deickemeyer Review of Lines of White on a Sullen Sea

Lines of White on a Sullen Sea (1909)

Unquestionably of great value in the development of the silent drama

[11 January 2015]

While the acting and the sentiment expressed in this picture are the best and loftiest possible, there is a feeling of sadness, yes, more, a disagreeable impression which does not wear away. It is indeed a hard, cruel combination which forces a girl to wait long years for her lover, who, unfaithful to his vows, has married elsewhere. And even though deception is rarely to be condoned in this instance, the belief of the dying girl that her lover was true is sufficient justification for the deception practiced upon her. These stories of unrequited love, so faithfully portrayed by the Biograph Company, are unquestionably of great value in the development of the silent drama. Their effect upon an audience varies, yet there is, perhaps, a general feeling of resentment, coupled with a desire to see the unfaithful one punished sufficiently to compensate in some degree for the pain caused. The stories told are common enough, but this company's manner of telling makes them appear distinctive and altogether out of the ordinary. - The Moving Picture World, November 6, 1909