By the time she made ANNIE LAURIE in 1927, Lillian Gish was 33 years old and had appeared in over 20 feature films and more than 40 short ones. It was her third movie for MGM after LA BOHEME & THE SCARLET LETTER which were both moderately successful. MGM was then the biggest and most powerful studio in Hollywood. Studio head Louis B. Mayer didn’t like Gish as she had more autonomy than most female stars (initially she had script approval and could choose her director) but as long as her movies made money, he left her alone. However ANNIE was an expensive flop and that along with the arrival of Greta Garbo meant that Lillian’s days at MGM were numbered. After 3 more poorly performing movies (including the highly acclaimed THE WIND), she left Hollywood for 10 years.
It’s hard to fathom why ANNIE failed at the box office at the time of its release. It took its name from a well known ballad and was based on an actual historical event. Joining Gish were popular 1920s leading man Norman Kerry (PHANTOM OF THE OPERA) along with silent film veterans Brandon Hurst and Hobart Bosworth as the leaders of the rival clans. Also in the cast, in an atypical role, was Creighton Hall who was usually known for his comedic roles like the one in THE CAT AND THE CANARY. Here he portrays the chief villain and he’s very good. The movie also had lavish production values as can be seen in several massive castle sets and in clothing the hundreds of extras in traditional Scottish dress (lots and lots of kilts representing the different clans).
The plot concerns two warring clans, the Campbells and the MacDonalds in 17th century Scotland. Gish portrays the title character who is the daughter of a diplomat who is trying to bring peace between the two families. She commits herself to a Campbell but then falls for a MacDonald. When her jilted boyfriend plans a gruesome revenge on the opposing family, she must risk her life to warn them before it’s too late. The circumstances are based on the Glencoe Massacre which took place on February 13, 1692. While it’s been fictionalized and romanticized, the event actually did happen. The attack is rousingly staged and is definitely the action highlight of the film. The final scene of the movie was shot in two-strip Technicolor which added to the expense.
After the movie tanked, MGM “forgot” about it (as they did all 4 of Gish’s movies made there) and it disappeared for almost 60 years and was considered a lost film. Finally In the 1980s a print was located in Oregon and was turned over to the American Film Institute who then sent it to the Library of Congress. The film was in less than pristine condition but at least it was being preserved. After a number of years, restoration efforts began and the fully restored version, complete with a brand new full orchestral score, premiered in January of 2024. The music by Robert Israel is a medley of well known Scottish tunes including the titular one which was the initial inspiration for the movie. It is this restored version that has now been made available on Blu-ray by Kino Lorber.
ANNIE LAURIE, while not top drawer Gish, still has a lot of things going for it. It is a delight to look at with superbly detailed sets and excellent location shooting that is beautifully captured by longtime MGM cinematographer Oliver Marsh. The underrated Norman Kerry is both handsome and rugged but, as mentioned earlier, acting honors go to Creighton Hale. Lillian is good as always but seems less at home in the lighter scenes. She does come to life during the dramatic finale which is more like what she is used to. From my POV, the action sequences are transferred a trifle fast but the LOC should know what it’s doing. The ending Technicolor scenes do look good. While it’s great to have ANNIE LAURIE, I’m still waiting for a restored version of THE WIND.
The Capsule Critic 