This film is part of Free
Ring and the Rajah
"East is east and west is west": an Indian maharajah falls for an Englishwoman with disastrous consequences in this early fiction short.
Overview
An Indian maharajah falls for an aristocratic Englishwoman with disastrous consequences in this silent short, sadly missing its final scenes. Will he redeem himself after an ill-fated vendetta against his beloved's beau? Indian characters played by white actors in makeup appear outdated today, yet were relatively common in the 1910s, when filmmakers mined public fascination with eastern exoticism.
This film was produced by the Twickenham-based London Film Company (no connection with the London Films run by Alexander Korda from the 1930s to 50s), and was one of many shorts made quickly and relatively cheaply for screening in mixed cinema programmes. Director Harold Shaw had been brought over from America to inject a dash of Hollywood verve into British cinema, staying some eight years. Shaw's own wife Edna Flugrath plays the unfortunate heroine, Edith. The keen-eyed will spot that the main title card on this copy reads 'The Ring and the Rajar', and bears the imprint 'Selig'. This is probably an American release print. To add to the confusion, the contemporary journal Bioscope referred to the film as 'The King (sic) and the Rajah' in its review.
Related
Lt Pimple and the Stolen Submarine Lt Pimple and the Stolen Submarine
Comedy 1914 14 mins Silent Location: Twickenham
The intrepid Lieutenant Pimple thwarts foreign enemies in an action-packed wartime spy spoof.
From Antwerp to Ostend From Antwerp to Ostend
Travelogue 1914 5 mins Silent
On the brink of invasion, holidaymakers promenade while refugees shelter in beach huts on the Belgian coastline in 1914.
German Spy Peril German Spy Peril
War 1914 7 mins Silent
Inventive WWI propaganda in which a rejected volunteer foils a German plot to blow up Parliament.
A Christmas Carol A Christmas Carol
Fantasy 1914 23 mins Silent
A well-acted early version of Charles Dickens' much loved Christmas story, featuring some impressive ghost sequences.
Egypt and Her Defenders Egypt and Her Defenders
Travelogue 1914 10 mins Silent
Cairo street scenes, the pyramids, the majestic Nile and a visiting Lord Kitchener in a gorgeous tinted travelogue.
Gloves of Ptames Gloves of Ptames
Fantasy 1914 9 mins Silent
A mysterious pair of gloves from an ancient Egyptian tomb cause chaos in this silent 'trick' comedy.
Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A Getting it Back: The Story of Cymande - Q&A
Inside Film 2024 22 mins
The director of a documentary about British funk pioneers Cymande joins the band at BFI Southbank to talk about the film.
The West Case The West Case
Action and Adventure 1923 28 mins Silent Location: Tilbury
Plotting world domination, Devil Doctor Fu-Manchu steals plans for a new aero-torpedo in this earliest surviving thrill-a-minute serial instalment.
Enter the Scala!!! Enter the Scala!!!
Inside Film 2024 16 mins
Filmmakers Jane Giles and Ali Catterall discuss their documentary Scala!!!, revisiting the legendary and inspirational cinema venue and some of the most notorious films that screened there.
Smith Smith
Charity appeal 1939 10 mins
Long thought lost, this Powell-directed promotional short for a veteran’s charity was only rediscovered in 2003.
An Airman's Letter to His Mother An Airman's Letter to His Mother
Documentary 1941 6 mins
A poignant, stirring letter from a recently deceased pilot to his mother is read by John Gielgud.
The NHS75 Celebration The NHS75 Celebration
Short documentary 2023 3 mins
Former Bristol Poet Laureate, Miles Chambers reads a poem specially commissioned for the 75th anniversary of the NHS.