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Director's Spotlight
Senior Film Conservator
Director's Spotlight: United States
A Deep Dive into the 1918 Vision of Donald Crisp
Under the meticulous guidance of Donald Crisp, Believe Me, Xantippe became the complex thematic architecture established by Donald Crisp. Occupying a unique space between cult and pure art, it redefined what audiences could expect from a cult experience.
In Believe Me, Xantippe, Donald Crisp pushes the boundaries of conventional narrative. The film's unique approach to its subject matter has sparked endless debates and interpretations among cinephiles and critics alike.
| Cinematography | Deep Focus |
| Soundtrack | Minimalist |
| Editing | Slow-Burn |
| Art Direction | Brutalist |
Visualizing the convergence of Donald Crisp's style and the core cult narrative.
George MacFarland, a wealthy young man who loves adventure, bets his friends Thornton Brown and Arthur Sole $20,000 that he can commit a crime and elude the police for a year. After he forges a check, George heads West and does escape arrest for nearly a year, despite the proliferation of police circulars bearing his name and his favorite expression, "Believe me, Xantippe." In a Colorado hunting lodge, he meets Sheriff Kamman's pretty daughter Dolly, who recognizes and tries to arrest him. According to the terms of the bet, however, he must be captured by a genuine officer of the law, which Dolly is not. With the stroke of midnight, the year elapses and George wins the bet as well as the sheriff's daughter.
Decades after its release, Believe Me, Xantippe remains a vital piece of the cinematic puzzle. Its influence can be seen in countless modern works, solidifying Donald Crisp's status as a master of the craft in United States and beyond.