The Eye of Envy (1917) Poster

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5/10
Bunyanesque Take On Fantasy
boblipton11 June 2021
Crane Wilbur is a blacksmith in Sleepy Hollow. When rich people pass through, his ambition is fired.

It's a parable, half THE PLGRIM'S PROGRESS with characters called "Ambition", "Avarice" and "Innocence", and half wish-fulfillment fantasy., put together in an obvious way that is suitable for its Bunyanesque side, but looks obvious and dull for its other aspects. Crane Wilbur, a member of the Tyrone Power family, had entered the movies a few years earlier, and was well featured in THE PERILS OF PAULINE. His ambitions called him back to the stage, but he returned to the movies with the coming of sound, mostly as a writer and director. He continued to work until 1962, and died in 1973 at age 86.
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7/10
A pretty good morality tale about letting envy turning you into something you regret.
larry41onEbay24 May 2017
Warning: Spoilers
"The Eye of Envy" is the title of the subject on which Mr. Wilbur begins his work. The picture is to be made from a story written by the star. It is based on the theme of envy and is treated in semi- allegorical fashion ...

(SPOILERS)

At the crook of a road leading to Success is the little hamlet of Sleepy Hollow where everyone sleeps as time rolls on. In Sleepy Hollow dwells a young blacksmith who, when not happily making horseshoes, is courting a village maiden. One day, the regular road is closed for repairs, and the detour forces traffic to pass through Sleepy Hollow on the way to Success. Passing through the town is Avarice and his beautiful bride Innocence who bestir the envy of the blacksmith. Following them along the road to Success, the smithy encounters a wishing tree which enables him to switch bodies with Avarice. Transformed for the worse, the smithy realizes his mistake too late and is killed. He then awakens from his nightmare, realizes that money and power are superficial values, and returns to his peaceful life and the maiden in Sleepy Hollow.

I saw a mostly tinted print that was just discovered at the Library Of Congress nitrate film collection. I hope it get preserved soon, folks would enjoy this 100 year old lesson on it's better to be poor and happy than rich and evil.
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