The Poor Little Rich Girl (1917), ancient movie, silent movie

The Poor Little Rich Girl
1917

Mary Pickford, Madlaine Traverse, Charles Wellesley, Gladys Fairbanks and Frank McGlynn Sr.

The Poor Little Rich Girl is a 1917 American comedy-drama film directed by Maurice Tourneur. The story revolves around Gwendoline, an 11-year-old girl who is neglected by her wealthy and busy parents, leaving her in the care of unsympathetic domestic workers at their mansion. Gwendoline's mother is preoccupied with her social life, while her father faces serious financial troubles and contemplates suicide.

Despite her lonely and confined life, Gwendoline finds solace in fleeting moments of joy, such as spending time with an organ-grinder or engaging in a mud-fight with street boys. However, these experiences are short-lived as she is quickly pulled back into her restricted world.

One day, Gwendoline falls ill after the maid administers an overdose of sleeping medicine to be able to go out. In her delirium, she enters an imaginary world inspired by the people and things around her, known as the Garden of Lonely Children in the Tell-Tale forest. As her condition worsens, Death attempts to lure her into eternal rest. But Life also appears to her and eventually triumphs.

The film explores themes of neglect, childhood innocence, and the power of imagination. Mary Pickford delivers a heartfelt performance as Gwendoline, capturing the character's resilience and longing for love and attention. The Poor Little Rich Girl was deemed culturally significant by the United States Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry in 1991.

The movie serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of emotional connection, compassion, and the value of a nurturing environment for a child's well-being.

Cast
Mary Pickford as Gwendolyn
Madlaine Traverse as Gwendolyn's Mother
Charles Wellesley as Gwendolyn's Father
Gladys Fairbanks as Jane
Frank McGlynn, Sr. as The Plumber
Emile La Croix as The Organ Grinder
Marcia Harris as Miss Royale
Charles Craig (actor) as Thomas
Frank Andrews as Potter
Herbert Prior as The Doctor
George Gernon as Johnny Blake
Maxine Elliott Hicks as Susie May Squoggs

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