The Melting Pot
Cast & Crew
James Vincent
Walker Whiteside
Valentine Grant
Fletcher Harvey
Henry Bergman
Julia Hurley
Film Details
Synopsis
Young violinist David Quixano witnesses the slaughter of his family in the Easter morning pogrom at Kishineff, Russia, which is being conducted by Baron Ravendal to carry out the Czar's decree to massacre one-third of the Jews in Russia, baptize another third and exile the rest. The baron's daughter Vera, imprisoned by the Czar's spies when she aids victims, escapes and goes to New York, where she falls in love with David, who plays in East Side concert halls to survive. After David interests a German music master in promoting his symphony to symbolize the amalgamation of races and religions in America's "melting pot," the baron arrives to reproach Vera. Although Vera subdues his protests, David declares that rivers of blood separate them. The baron penitently offers his life and David is about to kill him, when a broken violin string reminds him of his symphony's ideals. When the symphony is performed, a giant crucible is shown to convert people from all races and countries into American citizens. After David is proclaimed a genius, he and Vera marry.
Cast
Walker Whiteside
Valentine Grant
Fletcher Harvey
Henry Bergman
Julia Hurley
Harold Crane
Henry Leone
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
This was the first film of the Cort Film Corp. It was produced at the Centaur Film Co., Bayonne, NJ. Walker Whiteside, who played the role of David on stage, made his screen debut in this film. The film had its premiere at the Hippodrome in New York, for which a special orchestration was prepared. Some sources indicate that James Vincent was the sole director. Some sources also indicate that Catherine Carr was the sole scenarist.
