The Violin Maker of Cremona (1909)
0h 12m | PG-13
A contest is being held in Cremona for the best violin, with Giannina's hand in marriage as the prize. Filippo is secretly in love with her, but is also ashamed of being a cripple, so he switches his superior violin with that of another apprentice, Sandro, whom Giannina loves.
Director: D.W. Griffith
Studio: American Mutoscope & Biograph
Genre: Drama
Video: 720p
Cast
Herbert Prior
as Taddeo Ferrari
Mary Pickford
as Giannina, Taddeo's Daughter
Owen Moore
as Sandro
David Miles
as Filippo, the Cripple
Harry Solter
as The Judge
Marion Leonard
as The Judge's Companion
Reviews
Mary Pickford is the young "Giannina" who has a habit of lobbing flowers at her admirers. In this short film, two such lovestruck violin makers compete to win a gold chain - and her hand in marriage. What ensues is quite a fun exchange as the men try to trick each other for their prize, but the telling of the story is all over the shop. It is almost impossible to discern quite what is going on - indeed, D.W. Griffith appears to have little idea how to construct this in any fashion that holds our attention in any meaningful way: it's is like an over-long pantomime scene, comedic but shambolic - and not in a good way. Made in 1909 so one shouldn't expect the earth, but this is just a mess