Little Miss Optimist

Little Miss Optimist
Little Miss Optimist
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Robert Thornby
Screenplay by	Gardner Hunting
Starring	Vivian Martin; Tom Moore; Charles West; Ernest Joy; Charles K. Gerrard; Helen Bray
Cinematography	James Van Trees
Production; company	Pallas Pictures
Distributed by	Paramount Pictures
Release date	August 26, 1917;
Running time	50 minutes
Country	United States
Language	Silent (English intertitles)

Contemporary lobby card

Little Miss Optimist is a 1917 American silent drama film directed by Robert Thornby and written by Gardner Hunting. The film stars Vivian Martin, Tom Moore, Charles West, Ernest Joy, Charles K. Gerrard, and Helen Bray. The film was released on August 26, 1917, by Paramount Pictures.^[1]^[2]

Plot[]

As described in a film magazine,^[3] when the foster mother of Mazie-Rosie Carden (Martin) marries, she is forced to find another home. She is sent to Hope Mission where she is given a place to stay. A millionaire named West (Joy) is murdered in his home, and Mazie's brother Ben (West) is accused of the crime. Fear of the police drives Mazie to flee to a church where she hides for several days. On Sunday, she is forced to hide in the pulpit and from here she is able to identify the killer through a much damaged coin West had on his person at the time of his murder. With the real murderer brought to justice and her brother free, Mazie is happy. She discovers that she is loved by a young man whom she befriended when he first came to the town, and like a fairy tale they live happily ever after.

Cast[]

Vivian Martin as Mazie-Rosie Carden
Tom Moore as Deal Hendrie
Charles West as Ben Carden
Ernest Joy as John West
Charles K. Gerrard as Samuel Winter
Helen Bray as Belle Laurie

Reception[]

Like many American films of the time, Little Miss Optimist was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. The Chicago Board of Censors cut two views of a stamp (the board always cut close-ups of envelopes), and scenes of the murder striking man on his head with a bronze, man striking Carden with the bronze, and two theft scenes.^[4]

References[]

^ Janiss Garza (2015). "Little-Miss-Optimist - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
^ "Little Miss Optimist". AFI. Retrieved 4 January 2015.
^ "Reviews: Little Miss Optimist". Exhibitors Herald. New York: Exhibitors Herald Company. 5 (9): 30. August 25, 1917.
^ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (10): 33. September 1, 1917. Retrieved 2015-07-14.

External links[]

Little Miss Optimist at IMDb

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[1] Janiss Garza (2015). "Little-Miss-Optimist - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 4 January 2015. Retrieved 4 January 2015.

[2] "Little Miss Optimist". AFI. Retrieved 4 January 2015.

[3] "Reviews: Little Miss Optimist". Exhibitors Herald. New York: Exhibitors Herald Company. 5 (9): 30. August 25, 1917.

[4] "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 5 (10): 33. September 1, 1917. Retrieved 2015-07-14.

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