Vintage original 3.25 x 4 in. US "coming attraction" glass slide from the lost 1920's stranded-on-a-tropical-island themed silent film melodrama, THE ENCHANTED ISLAND, released in 1927 by Tiffany Productions and directed by William G. Crosby.
The image features three scenes from the film. It is in good+ condition. The cast includes Henry B. Walthall, Charlotte Stevens, Pierre Gendron, Pat Hartigan, and Floyd Shackleford.
*"The title was listed among several upcoming projects for Tiffany-Stahl Productions, Inc., in the 8 May 1926 Motion Picture News. An item in the 14 Jan 1927 issue claimed that the scenario was based on an unspecified story by Gouverneur Morris. Two months later, the 18 Mar 1927 Motion Picture News noted that principal photography was underway. Filming was completed within the next four weeks, as stated in the 22 Apr 1927 edition.
According to the 20 Jul 1927 [Bakersfield, CA] Bakersfield Californian, the production featured a large menagerie of trained animals. Among them was a chimpanzee named Mary, whose fear of horses caused her to attack her trainer, “nearly tearing off his hand.” After a severe scolding, Mary spent much of that week expressing her regret for the outburst. In other simian news, the 21 Jul 1927 issue reported that filming was delayed for several days after Mike, a ring-tailed monkey, successfully escaped captivity, forcing the producers to find a suitable replacement.
According to the 2 Oct 1927 [Mansfield, OH] Mansfield News, lead actors Charlotte Stevens and Pierre Gendron faced even greater danger during a scene in which they were floating out to sea on a raft. The vessel overturned in shark-infested waters, prompting director William G. Crosby and cast member Pat Hartiganto come to their rescue. Afterward, the terrified actors were offered “stimulants” and dismissed from work for the rest of the day. The 24 Oct 1927 [Salt Lake City, UT] Salt Lake Tribune identified the filming location only as “a lonely volcanic island” off the coast of Baja California, Mexico. The Enchanted Island was released on 15 Mar 1927, followed by a New York City opening on 7 Jun 1927 at Loew’s New York Theatre.
Tim Sanborn and his daughter, Alice, are stranded for fifteen years on a tropical island, along with many trained animals. Their enchanted life is interrupted by wealthy Bob Hamilton, a vicious brute named "Red" Blake, and Ulysses Abraham Washington, an African American cook, all of whom are survivors of shipwreck. Tim introduces his daughter as a boy named Al and she is befriended by Bob, who tells her of the outside world. When he learns that Al is actually Alice, he falls in love with her and protects her from the lustful Red, who later murders her father. Ulysses engages in a fight with the villain, and both die in a volcanic eruption. The lovers escape from the island and are rescued by a cruiser."
*(source: AFI Catalog of Feature Films)
GSB