The Whistle (1921) Poster

(1921)

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7/10
Oh Danny Boy, the Pipes Are Calling
wes-connors24 May 2008
The disclaimer opening doth protest too much, methinks: "Since the days of Plato and Socrates there have been many men of wisdom, but none sage enough to solve the struggle eternal between Capitol (Business) and Labor. We do not do not seek to work out the problems of their issue but desire to show the story of the lives of two men as a story and nothing more." Of course, "The Whistle" unashamedly deals with workplace safety, despite its claim of "nothing more".

Laborer William S. Hart (as Robert Evans) lives in the New England town of Chappleville, which is owned and operated by his wealthy boss, Frank Brownlee (as Henry Chapple). Mr. Hart lives with his adolescent son, Will Jim Hatton (as Danny Evans); "Mrs. Evans" having died during childbirth. Mr. Brownlee lives with wife Myrtle Stedman (as Mrs. Chapple) and baby Richard Headrick; later, baby grows into boy Georgie Stone. Hart regular Bob Kortman (as Scardon) has a pivotal role.

Hart and company make a bold statement picture, which is also shamelessly emotional entertainment; and, the star is so effective in the "non-western" lead role, it's a shame he saddled up so much more than not. Hart and Hatton are so convincing as father and son, you can't help but sympathize with Hart. His face shows his son's soul being ripped from Hart, after his gut-wrenching workplace incident. Hart conscientiously carries the remainder of the film well; but, given the melodramatics, the ending is unnecessarily a downer for one cast member.

******* The Whistle (3/27/21) Lambert Hillyer ~ William S. Hart, Frank Brownlee, Myrtle Stedman
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7/10
Good chance of pace for Hart
scsu19751 December 2022
Robert Evans works at a factory owned by Henry Chapple. Evans complains to Chapple that the machines are not safe. Tragedy strikes when Evans' son is accidentally killed in the factory. Later, Chapple's chauffeur is transporting Chapple's infant son when the car goes off a bridge. Evans saves the young boy, and, partly in revenge, decides to raise him as the son he lost. Evans leaves town, and after a few years go by, fate brings him together with the Chapple's again, where Mrs. Chapple continues to mourn the death of her son. She develops an affection for Evans' boy, and Evans' conscience begins to bother him. Will he give up the boy to his rightful parents?

This is a pretty good morality play, with Hart playing something other than a gunslinger. As with many of his roles, he walks a fine line between good and evil. Just as interesting is the Chapple character played by Frank Brownlee, who initially appears to be the villain, then softens as the climax approaches. There are several heart-tugging scenes; one in particular is when Hart sees his "son" and dog kneeling and praying that Mrs. Chapple will someday get a son to replace the one she lost.

Overall, this is a solid drama, moving at just the right place. My only complaint is that some of the title cards are needlessly abstruse.
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8/10
Hart Tackles Labour Unrest!!
kidboots7 March 2015
Warning: Spoilers
1921 saw William S. Hart trying to diversify from his usual "good bad man" persona. It didn't really matter because whatever he did was alright with the critics who claimed this movie was "one of the finest contributions William S. Hart has given to the screen". The film before, "O'Malley of the Mounted" had him as a Canadian mounted policeman, this one, "The Whistle" was infinitely better and dealt with labour unrest with the factory's whistle symbolically featuring throughout the movie.

Robert Evans (Hart) is more of a pal to his son George. They work together in the factory owned by Henry Chapple who is careless of work place safety, happy to cut corners to bring contracts in under budget. Even his wife (Myrtle Stedman) urges her husband to give Robert's boy a chance as she remembers a time when the three of them were friends. When young George is caught and killed in a faulty conveyor belt Robert decides to leave town. He stops to chat to a bridge operator who complains that because of Chapple's meanness he has had to work a 15 hour shift through his tiredness. Chapple's car crashes into the river but unbeknownst to the on- lookers, Robert has saved the little boy - and vows to God he will take the place of the son he lost and work beside him on the factory floor!!! Years later finds them both working at a huge aquaduct - that is soon to be visited by the owner - Mr. Chapple!!!

Meantime good old Robert Kortman plays a particularly thuggish character (what else??) who is itching to put Robert out of circulation and he does for a while. Robert is shot and the Chapples, who sorrowfully remember Robert's little boy, want to do everything they can to help him, which means the best medical treatment and looking after his "nephew" while he recuperates. Little do they realise......

It wouldn't be a Hart movie without one of "those" titles - "sunlight shining through years of misery on a mother's face" - the happiness on Mrs. Chapple's face when she realises she will have the little boy to take care of. Evans almost tells them the truth until an elderly woman who has just lost her husband in a factory floor accident, tells him that the faulty conveyor belt has still not been fixed!!!

Hart's films around this time were often centred away from the wide open spaces and on home and family. He was hoping to settle down himself and thought he had found the right girl in Winifred Westover (out of all the actresses he proposed to she was the only one who said yes!!) but within a year of his marriage she had left him and he was never to know married domestic happiness.
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9/10
William S. Hart as a factory worker, not a cowboy, adds strength to this drama
morrisonhimself7 December 2020
Some strong performances make this film more than a soap opera, although the story has such a twist it shouldn't be considered a soap drama anyway.

However, it does deal with loss of children and how parents try to cope.

Following the basic rule of drama, that a character must change, in "The Whistle," more than one changes, and I think satisfactorily.

"The Whistle" is quite a powerful symbol here, and whistles and bells and other signals have played a large part in U.S. life until at least the 1950s, when industry started to move off shore. Here the whistle is a clue to regimented life in somewhat of a cliché, with the factory owner being heartless and unconsidering of safety.

But not so heartless he doesn't love his wife and son.

William S. Hart looks odd in city clothes, but he proves, again, he's an actor, no matter his milieu, and his powerful performance is reason enough to watch "The Whistle." There are prints at YouTube, a good one, and one at archive.org, not quite so good but completely watchable. I recommend "The Whistle," for great performances by everyone, for good directing, and the chance to see William S. Hart not on horseback.
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