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SPARROWS

1926

William Beaudine

Sparrows

SYNOPSIS

In a desolate Florida swamp, a group of orphaned children toil under the tyranny of the brutal Mr. Grimes. The eldest, Molly, becomes their guardian and moral anchor, shielding them from cruelty and despair. When danger escalates and an abandoned infant enters their care, Molly leads a perilous escape through the marshlands, transforming their suffering into a fragile hope for freedom.

CRITIQUE

A late silent showcase for Mary Pickford, Sparrows tempers sentimental melodrama with unexpectedly stark imagery. Beaudine crafts an atmosphere of near Gothic menace, the swamp rendered as both prison and purgatory. Pickford’s performance bridges childlike innocence and spiritual fortitude, reinforcing her star persona while stretching it toward darker registers. The film’s blend of social fable and expressionistic tension reveals silent Hollywood at its most emotionally direct and visually inventive.

SCREENING AVAILABILITY

  • Theatrical screenings

  • Non-theatrical screenings

  • Festivals and cinematheques

  • Educational screenings

  • Television broadcasting

  • Digital platforms and streaming

  • Promotional and editorial use

  • Licensing of graphic and visual materials

AVAILABLE FORMATS

  • DCP

  • DCP with subtitles

  • Apple ProRes

  • MP4 Screening File

  • MP4 Rehearsal Copy for Musicians (silent films)

  • Blu-ray

  • High-resolution archival masters

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

  • Posters

  • Press stills

  • Promotional assets

  • Screening support materials

AVAILABLE SUBTITLES

  • English

  • Spanish

  • French

  • Portuguese

  • Italian

  • German

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