Public Domain Movies

"The Female of the Species" (A Psychological Tragedy) is a short drama directed by D. W. Griffith.  This film illustrates the work of cinematographer Billy Bitzer, a star of Silent Hall of Fame.

The last four survivors from an abandoned mining village make a desperate trip to safety across the desert.  When the only man (Charles West) dies, his wife (Claire McDowell), aided by her younger sister (Mary Pickford), plans revenge against the other woman (Dorothy Bernard) for allegedly having had an affair with her husband.

Directed by                        D.W. Griffith
Produced by                       Biograph Company
Cinematography               G.W. Bitzer
Starring                              Claire McDowell, Mary Pickford, Dorothy Bernard, Charles West
Distributed by                    The General Film Company
Release date                       April 15, 1912
Running time                     14 min.
Country                              United States
Language                            Silent, English intertitles

You can see a slideshow of stills from this film and other interesting stuff on our website silent-hall-of-fame.org.

Silent Hall of Fame is the only place where we actively work to bring back from oblivion the names and legacy of formerly illustrious silent movie stars, which have made a major contribution to the industry and the world but do not have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

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Please visit our website to watch quality silent films absolutely free and to support the legacy of silent movie stars with your tax deductible contribution.

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