Movie

The Empty Cradle

1923 · 70 min

A solemn silent-era melodrama that wrings tension and pathos from a mother's impossible choice, then softens into a moral fable.

Directed by: Burton L. King
Genres: Drama
Starring: Mary Alden, Harry T. Morey, Mickey Bennett

Overview: Disowned by her family for marrying beneath her class, Alice Larkin lives in a modest home with her husband, John, and their children. Meanwhile, wealthy Ethel Lewis is separated from her husband, Robert, because she refuses to have children. On Ethel's behalf, a lawyer offers Alice $50,000 in exchange for the adoption of her youngest child, Louise. After Alice reluctantly accepts, Ethel presents the child to Robert as their own. Alice visits the Lewis home frequently, rekindling Robert's long-dormant romantic feelings for her. John is consumed with jealousy and attempts to shoot Robert, but accidentally hits Louise. Alice then awakens to find that it was a horrible dream. She refuses the lawyer's offer just as her Aunt Martha enters with apologies and Christmas presents.

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In the UKNo streaming, rental or purchase options known.

Directed by: Burton L. King
Genres: Drama
Starring: Mary Alden, Harry T. Morey, Mickey Bennett

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How it feels

Written by AI. It can be wrong.

Tone: melancholicstrength 2 of 3
tensestrength 2 of 3
earneststrength 2 of 3
darkstrength 1 of 3
Pacing: measured, 2 of 4, from slow-burn to relentless
Attention: engaged, 3 of 4, from background-friendly to demanding
Themes: family
class
parenthood
grief
betrayal
Places: home
single country house
Era: period
Audience: adult
Form: twist ending
Content intensity: Gore none
Language none
Violence mild
Sex none

All scales, 0 to 10

Scales, 0 to 10
Scale	Value	0 to 10
Action	2
Horror	1
Humour	1
Realism	6
Romance	3
Tension	5
Darkness	5
Complexity	4
Emotional weight	6

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Where to watch in the UK

No UK streaming, rental or purchase options are known.

Streaming data from JustWatch.TMDB

Details

Genres: drama
Directed by: Burton L. King
Written by: Leota Morgan
Starring: Mary Alden, Harry T. Morey, Mickey Bennett, Edward Quinn, Helen Rowland, Coit Albertson, Madeline La Varre, Ricca Allen
Runtime: 70 min
Country: United States of America
Languages: No Language

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The Empty Cradle

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