporation Starring: Charles S. Gilpin, Myra Burwell, Lawrence Chenault, Harry Henderson, William A. Clayton Jr., Ethel Smith Based on: The play by William W. Pratt, from the novel by Timothy Shay Arthur Release Date: December 27, 1926 Runtime: 63 minutes Format: Silent, black-and-white; 7 reels Country: United States Language: Silent Genres: Drama, Melodrama --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Mill swindle and first drink 00:12:00 Domestic strain 00:25:00 Barroom confrontation 00:40:00 The tragedy 00:53:00 Reform and campaign --- Summary: After being swindled out of his mill, Joe Morgan seeks refuge in drink at Simon Slade’s saloon. As his addiction deepens, the bar becomes the stage for escalating conflicts that strain his family and community. A violent brawl leads to a fatal blow that shatters Morgan’s household. Confronted with loss, he turns toward reform and civic responsibility, seeking redemption by challenging the saloon’s influence and entering public life. --- Background: Produced in Philadelphia by the Colored Players Film Corporation and released during Prohibition, Ten Nights in a Barroom adapts Timothy Shay Arthur’s temperance novel via William W. Pratt’s popular stage version. Directed by Roy Calnek and headlined by acclaimed stage actor Charles S. Gilpin, the film is a key example of the race film movement, presenting a predominantly African American cast for Black audiences. Surviving elements preserved by the George Eastman Museum have supported modern screenings and home-video presentations. --- Trivia: This was Charles S. Gilpin’s only film role; he was a major stage star who originated the title role in Eugene O’Neill’s The Emperor Jones on Broadway. The film was the second release from the Colored Players Film Corporation, an important Philadelphia-based race film studio active in the mid-1920s. New York opening occurred the week of December 27, 1926, with an extended run at Harlem’s Grant Theatre. Physical specifications list the film at seven reels, approximately 6,700 feet, typical for feature-length silent melodramas of the period. Rivalry in the race film market was intense; Oscar Micheaux released a competing feature shortly after this film’s debut. Portions of the original film are missing; extant materials have enabled successful restorations and screenings. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: December 27, 1926 Original Studio / Distributor: Colored Players Film Corporation Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: TenNightsInABarroom 1926 SilentFilm ClassicCinema RaceFilm PublicDomain CharlesGilpin Temperance ColoredPlayersFilmCorp Source page: https: //commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ten_Nights_in_a_Barroom_(1926).webm Direct media URL: https: //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/90/Ten_Nights_in_a_Barroom_%281926%29.webm