The Dream (1911)

Dream or no dream?  It's not Inception

Directed by Thomas H. Ince, George Loane Tucker
Starring Mary Pickford, Owen Moore, William Robert Daly
Produced by Independent Moving Pictures Company of America

The Dream is a simple short film about a carousing husband who comes home and verbally abuses his wife while throwing the carefully prepared dinner about.  He falls asleep on the couch and wakes to find his wife has become a lot like... well, him.  She rips curtains, tears into him and heads out for a night on the town.  The husband, despondent at this turn of events, ultimately shoots himself in the belly and collapses.  But did it all actually happen?  Or was it simply... you read the title of this movie, right?

Another very simple tale starring Mary Pickford.  She's very good in the dual role as the put-upon wife and the vampish dream girl.  On the other hand, Owen Moore chews the scenery like it was dipped in hot fudge.  It's a bizarre dichotomy between the two.

This is a 1911 film, which means we are back to the time of camera set up in front of a set with no movement or editing.  The film looks like someone set up the camera at a play and walked away.  This, of course, makes sense for the time, but won't be engaging for modern audiences.

The only interesting aspect of the film is how it mirrored real life.  Pickford and Moore were secretly married this year and their relationship was much like that shown in the first act of the film.  The movie was reportedly written by Pickford.  Is it autobiographical?  Seems odd that Moore would participate in such an exercise.  If it is, the end may be a bit of Pickford's hope for the future.  A hope that didn't come to fruition as they divorced nine years later.

** of *****

Watched on DVD through NetFlix
Photo from Silent Volume

Note: Yes, I know this one is way out of order.  It was featured as an extra on Amarilly of Clothes-Line Alley.  I've gotten into Pickford's work and could not resist.