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Director's Spotlight
Senior Film Conservator
Director's Spotlight: United States
A Deep Dive into the 1919 Vision of Howard Hickman
Analyzing Kitty Kelly, M.D. (1919) requires a deep dive into the defining moment in cult history that Howard Hickman helped create. Defining a new era of United States artistic expression, it transcends regional boundaries to tell a universal story.
In Kitty Kelly, M.D., Howard Hickman 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.
In this work, Howard Hickman explores the intersection of cult and United States cultural identity. The meticulous attention to detail suggests a deep-seated commitment to pushing the boundaries of the medium, ensuring that Kitty Kelly, M.D. remains a relevant topic of study for cult enthusiasts.
| Cinematography | Handheld |
| Soundtrack | Minimalist |
| Editing | Slow-Burn |
| Art Direction | Brutalist |
Visualizing the convergence of Howard Hickman's style and the core cult narrative.
Bob Lang, the superintendent at the Western mining town of Fracas, convenes a meeting to procure a doctor for the community. After a letter is sent to a leading university, Kitty Kelly, a recent medical school graduate, accepts their offer. When the town learns that a woman doctor is coming, they plan to send her right back, but after they see pretty Kitty, all the miners fill her waiting room with ailments linked to mysterious epidemics. Although Kitty is attracted to Bob, she castigates him for drinking. After he seizes her and threatens to hold her in his arms until she forgives him, Kitty, not displeased, makes Bob promise to stop drinking for ninety days. Jerry Williams, a saloon keeper who lives with Lola, a squaw, and their child, lures Kitty to a secluded shack and assaults her. Lola tells Bob, who rescues Kitty and thrashes Williams. When Williams is found dead the next day, Bob is arrested. After Kitty investigates and gets Lola to confess, Kitty and Bob resume their romance.
Decades after its release, Kitty Kelly, M.D. remains a vital piece of the cinematic puzzle. Its influence can be seen in countless modern works, solidifying Howard Hickman's status as a master of the craft in United States and beyond.