Museum of Modern Art Collection

SummaryThis collection contains actuality footage from the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, "Canoeing in Maine" (1906), showing Moosehead Lake canoeing, including travel by horse and wagon and steamship. Collection also contains dramatic fiction. "The Seventh Day" (1922), directed by Henry King, is set in New York City and New Harbor, Maine. Starring Richard Barthelmess and Louise Huff, it concerns the conflicting morals of city and small-town people. "The Girl From Porcupine" (1921) was produced by Pine Tree Pictures and directed by Dell Henderson. The copy is incomplete, and the missing footage is not known to exist. Shot around Portland, Maine, it starred Faire Binney and Buster Collier. The film purports to be set in the Yukon.

Biographical/Historical NotesThe American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, founded in 1895, was one of the best known early American production companies. Frederick Wheeler Hinckley founded Pine Tree Pictures, in part to finance a housing development in South Portland. The company's pictures were set in the "north woods." Dell Henderson directed many feature films in the 1920s including at least one other shot in Maine. Henry King directed 60 films including comedies and Westerns; four were shot in Maine, the best known being "Carousel." NHF retains a 3/4 inch video copy of "The Girl From Porcupine"; original print is 16 mm.

Conditions Governing Reproduction and UseAuthorization to reuse and/or reproduce must be obtained from Northeast Historic Film. See http://oldfilm.org/content/stock-footage-licensing for more information.