Most of us who are familiar with the short stories of the American writer O Henry will recall tales such as “The Gift of the Magi,” “The Ransom of Red Chief” and “The Cop and the Anthem.” However, one of his lesser-known stories, “The Church With an Overshot Wheel” has its charms, and a restored silent-film version of the story is now available.
The short film from 1920, restored in 2022 and just under 22 minutes in length, is a worthy introduction for modern viewers to silent film structure and characteristics. It is mostly faithful to the original plot and uses lines from the classic story on its title cards. Paired with pretty piano music (and dramatic pump organ music) and enticing outdoor scenes, Overshot Wheel can be a pleasant diversion as well as an educational opportunity for various courses and discussion groups.
Briefly, the story and the film follow a shocking and sad story of a miller, “Father Abram” Strong, whose three-year-old daughter Aglaia goes missing and is not found. Grief-stricken, he and his wife move away from their small town of Lakelands. Later he is widowed and his business endeavors are highly successful. He returns annually to Lakelands and also helps out the community when they have famines and other misfortunes.
During one such annual visit, he falls into conversations with a new visitor to the town, Miss Rose Chester. By the end of the film, Rose and Father Abram realize that they are daughter and father, finally reunited after 17 years. What ultimately unites them is remembering a ditty they used to sing:
“The wheel goes round, the grist is ground, the dusty miller’s merry; He sings all day, his work is play, While thinking of his dearie.”
The film is well-acted but fairly standard and realistic for a 1920 film, although there is a ghostly reminiscence scene at the 19-minute mark that features special effects. While it would be considered corny to most modern viewers, the short classic film is not overlong and is thus a sweet, gentle tale that is too sentimental. The cinematography is of good quality and was conducted in small-town Connecticut, and the brief comic scene of the ripped bag of flour, due to a young boy’s over-eager pumping of the organ, moves the plot along.
This short work is a fine slice of life in America in the early years after World War I. Viewers will find it interesting to see the clothing styles, acting methods, and other details of this film. It has only the mildest of pacing lags.
This short film would make a very good English Language Arts course assignment, paired with the short story. Students could compare and contrast the two forms of media. The short story is easily sourced online. It would be appropriate for middle/intermediate school honors classes, high school classes, even a History of American Film class or American Studies course, and perhaps even for an advanced ELL (English Language Learners) course for adults.
Students could assess the style of the written work and the film, examine the societal elements of both, and evaluate which would be more accessible for modern viewers. There are many other questions that could be asked. Possible assignments could include solo or group work, creating storyboards based on the film, and having students create their own lesson plans based on the story and film pairing. Students can also discuss how the acting in this silent film is different from a sound film. Its short length will make it easier to present in a class that is 40, 45, or 60 minutes long; it takes less than 22 minutes!
The credited cast for this film seems to have been recongnized only for their silent film work and is largely unknown today. Of more interest is the production company, Vitagraph Studios, which was active in Brooklyn, New York from 1897 through 1925, when it was bought by and absorbed into Warner Brothers. Vitagraph was a powerhouse in the early years of film production and launched many careers.
On a personal note, its main studios (later renamed Vitaphone) were located just minutes away from where I live. The studio and lots years later were used by Jewish day schools and a synagogue, and then they were demolished and an apartment complex was built on the site, called Vitagraph Apartments. What remains is the legendary smokestack from the studio, which is seen each day by thousands of subway train commuters whose trains pass it by. I helped to bring recognition to the smokestack preservation effort and even spoke with staff at Brooklyn Borough Hall and journalists about it. There were fears that it would be torn down but it still stands tall as a neighborhood landmark.
Learn more about the O. Henry Silent Film Restoration Now Available From Green Planet Films