The Moral Sinner
| The Moral Sinner | |
|---|---|
Lobby card | |
| Directed by | Ralph Ince |
| Screenplay by | C. M. S. McLellan J. Clarkson Miller |
| Based on | Leah Kleschna by C. M. S. McLellan[1] |
| Produced by | Jesse L. Lasky Adolph Zukor |
| Starring | Dorothy Dalton James Rennie Alphonse Ethier Frederick Lewis Walter Percival Paul McAllister |
| Cinematography | William Miller |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
Release date |
|
Running time | 60 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent (English intertitles) |
The Moral Sinner is a 1924 American silent drama film directed by Ralph Ince and written by Willis Goldbeck, Josephine Quirk, and Rita Weiman, based on the 1904 play Leah Kleschna by C. M. S. McLellan. The film stars Dorothy Dalton, James Rennie, Alphonse Ethier, Frederick Lewis, Walter Percival, and Paul McAllister. The film was released on May 19, 1924, by Paramount Pictures.[2][3]
The film is a remake of an early 1913 Adolph Zukor produced film, Leah Kleschna.
Plot
As described in a film magazine review,[4] Anton Kleschna, a crook, has his daughter Leah for an accomplice and uses Raoul Berton, son of a French general, as a tool. Paul Sylvain rescues Leah from a burning building and she forms an attachment for him. She is sent to his study to steal the Sylvain diamonds, but is detected by Paul. Raoul appears half drunk, and Paul hides Leah. Meanwhile, Raoul gets the valuables. They are restored to Paul by Leah. She resolves to go straight and works in the fields with the peasants. There Paul finds her and persuades her to become his wife.
Cast
- Dorothy Dalton as Leah Kleschna
- James Rennie as Paul Sylvain
- Alphonse Ethier as Anton Kleschna
- Frederick Lewis as Schram
- Walter Percival as Raoul Berton
- Paul McAllister as Gen. Berton
- Florence Fair as Claire Berton
Censorship
Before The Moral Sinner could be exhibited in Kansas, the Kansas Board of Review required the elimination of a reel 1 scene, where a woman is robbing a safe, and the reel 3 title saying "Damn you... thief."[5]
Preservation
With no copies of The Moral Sinner located in any film archives,[6] it is a lost film.
References
- ^ Leah Kleschna various Broadway productions beginning 1904
- ^ Janiss Garza (2015). "Moral-Sinner - Trailer - Cast - Showtimes - NYTimes.com". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on February 4, 2015. Retrieved February 3, 2015.
- ^ "The AFI Catalog of Feature Films: The Moral Sinner". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ Pardy, George T. (April 19, 1924). "Box Office Reviews: The Moral Sinner". Exhibitors Trade Review. New York: Exhibitors Review Publishing Corporation: 20. Retrieved November 10, 2022. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ "Kansas Board of Review Movie Index - Kansas Historical Society". www.kansashistory.gov. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- ^ "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: The Moral Sinner". memory.loc.gov. Archived from the original on June 26, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2025.