1914 Feature Films in Chatsworth
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"The Squaw Man"
(Cecil B. DeMille, released Feb 1914)
1hr 12min
"Judith of Bethulia"
(D.W. Griffith, released March 1914)
1hr 12min
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•This presentation was inspired by the research of Chatsworth Movie
Historian Dennis Liff, and his identification in August 2019 of the locations
of the outdoor scenes for two groundbreaking movies released in 1914.
His blogpost is mostly reproduced in this presentation.
•The Squaw Man and Judith of Bethulia were both filmed in Chatsworth
Lake Manor
•This presentation will discuss some Hollywood history, identify the filming
locations for each film, and show the movie scenes filmed in Chatsworth.
•Both movies are available for viewing on YouTube.
Introduction
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•Filmed in 18 days from December 1913 to
January 1914, Cecil B. DeMille's landmark
production has been cited as Hollywood's first
feature film, and one of the most important
productions in the history of American
cinema.
•Before the release of "The Squaw Man" in
February 1914, the output of the U.S. film
industry consisted almost entirely of short
subjects, usually running less than 12
minutes.
•When "The Squaw Man" hit theaters at more
than 60 minutes, it triggered a revolution in
Hollywood.
The Squaw Man
"The Great Train Robbery" (1903):
Running time just under 12 minutes
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•The movie business was still in its
infancy in the early 1910s. Even
though a few visionaries like
DeMille and D.W. Griffith
recognized the medium's potential,
Hollywood was run by
businessmen, not visionaries.
•DeMille, Griffith and a few others
wanted to use film to tell complex
stories and elevate the medium to
an art form. But in an era of
skimpy budgets and penny-
pinching movie moguls, they faced
an uphill battle.
Hollywood History
Cecil B. DeMille
(ca. 1920)
D.W. Griffith
(ca. 1907)
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•It was a time when the images captured on film were considered disposable —far less
valuable than the nitrate film itself, which would routinely be melted down following a film's
distribution so the chemicals could be reused.
•For every DeMille or Griffith who wanted to make longer, better movies, there were studio
bosses who were convinced the public would never sit in a darkened theater for an hour or
more watching a flickering image..
Hollywood History
Early Hollywood power brokers (L-R): Laemmle, Fox, Goldwyn, Warner, Mayer, Zukor
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•Both DeMille and Griffith had feature-
length projects in the works in 1913.
•Griffith, who had arrived in Hollywood in
1910 —three years ahead of DeMille —
was working in Chatsworth by mid-1912,
and completed location shooting there on
his biblical feature "Judith of Bethulia" in
February 1913.
Hollywood History
Lillian Gish, left,
and Blanche Sweet
in "Judith of Bethulia"
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•And "Judith of Bethulia" would have gone down in
history as Hollywood's first feature film, except for one
problem: D.W. Griffith's ongoing clashes with Biograph's
notoriously hot-headed bean counter Jeremiah J.
Kennedy.
•Kennedy, who has been called Hollywood's first movie
czar, was reportedly furious at both the length and the
$36,000 price tag of Griffith's four-reel "Judith" —at the
time, the most expensive picture ever produced.
•Bad blood between Griffith and Kennedy prompted
Biograph to delay the release of "Judith of Bethulia" by a
year —opening the door for DeMille's "The Squaw Man"
to make history as the first feature film released by
Hollywood.
Hollywood History
Jeremiah J. Kennedy
Biograph kingpin and
Griffith nemesis
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•While interiors for "Judith of Bethulia"
were shot at Biograph's New York
studios, the movie's extensive outdoor
location footage was filmed in 1912 and
1913 in Chatsworth, Calif. —known at
the time as "Chatsworth Park."
Judith of Bethulia
"Judith of Bethulia": Shot on location in Chatsworth
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Judith of Bethulia Notice the same
Gap in the backgound hills
in a 2020 photo taken from Chatsworth Oaks Park
“The 12 Apostles” rock formation forms the right portion of
the gap….
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Judith of Bethulia
•The Book of Judith is an ancient text, included in some
versions of the Old Testament of the Bible.
•Plot summary --- The story revolves around Judith, a daring
and beautiful widow, who is upset with her Jewish
countrymen for not trusting God to deliver them from their
foreign conquerors.
•She goes with her loyal maid to the camp of the enemy
general, Holofernes, with whom she slowly ingratiates
herself, promising him information on the Israelites. Gaining
his trust, she is allowed access to his tent one night as he
lies in a drunken stupor.
•She decapitates him, then takes his head back to her fearful
countrymen. The Assyrians, having lost their leader,
disperse, and Israel is saved.
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The entire movie Judith of Bethulia is available on YouTube from the Library of Congress at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7a0tXDkvfG4&t=3688s. It is 1 hour and 12 minutes long.
We have identified 7 Clips that were filmed in Chatsworth at Chatsworth Lake Manor, in
today’s Nature Preserve/Reservoir area. They total 27 minutes, and they are available at
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-faP-K3N3ow&list=PLv8te7q3e40sf_YMnGcvVh3vF986klVtK
This presentation will show just one Clip, the “Gap in the Background Hills scene”, a 4
minute battle scene.
Judith of Bethulia 1914 Chatsworth Scenes Clip 6 42:33 –46:59 –at this point in the movie,
Holofernes has laid seige to Bethulia, has taken control of the wells outside the walls, and is waiting for
famine to reduce the city. During this clip:
“Then a young captain of Bethulia led a brave dash for water at the wells.”
“Then the Assyrians taunted the city for its lack of water.”
“But the crafty guards of Assur lay in ambush and fell upon them with chariot and horse.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWMpp-8pzpI
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screenshot
Judith of Bethulia
1min 27sec
at the well
Notice the
horizon / skyline
landscape
Some scenes of
interest….
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screenshot
Judith of Bethulia
4min 30sec
walls of Bethulia
Notice turrets in
background, main gate
in center
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screenshot Judith of Bethulia
5min 19sec
outside the pedestrian & main gate of Bethulia
screenshot Judith of Bethulia
5min 42sec
inside the pedestrian & main gate of Bethulia
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screenshot Judith of Bethulia
11min 11sec
Assyrian army on road, taking the wells
could this be the main road through the area?
screenshot Judith of Bethulia
11min 18sec
Assyrian army on road, taking the wells
Notice the well worn ruts in the road
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screenshot
Judith of Bethulia
16min 48sec
at Holofernes tent
outdoor scene with chariot
notice canopy umbrellas in
background
and Holofernes walks on the
backs of some of his men…
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screenshot Judith of Bethulia
18min 50sec
storming the walls
battering ram in foreground
siege tower in midground
catapult behind tower
Notice people up on rock
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screenshot Judith of Bethulia
43min 25sec
brave dash for water
beginning of the scene,
taunting the Bethulians at the
wells
notice the gap in the
background hills
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screenshot Judith of Bethulia
44min 47sec
brave dash for water - archer
screenshot Judith of Bethulia
45min 23sec
brave dash for water -- archers
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screenshot Judith of Bethulia
69min 10sec
final battle scene
rushing down hill
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The Squaw Man
Cecil B. DeMille on running
board,
and the cast of
"The Squaw Man," 1914
•You may be noticing a
trend: A lot of early
Hollywood productions
were filmed in
Chatsworth.
•And we can now add
DeMille's landmark
movie "The Squaw
Man" to the list.
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The Squaw Man
"The Squaw Man" (1914): Title card for the "Alpine sequence"
•The connection between "The
Squaw Man" and Chatsworth
comes down to one two minute
sequence about 50 minutes into
the movie. Based on the title card
for the scene, it's known as the
"Alpine sequence.“
•Much has been written about
shooting sites for the DeMille movie
—including false reports that it was
filmed on the Iverson Ranch.
Dennis eliminated Iverson as a
possibility years ago, but the
search went on for the actual
location.
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The Squaw Man
•A screenshot from the
“Alpine sequence”
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The Squaw Man
•In surveying
locations,
Dennis noted a
formation to the
right —east of
the 12 Apostles
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The Squaw Man
•In an instant, everything
changed: He was looking at the
elusive shooting location for the
Alpine sequence, the "Holy
Grail" of his personal mystery
filming locations.
Main bluff and "bump" seen in "The Squaw Man"
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The Squaw Man
•In his research the two
main features that
pinpointed the
Chatsworth filming
location for "The Squaw
Man" are now known as
"Squaw Man Bluff" and
the "Alpine Bump."
•Who knows, maybe the
names will catch on.
New names for "The Squaw Man's" Chatsworth landmarks
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•The Squaw Man was a 1905 play –Western/Drama
•Plot summary --- Jim and his cousin Henry Wynnegate are upper class Englishmen and trustee’s for an
orphan’s fund. Henry is the Earl of Kerhill and is married to Diana; Jim and Henry’s wife Diana are close
friends.
• Henry loses money at the derby and embezzles money from the orphan’s fund. For the honor of the Kerhill
name, Aunt Elizabeth asks Jim to assume Henry’s guilt.
•Jim boards a ship and begins a new life in Wyoming. There, Jim rescues Nat-u-ritch, daughter of chief
Tabywana, from outlaw Cash Hawkins. Cash tries to kill Jim, but is killed by Nat-u-ritch. Nat-u-ritch and Jim
fall in love and later have a son.
•During an exploration of the Alps with Diana (filmed in Chatsworth Lake Manor), Henry falls off a cliff. Henry
signs a dying letter of confession proclaiming “Jim is Innocent”
•Diana and the family find Jim in Wyoming, and announce that Jim is now the Earl of Kerhill, and that his son is
the future Earl and is entitled to the education of a gentleman. In the meantime, the sheriff finds evidence to
arrest Nat-u-ritch in the killing of Cash Hawkins. Nat-u-ritch goes into hiding.
•Diana and the boy prepare to go England. Jim and Nat-u-rich are broken-hearted. Nat-u-ritch takes her own
life. The movie ends with Diana hugging Jim’s son, while Jim holds Nat-u-ritch and says “Poor Little Mother”
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Sources/Acknowledgements
•http://iversonmovieranch.blogspot.com/2019/08/twelve-apostles-and-two-pioneers-dw.htm
•Judith of Bethulia 1914 Chatsworth Scenes on YouTube, chatsworthhistory1
•The Squaw Man 1914 Chatsworth Scene on YouTube, chatsworthhistory1
•Prepared by Dennis Liff and Ray Vincent, February 2020
