On the Night Stage (1915)

From the opening shot of William S. Hart riding out of the mountains and donning a mask in order to commit a holdup -- which is really a prelude to the main body of the movie -- On the Night Stage pulses with action and feeling, and it's easy to understand, even 90 years later, why Hart became a star (not that director Reginald Barker doesn't deserve some praise for pushing the action forward without lag or pretense, and he obviously knew how to get his performers to put a lot of heart into their work). In the introduction, when Rhea Mitchell appears in costume as Belle Shields, she suddenly looks and moves for the camera like a woman who could ruin two or three men's lives if she isn't careful, something one can't say about Mitchell's appearance as herself in the early frames of that shot. Seen today, there are also interesting plot and character resonances, anticipating aspects of John Ford's The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. The five-reel version of On the Night Stage, which runs well over an hour, is a treat to see on a lot of levels. Producer Thomas Ince knew he was taking a gamble, and investing a lot of money, but he discovered that even in a vehicle as undemanding as a Western, with the right cast and story, there was plenty to do with 80 minutes plus of screen time, and that the audience would devour it, especially if Hart was in the picture. He looks so young here that it's eerie, a lot like watching John Wayne in The Big Trail -- you can already see the attributes that are going to make him a star and the kind of screen figure who could sell millions of tickets for the better part of a decade. ~ Bruce Eder, All Movie Guide