Beyond the Law (1918 film)

Beyond the Law is a 1918 American silent film directed by Theodore Marston. It was based on a serial story of the same name, authored by Emmett Dalton, the lone surviving brother of the Dalton Gang, who appears in the film as himself and two of his deceased brothers.

Beyond the Law
Film poster
Directed byTheodore Marston
Written byEmmett Dalton (novel)
William Addison Lathrop (scenario)
StarringEmmett Dalton, William R. Dunn, Virginia Lee
Distributed bySouthern Feature Film Corp.
Release date
  • November 26, 1918 (1918-11-26)
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Background

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Emmett Dalton wrote a serial story recounting "the exploits he and his brother outlaws perpetrated."[1] Titled Beyond the Law, it was published in The Wide World Magazine, a London monthly, starting in May 1918.[2][1] The same month, Dalton moved to Gastonia, North Carolina, as did the company he was the general manager of, the Southern Feature Film Corporation.[3] The company published a half-page notice in the local paper, announcing their intention to make Beyond the Law into a movie, which it described as "a beautiful, historical, romantic story written around the lives of the Dalton Boys."[4] A newspaper article in mid-July reported that production of the film was due to begin later that month requiring at least 30 people, and expected to last four or five weeks.[5] An article the following week reported that Dalton was going to New York City to film interior scenes at the Famous Players Studio, with outdoor scenes to be filmed later in Bat Cave, North Carolina, and at Pawnee Bill Ranch in Oklahoma.[6] References to the finished film, "a special six-reel feature", began to appear in early December.[7]

 

Showings of the film were reported by various newspapers starting in early 1919, including in Washington, D.C.;[8] Newport News, Virginia;[9] and Dalton's home city at the time, Gastonia.[10] These reports also highlighted that Dalton personally attended screenings of the movie and would "lecture" at each performance.[8][9][10]

Cast

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Beyond the Law". The Wide World Magazine. Vol. 40. London. 1917–18. p. 441. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
  2. ^ "Notice". The Wilmington Dispatch. Wilmington, North Carolina. March 12, 1918. p. 3. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ "Dalton, Ex-Outlaw, Moves to Gastonia". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. May 10, 1918. p. 1. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Southern Feature Film Corporation". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. May 15, 1918. p. 6. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "To Make Pictures". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. July 17, 1918. p. 1. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Personal Mention (column)". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. July 22, 1918. p. 2. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Conner, Ned (December 7, 1918). "Stage and Screen (column)". The Wichita Beacon. Wichita, Kansas. p. 2. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ a b "City Entertains Once Noted Bandit". The Washington Times. February 18, 1919. p. 9. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ a b "Noted Bandid in 'Beyond the Law'". Daily Press (Virginia). Newport News, Virginia. February 25, 1919. p. 5. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ a b "Ideal Theater (advert)". The Gastonia Gazette. Gastonia, North Carolina. February 24, 1919. p. 2. Retrieved June 20, 2022 – via newspapers.com.

Further reading

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