Event

Tumbleweeds @ SLIFF

The Western "Tumbleweeds" concludes SLIFF's double bill focused on actor/director King Baggot (see Tribute to King Baggot). The film marked the return of silent cowboy legend William S. Hart after a long screen absence. Hart plays Don Carver, a "tumbleweed" (drifter) who decides to settle down after falling in love with Molly (Barbara Bedford). But before he eases into married life, Don first joins the Cherokee Land Rush of 1889, in which a large tract of Oklahoma was thrown open to the public for the taking. The action sequences in "Tumbleweeds" -- with hundreds of horses, wagons, and riders tearing across the plain -- remain thrilling, and director Baggot used influential and dynamic cutting techniques to generate suspense. "Tumbleweeds" was also unique for its era in its accurate depiction of Native Americans and African Americans. In a recent interview with We Are Movie Geeks, cinematographer King Baggot III said: "'Tumbleweeds' was my grandfather's greatest triumph as a director. It's the picture he'll be remembered for."