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enters the room and comes to his side, reminding him about their commitment to each other. Leon responds coldly and asks Gina to leave if she loves him, telling her not to give herself to a useless cripple without a career. Gina, heartbroken, leaves the room and collapses outside the translucent door. Leon sees her collapse and goes over to pick her up in his arms. After handing Gina over to a house servant to be placed on the sofa, he realizes that he can use his injured arm normally. He immediately begins to play the violin, whose music reaches the ears of Gina and Leon's parents. They rush over to Leon and end the film with their embraces.
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and the call for soldiers. He commits to serve in the war without his mother's knowledge and plays the song “Humoresque — that laugh on life with a tear behind it” at his last concert for his own childhood community before leaving. After the concert, Leon must turn down a lucrative playing contract
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and reprimands him when he keeps reaching for the violin. After they return home, Leon's interest in the violin is brought to his mother's attention. Sarah Kantor excitedly claims that her prayers for a musical prodigy have finally been answered and proceeds to give Leon his sibling
Isadore's old
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After months at war and suffering an arm injury, Leon returns to his home in New York. The doctors pronounce that normal use of his arm would be very unlikely, which breaks Leon's spirit. In one of the last scenes, Leon is sitting in an armchair, obviously distressed about his crippled arm. Gina
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family with many siblings, a loving mother (Sarah Kantor), and a stingy father (Abrahm Kantor). Early scenes in the film depict their family's poor living conditions as well as Leon's childhood in the squalor of New York, including interactions with grimy playmates and his female friend, Gina
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In a brief cross dissolve, child Leon playing the violin is transformed into young adult Leon playing in front of the
Italian royal family. In subsequent scenes, the Kantors’ lifestyle of new money from Leon's success can be seen. The Kantors have moved from the Ghetto into a stylish
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was very popular with the film going public and was praised by critics for the realism in its portrayal of New York City ghetto family life. Its success led to the release of several ghetto life films from other studios, often with a "long suffering mother" character, which included
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On his ninth birthday, Leon accompanies his father to a store, where he notices a four-dollar violin that sparks his interest. When Abrahm sees Leon interested in the violin, he tries to direct Leon to a more inexpensive
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and later tells his mother about his commitment to serve. Leon plays the violin for his family to bid them goodbye as he leaves home for the war and commits to pursue a relationship with Gina after he returns.
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violin. When Leon picks up the violin and plays, Sarah Kantor's belief in her son's musical genius is confirmed. Throughout the film, the love of Leon's mother is a significant presence in his musical journey.
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home equipped with servants. Leon and Gina, now both well-off, express their romantic interests in each other. Leon and his family seem to live a comfortable life, but Leon feels unrest with the rumblings of
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had screenwriter Marion change the ending from Hurst's story to have a surprise happy ending, which helped make it
Cosmopolitan's first successful film.
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The sentimentality in the film was emphasized by director
Borzage through his pioneering use of soft focus and gauze camera shots. Producer
244:. For the 1946 melodrama starring John Garfield as the prodigy and Joan Crawford as his obsessed patron, based on the same short story, see
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This article is about the award-winning 1920 film about a gifted young violinist, struggling to escape the New York City
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Dictators, Democracy, and
American Public Culture: Envisioning the Totalitarian Enemy, 1920s-1950s
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890:"Classic Hollywood: Film academy to screen Photoplay Magazine Medal of Honor winners"
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by nine years. Recipients of the award were selected by the two million readers of
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Hollywood on the Hudson: Film and
Television in New York from Griffith to Sarnoff
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798:. Chapel Hill, North Carolina: University of North Carolina Press. p. 307.
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353:, finding it "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
690:"'Ghostbusters,' 'Top Gun,' 'Shawshank' Enter National Film Registry"
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325:. It follows the childhood and going to war of an immigrant family
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781:(22). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 70. May 29, 1920.
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Ann
Wallack as Esther Kantor (adult) (credited as Ann Wallick)
717:"2015 National Film Registry: "Ghostbusters" Gets the Call"
669:"Photoplay Awards, Awards for 1920, Medal of Honor Winner"
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Louis Stern as Sol
Ginsberg (credited as Louis Stearns)
374:Ginsberg, who later becomes his romantic interest.
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604:, the first motion picture award, preceding the
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622:The film has undergone a restoration at the
1676:United States National Film Registry films
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656:UCLA Film, Television & Radio Archives
349:selected the film for preservation in the
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1681:Photoplay Awards film of the year winners
1641:Films about classical music and musicians
825:. Rutgers University Press. p. 118.
742:"Complete National Film Registry Listing"
455:Alfred Goldberg as Rudolph Kantor (child)
452:Maurice Levigne as Isadore Kantor (adult)
458:Edward Stanton as Rudolph Kantor (adult)
332:This film was the first film to win the
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449:Joseph Cooper as Isadore Kantor (child)
440:Helen Connelly as Esther Kantor (child)
365:, Leon Kantor, born in the “Ghetto” of
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1656:Films based on works by Fannie Hurst
338:Medal of Honor, a precursor of the
1646:Films about violins and violinists
1033:, New York City: A.L. Burt Company
597:was the first film to receive the
425:as Gina Berg (aka Minnie Ginsberg)
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688:Mike Barnes (December 16, 2015).
467:Ruth Sabin as Mrs. Isadore Kantor
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624:UCLA Film and Television Archive
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35:Advertisement for the film, 1920
1691:Films scored by Hugo Riesenfeld
1661:Films directed by Frank Borzage
446:Sidney Carlyle as Mannie Kantor
1626:American black-and-white films
916:Progressive Silent Film List:
464:Maurice Peckre as Boris Kantor
340:Academy Award for Best Picture
240:, whose arm is injured in the
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1636:American silent feature films
888:King, Susan (June 13, 2011).
1651:Films based on short fiction
1005:AFI Catalog of Feature Films
792:Alpers, Benjamin L. (2003).
1631:Silent American drama films
819:Koszarski, Richard (2008).
345:In 2015, the United States
317:from a 1919 short story by
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1666:Films set in New York City
1593:Journey Beneath the Desert
1129:Get-Rich-Quick Wallingford
852:The Jew in American Cinema
473:as Minnie Ginsberg (child)
321:and script or scenario by
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16:1920 film by Frank Borzage
1121:The Duke of Chimney Butte
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1671:Paramount Pictures films
1425:History Is Made at Night
857:Indiana University Press
855:. Bloomington, Indiana:
849:Erens, Patricia (1984).
583:Cosmopolitan Productions
303:Cosmopolitan Productions
157:Cosmopolitan Productions
1505:The Vanishing Virginian
533:Salome of the Tenements
484:William Randolph Hearst
101:William Randolph Hearst
1185:Daddy's Gone A-Hunting
695:The Hollywood Reporter
654:Film preserved by the
437:as Leon Kantor (child)
351:National Film Registry
313:, and was directed by
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246:Humoresque (1946 film)
186:May 30, 1920
1553:I've Always Loved You
1361:Little Man, What Now?
1257:They Had to See Paris
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1686:1920s American films
1145:The Pride of Palomar
1105:Prudence on Broadway
946:at Wikimedia Commons
307:Famous Players–Lasky
255:L-R: Dore Davidson,
194: (United States)
168:Famous Players–Lasky
1521:His Butler's Sister
1081:That Gal of Burke's
746:Library of Congress
721:Library of Congress
618:Preservation status
574:In 1921, the first
347:Library of Congress
294:is a 1920 American
1529:Till We Meet Again
1513:Stage Door Canteen
1329:A Farewell to Arms
1217:The Dixie Merchant
1067:Films directed by
993:TCM Movie Database
859:. pp. 77–82.
528:Solomon in Society
523:Little Miss Smiles
361:As described in a
311:Paramount Pictures
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172:Paramount Pictures
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1585:The Big Fisherman
1393:Shipmates Forever
1313:Young as You Feel
1209:Marriage License?
1153:The Age of Desire
954:The full text of
939:Media related to
895:Los Angeles Times
832:978-0-8135-4293-5
775:Exhibitors Herald
581:was presented to
511:The Good Provider
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132:Gilbert Warrenton
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1545:Magnificent Doll
1537:The Spanish Main
1481:The Mortal Storm
1465:Disputed Passage
1457:The Shining Hour
1377:Living on Velvet
1353:No Greater Glory
1281:Song o' My Heart
1161:Children of Dust
1097:Society for Sale
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1345:Man's Castle
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749:. Retrieved
745:
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720:
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701:December 16,
699:. Retrieved
693:
683:
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644:"Humoresque"
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544:(1927), and
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500:Cheated Love
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411:Gaston Glass
399:
389:Fifth-Avenue
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360:
344:
333:
331:
319:Fannie Hurst
301:produced by
290:
289:
288:
282:
264:
203:Running time
179:Release date
112:Gaston Glass
103:(uncredited)
91:Fannie Hurst
85:Cosmopolitan
83:
78:
69:Fannie Hurst
18:
1417:Green Light
959:(1920 film)
944:(1920 film)
751:November 2,
726:November 2,
423:Alma Rubens
417:Vera Gordon
394:World War I
329:violinist.
228:intertitles
122:Alma Rubens
115:Vera Gordon
97:Produced by
41:Directed by
1616:1920 films
1610:Categories
1577:China Doll
1249:Lucky Star
1233:7th Heaven
1201:The Circle
1113:Humoresque
1013:Humoresque
999:Humoresque
988:Humoresque
966:Humoresque
957:Humoresque
942:Humoresque
918:Humoresque
901:January 8,
769:Humoresque
767:"Reviews:
630:References
614:magazine.
595:Humoresque
587:Humoresque
495:Humoresque
478:Production
299:drama film
291:Humoresque
283:Humoresque
265:Humoresque
207:71 minutes
190:1920-05-30
149:Production
51:Written by
24:Humoresque
1441:Mannequin
1265:The River
1193:Lazybones
1137:Billy Jim
611:Photoplay
600:Photoplay
577:Photoplay
490:Reception
380:music box
335:Photoplay
226:(English
1569:Moonrise
1433:Big City
1385:Stranded
1297:Bad Girl
1177:The Lady
1027:(1920),
982:AllMovie
977:Synopsis
548:(1929).
540:(1926),
536:(1925),
530:(1922),
526:(1922),
520:(1922),
514:(1922),
508:(1921),
502:(1921),
220:Language
138:Music by
108:Starring
75:Based on
65:Story by
1337:Secrets
1169:Secrets
1020:YouTube
1002:at the
991:at the
652:. 1920.
649:YouTube
267:(1920)
212:Country
188: (
151:company
1596:(1961)
1588:(1959)
1580:(1958)
1572:(1948)
1564:(1947)
1556:(1946)
1548:(1946)
1540:(1945)
1532:(1944)
1524:(1943)
1516:(1943)
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1500:(1941)
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1468:(1939)
1460:(1938)
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1444:(1937)
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1404:(1936)
1401:Desire
1396:(1935)
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1292:(1931)
1284:(1930)
1276:(1930)
1273:Liliom
1268:(1929)
1260:(1929)
1252:(1929)
1244:(1928)
1236:(1927)
1228:(1926)
1220:(1926)
1212:(1926)
1204:(1925)
1196:(1925)
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1172:(1924)
1164:(1923)
1156:(1923)
1148:(1922)
1140:(1922)
1132:(1921)
1124:(1921)
1116:(1920)
1108:(1919)
1100:(1918)
1092:(1917)
1084:(1916)
1015:(1920)
863:
829:
802:
371:Jewish
296:silent
285:(1920)
238:ghetto
224:Silent
971:IMDb
903:2018
861:ISBN
827:ISBN
800:ISBN
753:2020
728:2020
703:2015
674:IMDb
585:for
405:Cast
357:Plot
309:and
259:and
1018:on
980:at
969:at
263:in
89:by
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841:^
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
