Seed (film)
Encyclopedia
Seed is a 1931
American
drama film
directed by John M. Stahl
. The screenplay by Gladys Lehman is based on a novel by Charles G. Norris.
publishing house
. When his former girlfriend Mildred Bronson, a literary agent
who has been working in the Paris office, returns to the States, she arranges for Bart to draw his regular salary while working on a novel. Because his home life is so chaotic, Bart writes at Mildred's apartment during the day and frequently stays for dinner, and the two soon discover their old feelings for each other have been revived.
Bart's novel is published, and when Seed becomes a critical and commercial success, he abandons his family and moves to France with Mildred. Peggy opens a dress shop and lives with the children in an apartment above the store.
A decade later, the now-married Bart and Mildred return to New York. His grown children are delighted to see their father, who wishes to make amends for having left them. He suggests enrolling his daughter Margaret in finishing school, sending the twin boys to Harvard University
, finding employment for his oldest son, and having the youngest boy live with him and Mildred. At her children's urging Peggy reluctantly agrees, although she feels she is losing them. Mildred assures her they will return to her one day, whereas she believes their renewed relationship with their father will place her own future with Bart in jeopardy.
as Margaret Carter after seeing her in the studio commissary. It proved to be the smallest role of her career, and in later years she recalled, ""If you blinked for a moment you would have missed me. I should have joined the extra
's union."
of the New York Times felt the plot was "undoubtedly an interesting theme, but in the film it merely results in being an adult idea offered in adolescent form." He thought John Boles was "too placid to be convincing" and John M. Stahl's direction was "unimaginative." He concluded, "It is a lethargic and often dull production, in spite of the good acting by both Genevieve Tobin as Mildred and Miss Wilson as Peggy, Zazu Pitts as a servant and passable performances by some of the other players."
1931 in film
-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:*Best Picture: Cimarron - MGM*Best Actor: Lionel Barrymore - A Free Soul*Best Actor: Wallace Beery - The Champ*Best Actor: Fredric March - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde...
American
Cinema of the United States
The cinema of the United States, also known as Hollywood, has had a profound effect on cinema across the world since the early 20th century. Its history is sometimes separated into four main periods: the silent film era, classical Hollywood cinema, New Hollywood, and the contemporary period...
drama film
Drama film
A drama film is a film genre that depends mostly on in-depth development of realistic characters dealing with emotional themes. Dramatic themes such as alcoholism, drug addiction, infidelity, moral dilemmas, racial prejudice, religious intolerance, poverty, class divisions, violence against women...
directed by John M. Stahl
John M. Stahl
John Malcolm Stahl was an American film director and producer.Born in New York City, New York, he began working in the city's growing motion picture industry at a young age and directed his first silent film short in 1914. In the early 1920s Stahl signed on with Louis B...
. The screenplay by Gladys Lehman is based on a novel by Charles G. Norris.
Plot
Bart Carter has sacrificed a writing career so he can support his wife Peggy and their five children by working as a clerk in a New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
publishing house
Publishing
Publishing is the process of production and dissemination of literature or information—the activity of making information available to the general public...
. When his former girlfriend Mildred Bronson, a literary agent
Literary agent
A literary agent is an agent who represents writers and their written works to publishers, theatrical producers and film producers and assists in the sale and deal negotiation of the same. Literary agents most often represent novelists, screenwriters and major non-fiction writers...
who has been working in the Paris office, returns to the States, she arranges for Bart to draw his regular salary while working on a novel. Because his home life is so chaotic, Bart writes at Mildred's apartment during the day and frequently stays for dinner, and the two soon discover their old feelings for each other have been revived.
Bart's novel is published, and when Seed becomes a critical and commercial success, he abandons his family and moves to France with Mildred. Peggy opens a dress shop and lives with the children in an apartment above the store.
A decade later, the now-married Bart and Mildred return to New York. His grown children are delighted to see their father, who wishes to make amends for having left them. He suggests enrolling his daughter Margaret in finishing school, sending the twin boys to Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, finding employment for his oldest son, and having the youngest boy live with him and Mildred. At her children's urging Peggy reluctantly agrees, although she feels she is losing them. Mildred assures her they will return to her one day, whereas she believes their renewed relationship with their father will place her own future with Bart in jeopardy.
Production
Director John M. Stahl cast Bette DavisBette Davis
Ruth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
as Margaret Carter after seeing her in the studio commissary. It proved to be the smallest role of her career, and in later years she recalled, ""If you blinked for a moment you would have missed me. I should have joined the extra
Extra (actor)
A background actor or extra is a performer in a film, television show, stage, musical, opera or ballet production, who appears in a nonspeaking, nonsinging or nondancing capacity, usually in the background...
's union."
Cast
- John BolesJohn Boles (actor)-Early life:Boles was born in Greenville, Texas, into a middle-class family. He graduated with honors from the University of Texas in 1917 and married Marielite Dobbs in that same year. His parents wanted him to be a doctor and Boles studied and finally got his B.A. degree, but the stage called...
as Bart Carter - Frances DadeFrances DadeFrances Dade, also known early in her career as Lorelei Lee, was an American film actress of the late 1920s and 1930s....
as Nancy - Bette DavisBette DavisRuth Elizabeth "Bette" Davis was an American actress of film, television and theater. Noted for her willingness to play unsympathetic characters, she was highly regarded for her performances in a range of film genres, from contemporary crime melodramas to historical and period films and occasional...
as Margaret Carter - Raymond HackettRaymond HackettRaymond Hackett was a stage and screen actor. He had been a child actor on the Broadway stage and was the brother of Albert Hackett. He was born in New York City the son of Maurice Hackett and Florence Hackett . His mother was later a silent screen actress. Hackett's first wife was Myra Hampton,...
as Junior Carter - ZaSu PittsZaSu PittsZaSu Pitts was an American actress who starred in many silent dramas and comedies, transitioning to comedy sound films.-Early life:ZaSu Pitts was born in Parsons, Kansas to Rulandus and Nellie Pitts; she was the third of four children...
as Jennie - Genevieve TobinGenevieve TobinGenevieve Tobin was an American actress.The daughter of a vaudeville performer, Tobin made her film debut in 1910 in Uncle Tom's Cabin as Eva. She appeared in a few films as child, and formed a double act with her sister Vivian. Their brother, George, also had a brief acting career...
as Mildred - Richard TuckerRichard Tucker (actor)Richard Tucker was an American actor. He appeared in 266 films between 1911 and 1940.He was born in Brooklyn, New York. He was the first official member of the Screen Actors Guild and a founding member of SAG's Board of Directors...
as Bliss - Jack Willis as Dicky Carter
- Lois Wilson as Peggy Carter
- Dick Winslow as Johnny Carter
- Bill Willis as Danny Carter
- Don Cox as young Dicky Carter
- Terry Cox as young Danny Carter
- Dickie Moore as young Johnny Carter
- Helen ParrishHelen ParrishHelen Parrish was an American movie actress, the daughter of stage and bit film actress Laura Parrish.-Career:...
as young Margaret Carter - Kenneth Seiling as young Junior Carter
Critical reception
Mordaunt HallMordaunt Hall
Mordaunt Hall was the first regularly assigned motion picture critic for The New York Times, from October 1924 to September 1934....
of the New York Times felt the plot was "undoubtedly an interesting theme, but in the film it merely results in being an adult idea offered in adolescent form." He thought John Boles was "too placid to be convincing" and John M. Stahl's direction was "unimaginative." He concluded, "It is a lethargic and often dull production, in spite of the good acting by both Genevieve Tobin as Mildred and Miss Wilson as Peggy, Zazu Pitts as a servant and passable performances by some of the other players."