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Director's Spotlight
Senior Film Conservator
Director's Spotlight: United States
A Deep Dive into the 1920 Vision of Harry L. Franklin
Analyzing Her Five-Foot Highness (1920) requires a deep dive into the defining moment in Western history that Harry L. Franklin helped create. Defining a new era of United States artistic expression, it transcends regional boundaries to tell a universal story.
In Her Five-Foot Highness, Harry L. Franklin 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.
The visual language of Her Five-Foot Highness is defined by its use of shadows and framing, a hallmark of Harry L. Franklin's style. By utilizing a 1920-era palette, the film creates an immersive experience that perfectly complements its Western themes.
| Cinematography | Handheld |
| Soundtrack | Synth-Heavy |
| Editing | Disjunctive |
| Art Direction | Baroque |
Visualizing the convergence of Harry L. Franklin's style and the core Western narrative.
When Texas ranch owner Ellen inherits the estate of her long-lost uncle, the Duke of Wilshire, her unscrupulous attorney, Wesley Saunders, who has been plotting to seize control of her ranch, decides to capitalize on the opportunity. Confiscating Ellen's identification papers, Saunders journeys to England, accompanied by a chorus girl who is impersonating Ellen. When Ellen appears at the estate, her British relatives are appalled by her rough-and-tumble manners, and with the subsequent arrival of Saunders and his protégé, Ellen is treated as an impostor. Now stranded, Ellen is forced to sell Saunders an option on her ranch in return for a ticket back to Texas. Lady Harriet and Sir Gerald, two of her English relatives, discover Saunders' treachery and follow Ellen back West. Thus, Ellen is finally accorded her ranch and her British estate, and she happily marries her foreman, Slim Higgins.
Decades after its release, Her Five-Foot Highness remains a vital piece of the cinematic puzzle. Its influence can be seen in countless modern works, solidifying Harry L. Franklin's status as a master of the craft in United States and beyond.