Castle on Salt Island, 1919 Alice M. Curtis/ @Fredrik D. Bodin
Castle on Salt Island, 1919 Alice M. Curtis/ @Fredrik D. BodinI encounter locals, and even Brier Neck residents whose homes overlook Salt Island, who don’t know about the castle that was situated there. Here’s the story:
In the fall of 1919, the Fox Movie Company built a wood and plaster facade of a Gothic castle for the silent film Bride 13. This was a 15 part serial, or cliff hanger. The plot revolved around the kidnapping and ransom of thirteen beautiful damsels by a ruthless Moroccan pirate and his motley crew. Action scenes included the firing of a 450 pound cannon, a hot air balloon escape, US Navy battleships and submarine, a schooner wrecked and burned in Brace Cove, and the dynamiting of the castle as the movie’s finale.
Where is this film? I’d love to know. All sources indicate that Bride 13 was either lost or destroyed, as happened with many silent films. The reference used for this post was the May 1972 Yankee Magazine article, Lights! Camera! Disaster!, authored by the late Joseph E. Garland of Gloucester. Thanks, Joe–you gave us so much–we miss you.
Photograph printed from the original 5×7 inch glass negative in my darkroom. Image # A8357-053
Fred Bodin
Bodin Historic Photo
82 Main Street
Gloucester, MA 01930
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Good Morning Gloucester 