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Ito, the Beggar Boy

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  • Short
  • Drama
Little Ito and his mother are wanderers without home or friends. Lady Wistaria and her husband, Lord Idzu, are without children, and the Lady prays that the gods may bless her with offspring... Read allLittle Ito and his mother are wanderers without home or friends. Lady Wistaria and her husband, Lord Idzu, are without children, and the Lady prays that the gods may bless her with offspring. While she is thus praying, the poor wanderers come to the gate of Lord Idzu's garden, an... Read allLittle Ito and his mother are wanderers without home or friends. Lady Wistaria and her husband, Lord Idzu, are without children, and the Lady prays that the gods may bless her with offspring. While she is thus praying, the poor wanderers come to the gate of Lord Idzu's garden, and the mother falls exhausted. She is carried into the house, but in her weakened and emaci... Read all
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    Little Ito and his mother are wanderers without home or friends. Lady Wistaria and her husband, Lord Idzu, are without children, and the Lady prays that the gods may bless her with offspring. While she is thus praying, the poor wanderers come to the gate of Lord Idzu's garden, and the mother falls exhausted. She is carried into the house, but in her weakened and emaciated condition she succumbs and dies, leaving little Ito an orphan. Lady Wistaria begs her husband to allow her to adopt the boy, and, with his consent, the child becomes an inmate of the beautiful home of Idzu. One year later the stork visits the house of Idzu, and a child is born to bless my Lord and Lady. There is great rejoicing. Ito enters and falls prostrate before the babe and swears to devote his life to little "Clover Blossom," whom he makes his constant companion and charge. One day while the children are playing together "Clover Blossom" asks Ito to take her in the boat on the lake. He does so, and while they are paddling in childish glee the boat becomes unfastened from its mooring and floats out upon the lake. A storm arises and the winds blow, and poor Ito takes off his outer garments and wraps them about "Clover Blossom" in his effort to protect her from the cold, then he clasps her to his little breast and prays the gods to save them. A fisherman sees them adrift and goes to their rescue, bringing them to the shore, where the parents of "Clover Blossom" are anxiously waiting and ready to receive the children after hours of tearful and fearful anticipation of their safety. In protecting the baby, regardless of his own exposure, poor little Ito faints. Unconscious, he is carried into the house and placed upon the floor. While he is lying there little "Clover Blossom" comes in and sits beside him, leans over and kisses him. She places a branch of blossoms in his hand. Ito revives just as Lady Wistaria and Lord Idzu enter the room. Then they see Ito and their child caressing each other there is great rejoicing. They pray to the great God Buddah in acknowledgment of his great mercies to them. —Moving Picture World synopsis
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    Japan in a Vitagraph Studio
    The second one-reeler of the "Vitagraph Japonisme" program for the online edition of the 40th Pordenone Silent Film Festival, "Ito, the Beggar Boy" is a bit better than "The Love of Chrysanthemum" (1910) in that the melodramatic scenario at least seems a bit more original to me, although it's a rather generic one involving kids getting caught on a boat during bad weather. As in the other two films in the program, most of the main cast of Japanese characters are played by Caucasians while a few Asians round out the extras. Clearly, too, this was filmed in the same location as "The Love of Chrysanthemum," as the same camera position is used for an exterior that shows the same arch in the background.

    Formerly considered lost until identified in 2016, the surviving print with Polish title cards is interesting for rain that may've been accomplished with visual effects on the negative (I'm not sure), and foreshadowing is accomplished by red tinting--indicating that something dangerous is about to happen. Funny how these early cinema practices are now what seem most foreign to a modern viewer and the dated Orientalism more exotic than the supposed depiction of Japanese customs.
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    • Cineanalyst
    • Oct 9, 2021

    Details

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    • Release date
      • June 18, 1910 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Language
      • None
    • Production company
      • Vitagraph Company of America
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    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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