The Little Minister (1921)
Director:
Penrhyn Stanlaws
Writers:
J.M. Barrie (play), Edfrid A. Bingham
Stars:
Betty Compson, George Hackathorne, Edwin Stevens, Nigel Barrie, Will Walling, Guy Oliver
James Barrie's charming story had already been filmed twice before, in 1913 and 1915, and it would become a vehicle for Katherine Hepburn in 1934. But this remake, released by Vitagraph had tough competition, since Paramount released their own version only a week later. Alice Calhoun is mildly miscast as Lady Babbie, the ward of wealthy Lord Rintoul (Henry Herbert). James Morrison is better cast as Gavin Dishart, the little minister who falls in love with feisty Babbie, who likes to pretend she's a Gypsy girl Babbie puts an end to their romance when she discovers that Dishart is about to lose his parish on her account. But before she can resign herself to marrying her guardian, she hears that the minister is dying. She rushes to him only to discover that the report was untrue. This, however, gives her the opportunity to reveal her true identity and the couple are finally wed.