Now rarely seen, this unusual naturalistic feature film starring Knoxville teenager Helen Mundy was among the most talked about movies of its era. The 1927 silent film, shot near Robbinsville, N.C., depicts life, customs, and hardships experienced by mountaineers living in the Great Smoky Mountains.
This showing is in partnership with Bradley Reeves of Smoky Mountain Radio and includes a score performed live by Freddie Brabson, house organist at the Tennessee Theatre. Before the film, remarks will be made by Bradley Reeves and KHP’s Jack Neely.
Helen Mundy.
The film was added to the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress in 2009 for being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically” significant. Directed by Karl Brown, the film was considered “lost” for decades before turning up in a single print at the Czechoslovakian film archives during the 1960s. This 1968 print also stars Forrest James, another Knoxville native who later relocated to Alabama.
Short preview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7Zj2X3QakQ
Free Admission. No registration required but limited seating (88 seats) so come early to avoid disappointment. Drinks, snacks and popcorn available for purchase.
This event is part of a KHP’s Birth of a National Park in the Smokies series of events, including a two-day symposium and a special evening a the Bijou Theatre on Friday July 26 and Saturday July 27. Learn more at https://knoxvillehistoryproject.org/smokies/
