Victory (1919 film)

1919 film by Maurice Tourneur

Victory

Theatrical poster

Directed by| Maurice Tourneur
Screenplay by| Jules Furthman (credited as Stephen Fox)
Based on| Victory
by Joseph Conrad
Produced by| Maurice Tourneur Productions
Starring| Jack Holt
Seena Owen
Lon Chaney
Wallace Beery
Cinematography| René Guissart
Distributed by| Paramount Pictures (as Paramount-Artcraft)

Release date

* December 7, 1919 (1919-12-07)

Running time

| 62 minutes
Country| United States
Language| Silent (English intertitles)

Victory is a surviving[1] 1919 American action film directed by Maurice Tourneur and starring Jack Holt, Seena Owen, Lon Chaney, Wallace Beery and Bull Montana. The film is an adaptation of the 1915 eponymous novel by Joseph Conrad (the only film adaptation of one of his works that he ever lived to see). The screenplay was written by Jules Furthman and Ben Carré was the art director.

The film was chosen by the New York Times as one of the top ten films of 1919. It was later remade in 1930 as Dangerous Paradise, and again in 1940 as Victory.[2] The film still exists in its complete form in the Library of Congress and is available on DVD.[3][4] A lobby card exists showing Lon Chaney in the role of Ricardo.[5]

## Plot

[edit]

Axel Heyst (Holt), a solitary individual, lives by himself on an otherwise deserted island in the South Seas. When he travels to a neighboring island on business, he encounters a pretty young girl named Alma, who is being abused by her boss, Mr. Schomberg, at the hotel where she works. Axel takes pity on the poor girl and helps her to escape with him to his island getaway in a boat, making it plain however that he seeks only a platonic relationship with all other human beings.

When Mr. Schomberg discovers Alma has left him, he sends three horrific criminal types (Mr. Jones, Ricardo and Pedro) after her, tricking them into thinking there is a hidden treasure on Axel's island. The grimacing Ricardo (Lon Chaney) is the evilest of the three, constantly cleaning his fingernails with a long stiletto-type knife. The brutish Pedro (Bull Montana) follows Mr. Jones' orders slavishly, but is unaware that years earlier, Mr. Jones sadistically killed his brother by burning him alive.

The three scoundrels arrive on Axel's island and while he initially extends his hospitality to them, he realizes they are plotting to kill him, rob his house and take Alma away with them. A fight erupts and Axel kills Ricardo by shooting him off the roof of his house. Mr. Jones is killed by Pedro in the same fashion in which he had killed Pedro's brother. Axel and Alma realize their love for each other and decide to get married and live happily on the island.

## Cast

[edit]

Jack Holt and Seena Owen in Victory

* Jack Holt as Axel Heyst
* Seena Owen as Alma
* Lon Chaney as Ricardo
* Wallace Beery as August Schomberg
* Ben Deeley as Mr. Jones
* Laura Winston as Mrs. Schomberg
* Bull Montana as Pedro
* George Nichols as Captain Davidson

## Reception

[edit]

Seena Owen and Lon Chaney

The film itself.

"The characterization of Lon Chaney as Ricardo and that of Bull Montana as Pedro were especially well handled." 
Wid's Film Daily[6]

"The vividly vicious work of Lon Chaney as Ricardo deserves more than passing mention... In fact, Mr. Chaney may be said to "run away with the play" at certain stages, completely overshadowing his contemporaries." 
Exhibitors Trade Review[7]

"An original and interesting picture, picturesque in detail, splendid types, a refreshing change from the conventional in nearly all respects." 
Moving Picture World[8]

"Maurice Tourneur has created a moving and effective picture drama for Paramount.....Probably the eagle eye of the censor is responsible for cutting the fight between Alma and Ricardo, but it is well cut. Of the latter character, Lon Chaney gave a visualization that was very effective." 
Variety[9]

"The most compelling characters in VICTORY are three roving birds of prey
Mr. Jones, the leader, Ricardo, his secretary, and Pedro, his strong man. The most diabolically conspicuous of the three is Ricardo, played by Lon Chaney...No screen actor whose name comes to mind can equal Mr. Chaney in the impersonation of intense, strongly marked types. He does with consummate skill and fine finish the kind of acting that many attempt with lumbering ponderosity and maladroit exaggeration." 
The New York Times[10]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Victory
2. ^ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 99. ISBN 1-879511-26-6.
3. ^ "Progressive Silent Film List". silentera.com. Retrieved 3 April 2015.
4. ^ The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: Victory
5. ^ "Movie still" (JPG).
6. ^ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 98. ISBN 1-879511-26-6.
7. ^ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 98. ISBN 1-879511-26-6.
8. ^ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Victory". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.
9. ^ Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 98. ISBN 1-879511-26-6.
10. ^ Mirsalis, Jon C. "Victory". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved March 20, 2021.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Victory (1919 film).

* Victory at IMDb
* Victory synopsis at AllMovie
* Dialogue and commentary about the movie at silentsaregolden.com
* Stills and commentary at Dreamland Cafe

* v
* t
* e

Joseph Conrad (works)

Novels and
novellas|

* Almayer's Folly
* An Outcast of the Islands
* The Nigger of the "Narcissus"
* Heart of Darkness
* The End of the Tether
* Lord Jim
* The Inheritors
* Typhoon
* Falk
* Romance
* Nostromo
* The Secret Agent
* Under Western Eyes
* Freya of the Seven Isles
* Chance
* Victory
* The Shadow Line
* The Arrow of Gold
* The Rescue
* The Nature of a Crime
* The Rover
* Suspense

Short stories|

* "The Idiots"
* "An Outpost of Progress"
* "The Lagoon"
* "Karain: a Memory"
* "Youth"
* "Amy Foster"
* "The Secret Sharer"
* "Because of the Dollars"
* "The Tale"

Other works|

* The Inheritors (1901)
* Romance (1903)
* A Personal Record
* Last Essays

Adaptations|

* Victory (1919)
* Lord Jim (1925)
* The Silver Treasure (1926)
* Dangerous Paradise (1930)
* Sabotage (1936)
* Victory (1940)
* Outcast of the Islands (1951)
* Lord Jim (1965)
* The Rover (1967)
* The Duellists (1977)
* Apocalypse Now (1979)
* The Secret Agent (1992)
* Heart of Darkness (1993)
* Victory  (1996)
* The Secret Agent (1996)
* Nostromo (1997 TV)
* Gabrielle (2005)
* Almayer's Folly (2011)
* Spec Ops: The Line (2012 video game)
* Hanyut (2014)
* Secret Sharer (2014)
* The Secret Agent (2016)
* The Young One (2016)

Related|

* Apollo Korzeniowski (father)
* Joseph Conrad's career at sea
* Joseph Conrad (ship)

* v
* t
* e

Joseph Conrad's Victory (1915)

Films|

* Victory (1919)
* Dangerous Paradise (1930)
* Victory (1940)
* Victory (1996)

* v
* t
* e

Films directed by Maurice Tourneur

* The Mystery of the Yellow Room (1913)
* Jean la Poudre (1913)
* The System of Doctor Goudron (1913)
* The Gaieties of the Squadron (1913)
* Tricks of Love (1913)
* The Last Pardon (1913)
* The Cameo (1913)
* Mother (1914)
* Figures de cire (1914)
* The Man of the Hour (1914)
* The Wishing Ring: An Idyll of Old England (1914)
* The Red Promenade (1914)
* The Pit (1914)
* The Sparrow (1914)
* Monsieur Lecoq (1914)
* The Secret of the Well (1914)
* Alias Jimmy Valentine (1915)
* Trilby (1915)
* The Cub (1915)
* The Ivory Snuff Box (1915)
* The Butterfly on the Wheel (1915)
* The Pawn of Fate (1915)
* The Hand of Peril (1916)
* The Closed Road (1916)
* The Velvet Paw (1916)
* The Rail Rider (1916)
* A Girl's Folly (1916)
* The Whip (1917)
* The Undying Flame (1917)
* Exile (1917)
* The Law of the Land (1917)
* The Pride of the Clan (1917)
* The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917)
* Barbary Sheep (1917)
* The Rise of Jennie Cushing (1917)
* Rose of the World (1917)
* The Blue Bird (1918)
* Prunella (1918)
* A Doll's House (1918)
* Sporting Life (1918)
* Woman (1918)
* My Lady's Garter (1919)
* The White Heather (1919)
* The Life Line (1919)
* Victory (1919)
* The Broken Butterfly (1919)
* The County Fair (1920)
* The Great Redeemer (1920)
* While Paris Sleeps (1920)
* Treasure Island (1920)
* The White Circle (1920)
* Deep Waters (1920)
* The Last of the Mohicans (1920)
* The Bait (1921)
* The Foolish Matrons (1921)
* Lorna Doone (1922)
* The Brass Bottle (1923)
* The Christian (1923)
* The Isle of Lost Ships (1923)
* Jealous Husbands (1923)
* Torment (1924)
* The White Moth (1924)
* Sporting Life (1925)
* Never the Twain Shall Meet (1925)
* Clothes Make the Pirate (1925)
* Aloma of the South Seas (1926)
* Old Loves and New (1926)
* The Crew (1928)
* The Ship of Lost Souls (1929)
* Accused, Stand Up! (1930)
* Departure (1931)
* Dance Hall (1931)
* Fun in the Barracks (1932)
* In the Name of the Law (1932)
* L'Homme mystérieux (1933)
* The Two Orphans (1933)
* Le Voleur (1934)
* Justin de Marseille (1935)
* Koenigsmark (1935)
* Samson (1936)
* With a Smile (1936)
* The Patriot (1938)
* Katia (1938)
* Sins of Youth (1941)
* Volpone (1941)
* Miss Bonaparte (1942)
* La Main du diable (1943)
* Cecile Is Dead (1944)
* After Love (1948)
* Dilemma of Two Angels (1948)

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