JohnHowardReid An even earlier Pickford outing, available as a bonus on the 10/10 Milestone DVD, Heart o' the Hills, is the delightfully comic western, M'liss (1918), in which Mary is supported by Thomas Meighan. In fact, it's rather surprising to find a movie as sophisticated as this at such an early date. The acting is natural yet heartily ingratiating with wonderful performances from the whole cast, particularly Pickford, Theodore Roberts (her dad), Charles Ogle (the stage driver, Yuba Bill), Tully Marshall (the judge), Val Paul and Winifred Greenwood (the villains), and William H. Brown (the sheriff). Writer Frances Marion not only delivers fully rounded characterizations, but some really deft insert titles. One note of caution, however, is that director Marshall Neilan and his cutter use a grammar which some people may find difficult to master. I had to switch the movie off halfway through and watch it again from the beginning, as I'd missed half the information the director was so deftly putting across to audiences who were paying attention. None of this pandying to boobs and idiots that modern movies go for, with essential information constantly repeated. If you don't store the M'liss info the first time you read or see it, you'll miss out. That's the way to make a picture! Lavishly produced, beautifully photographed and set, M'liss is both a revelation and a delight.

PamelaShort M'Liss is the quintessential feisty, self-sufficient adolescent girl, that Mary Pickford naturally played the best. This story is about a bold and sassy girl, more mother than daughter to her alcoholic father, who is killed leaving the girl to fend for herself. M'Liss is also an amusing parody on Westerns, with the brazen girl holding up stagecoaches with a slingshot and romping around the countryside like a wildcat. Theodore Roberts is adorable as her drunken father , with his sole asset Hidegarde, the chicken he guards so lovingly as her eggs are traded for whiskey. All the supporting actors are very good in their roles. I especially enjoyed Charles Ogle, as Yuba Bill who cares for M'Liss in a fatherly fashion. Mary plays M'Liss with her usual combination of charm and pluckiness. There is a scene in the film in which M'Liss carries a snake into a classroom, causing some turmoil. Pickford found out later that the scene, which was not in the script, was a result of a bet between director Mickey Neilan and the crew. Neilan came up with the idea of working a snake into the story and the crew told him Mary would never agree. He laid a bet, and he won. All the exterior scenes were filmed very artistically on location, near Boulder Creek in Northern California, by the outstanding cinematographer Walter Stradling. Though not considered one of Pickford's best films, M'Liss is still very enjoyable to watch.

caldoni I have little or anything to add the comments of others who have spotted this movie for what it is, a story-vehicle for Mary Pickford, which is okay.The story itself isn't worthless but it feels a little worn in. I did however appreciate the messages ingrained in about families not being traditional, it's mediations on alcoholism, vigilantism and even pedophilia are interesting peaks into a time and a place we missed, but they don't occupy a lot of screen time. Some of the cinematography is great, but really the supporting cast is excellent, in particular the drunk old dad.The most relevant story convention is that of the indigent people ousted by cruel capitalist bent on their land, but that story is told better in both "Tess of the Storm Country" and "Heart O' The Hills" (this movie is featured on Milestone's "Heart O' The Hills DVD release.)

overseer-3 This story boasts a fine silent film star cast, including Pickford, Meighan, and Blue, and the screenplay by Frances Marion has funny moments and title cards to go along with the story of a backwards girl fighting to save the local innocent schoolteacher from being convicted for the murder of her father.I loved the moment where Pickford confronts Meighan about the murder. Their faces are close together through the bars of the jail cell and they communicate with eyes and facial gestures alone (no title cards) so that we know what is transpiring between them without a word needing to be said. Beautiful. Meighan had such a strong masculine face, no wonder why he was so popular in the silent days as a leading man and why all the actresses loved to work with him.At times the story seems rambling, but half-way through it becomes very cohesive and you really learn to care for these characters and their fate.