Seven Deadly Sins

Summary

A monumental cinematic undertaking of its nascent era, the 1917 "Seven Deadly Sins" series unfurls as a septet of feature-length morality plays, each meticulously adapted from compelling narratives first gracing the pages of *The Ladies World*. This ambitious collection plunges audiences into the intricate, often treacherous, psychological landscapes spawned by humanity's most primal vices: Envy, Pride, Greed, Sloth, Passion, and Wrath, culminating in a mysterious 'Seventh Sin.' Unifying this expansive allegorical tapestry are the recurring, spectral figures of Adam and Eve, embodied with an almost mythic resonance by George Le Guere and Shirley Mason, who serve as a poignant, perhaps even judgmental, echo across the diverse narratives, reminding viewers of foundational human fallibility. This grand design, originally presented in a lavish 5-reel format for each installment, later underwent a drastic, albeit pragmatic, truncation to two reels for a 1918 re-release, a testament to the evolving economics and exhibition practices of early cinema, yet a potential diminishment of its initial epic scope.

Synopsis

A series of seven 5-reel features (q.v.), based on stories published in The Ladies World, a McClure publication, depicting each of the Seven Deadly Sins: (1) Envy (1917), (2) Pride (1917), (3) Greed (1917), (4) Sloth (1917), (5) Passion (1917), (6) Wrath (1917), and (7) The Seventh Sin (1917). The characters of Adam and Eve, portrayed by George Le Guere and Shirley Mason, were represented in some capacity within each story. The films were cut to two reels and re-released in 1918.