American Methods

American Methods
American Methods
Directed by	Frank Lloyd
Written by	Frank Lloyd ; Georges Ohnet (story) ; F. McGrew Willis
Produced by	William Fox
Starring	William Farnum ; Jewel Carmen ; Bertram Grassby
Cinematography	William C. Foster
Production; company	Fox Film
Distributed by	Fox Film
Release date	April 30, 1917;
Running time	60 minutes
Country	United States
Languages	Silent ; English intertitles

American Methods is a lost^[1] 1917 American silent drama film directed by Frank Lloyd and starring William Farnum, Jewel Carmen and Bertram Grassby.^[2]

Plot

Of French ancestry, William Armstrong inherits an iron mine located in France. Accompanied by his sister, Betty, he travels to Europe to assume management of the enterprise. In the same village resides Claire, daughter of the Marquis de Beaulieu, alongside her mother and her brother Octave, who is betrothed to Gaston de Bligny, a local nobleman of distinguished lineage but limited means.

Upon learning that the de Beaulieu family has lost its fortune, Gaston promptly terminates his engagement to Claire and instead marries Marie Moulinet, an affluent daughter of the prosperous businessman. In the wake of this betrayal, Claire consents to marry William, who has been profoundly enamored with her since their first encounter. Meanwhile, Betty attracts the romantic attentions of Octave.

Despite his new marital commitment, Gaston continues to pursue Claire, ultimately professing his enduring love for her. Their clandestine interaction is discovered by William, precipitating a confrontation in which Gaston, in a fit of rage, draws a firearm upon him. William, however, disarms Gaston and fatally turns the weapon against him. This tragic incident prompts Claire to recognize the depth of William’s devotion; overcome with remorse for her earlier superficiality, she earnestly seeks his forgiveness.

Cast

William Farnum as William Armstrong
Jewel Carmen as Claire de Beaulieu
Bertram Grassby as Gaston - Duc de Bligny
Willard Louis as M. Moulinet
Lillian West as Marie Moulinet
Genevieve Blinn as Marquise de Beaulieu
Allan Forrest as Octave de Beaulieu
Florence Vidor as Betty Armstrong
Mortimer Jaffe as Jimmy
Marc B. Robbins as Henri Gaudet
Josef Swickard as Baron de Prefont

Preservation

With no holdings located in archives, American Methods is considered a lost film.^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: American Methods". memory.loc.gov. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2025.
^ Solomon p.239

Bibliography

Solomon, Aubrey. The Fox Film Corporation, 1915-1935: A History and Filmography. McFarland, 2011.

External links

American Methods at IMDb

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[:0-1] "The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: American Methods". memory.loc.gov. Archived from the original on March 21, 2023. Retrieved December 6, 2025.

[2] Solomon p.239

[1]

[2]

v t e The films of Frank Lloyd
1910s	The Gentleman from Indiana (1915) Jane (1915) The Reform Candidate (1915) The Tongues of Men (1916) The Call of the Cumberlands (1916) Madame la Presidente (1916) The Code of Marcia Gray (1916) David Garrick (1916) The Making of Maddalena (1916) An International Marriage (1916) The Stronger Love (1916) The Intrigue (1916) Sins of Her Parent (1916) The World and the Woman (1916) The Kingdom of Love (1917) The Price of Silence (1917) A Tale of Two Cities (1917) American Methods (1917) When a Man Sees Red (1917) Les Misérables (1917) The Heart of a Lion (1917) The Blindness of Divorce (1918) True Blue (1918) Riders of the Purple Sage (1918) The Rainbow Trail (1918) For Freedom (1918) The Man Hunter (1919) Pitfalls of a Big City (1919) The World and Its Woman (1919) The Loves of Letty (1919)
1920s	The Woman in Room 13 (1920) The Silver Horde (1920) Madame X (1920) The Great Lover (1920) A Tale of Two Worlds (1921) Roads of Destiny (1921) A Voice in the Dark (1921) The Invisible Power (1921) The Grim Comedian (1921) The Man from Lost River (1921) The Eternal Flame (1922) The Sin Flood (1922) Oliver Twist (1922) The Voice from the Minaret (1923) Within the Law (1923) Ashes of Vengeance (1923) Black Oxen (1923) The Sea Hawk (1924) The Silent Watcher (1924) Her Husband's Secret (1925) Winds of Chance (1925) The Splendid Road (1925) The Wise Guy (1926) The Eagle of the Sea (1926) Children of Divorce (1927) Adoration (1928) Weary River (1929) The Divine Lady (1929) Drag (1929) Dark Streets (1929) Young Nowheres (1929)
1930s	Son of the Gods (1930) The Way of All Men (1930) The Lash (1930) The Right of Way (1931) East Lynne (1931) The Age for Love (1931) A Passport to Hell (1932) Cavalcade (1933) Berkeley Square (1933) Hoop-La (1933) Servants' Entrance (1934) Mutiny on the Bounty (1935) Under Two Flags (1936) Maid of Salem (1937) Wells Fargo (1937) If I Were King (1938) Rulers of the Sea (1939)
1940s	The Howards of Virginia (1940) This Woman Is Mine (1941) The Lady from Cheyenne (1941) Forever and a Day (1943) Blood on the Sun (1945)
1950s	The Shanghai Story (1954) The Last Command (1955)
Productions	Saboteur (1942) The Spoilers (1942) Invisible Agent (1942)