Selig Polyscope Company; 1914; based upon the novel by Rex Beach; dir: Colin Campbell; cast: William Farnum, Kathlyn Williams, Tom Santschi, Wheeler Oakman. Vintage original 27 x 41-1/4 in. (68.6 x 104.8 cm.) U.S. one-sheet poster, stone lithograph, linen-backed, fine condition.

Produced by the Selig Polyscope Company in 1914, this was the first of five film versions of the famous story of Alaskan life based upon the book by Rex Beach. This one-sheet offered here is considered the best of the three different styles that were created and depicts a dramatic scene from the film as Roy Glenister (William Farnum) gambles everything he has and loses, but the bet is called off by the saloon owner, Cherry Malotte (Kathlyn Williams), while the nearby group of patrons watch apprehensively. The tag line shown above the film's title reads "That bet is off, the cases are wrong," which reflects the line spoken by Cherry Malotte as she voids Glenister's failed bet. Measuring 27 x 41-1/4 in., this beautiful stone lithograph has been professionally linen-backed with expert restoration to the fold lines and to repair very small areas of paper loss within the ouer white borders and at a few of the crossfolds. The colors are extremely fresh and vibrant with no fading.

The 1914 version of The Spoilers is considered one of the more important of the pre-1915 feature-length silent films. Three different one-sheet posters were created for this film and the style offered here is by far the best of the three. This is the only known copy of this style of the one-sheet poster.

The Spoilers is set in Nome, Alaska during the 1898 Gold Rush, with William Farnum as Roy Glennister, Kathlyn Williams as Cherry Malotte, and Tom Santschi as Alex McNamara. The film culminates in a spectacular saloon fistfight between Glennister and McNamara. It was adapted to screen by Lanier Bartlett from the Rex Beach novel. The film was remade in 1923 (with Noah Beery as McNamara), 1930 (with Gary Cooper as Glennister and Betty Compson as Malotte), 1942 (with John Wayne as Glennister, Randolph Scott as McNamara, and Marlene Dietrich as Malotte), and 1955 (with Jeff Chandler as Glennister, Rory Calhoun as McNamara, and Anne Baxter as Malotte).

E-mail a friend about this item.

Return to Catalog