The Right to Be Happy


The Right to Be Happy is an American silent film from 1916 that draws inspiration from Charles Dickens' 1843 Novella, A Christmas Carol. This film was Universal's first attempt at making a Feature film based on Dickens' novella. Throughout the silent era, it stood as the first and only feature film adaptation of by an American or foreign film company. The movie was directed by Rupert Julian and supported by a cast of Universal Bluebird players, including Rupert Julian, Claire McDowell, and Harry Carter.
narrates the tale of Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser who receives a visit from the Ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, and the spirits representing Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come. These supernatural visitations prompt a profound transformation within Scrooge, turning him into a more compassionate and benevolent person.
Like many films based on published material, it takes certain artistic liberties with the storyline the producers believe will appeal more to the audience. This film carried Universal"s "Bluebird Photoplay" brand, designating a more mainstream feature and a bigger budget than a red feather production. Bluebirds were also known for distinctive artwork, as displayed in this page's Burton Rice movie poster. The movie was produced and distributed by Universal Studios. The film was released on December 25, 1916.

Plot

The story unfolds on Christmas Eve, where we meet Ebenezer Scrooge, an elderly miser and curmudgeon. He lives in a London mansion that once belonged to his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Seven years earlier, Marley passed away on this very night, and Scrooge inherited the house. However, since the day of Marley's burial, Scrooge has not devoted a single moment to thinking about him. Instead, he has commemorated the occasion by continuing his regular business pursuits, showing no regard for his late partner.
Bob Cratchit, his faithful clerk, could go home early this Christmas Eve, but Scrooge declared he must come to work early the next day. Scrooge's nephew, Fred, extended his traditional Christmas Eve call to invite Scrooge for dinner, and Scrooge rejected the offer as usual. Kind-hearted collectors of charities requested donations, and Scrooge turned them away with a contemptuous sneer.
Ending the day, Scrooge retired to his home. He dines alone and then readies himself to spend the night in a dismal and cold room that would make anyone but Scrooge shiver. Scrooge was so penny-pinching that he refused to burn coal or use candles to eliminate the gloom. Although the cold outside was becoming more intense, he could still hear the merry voices of young and old spreading Christmas cheer. Scrooge was annoyed by the cheerful sounds.
Scrooge is startled by the sound of footsteps and clanking chains. Suddenly, he sees the spirit of his former business partner, Jacob Marley. Marley scolds Scrooge for his uncompassionate behavior, then informs him that three Christmas spirits will visit him over the following three nights.
Scrooge's first visit is by the Ghost of Christmas Past. The spirit reveals to Scrooge visions of his boyhood and early adulthood days. His employer, Mr. Fezziwig, and his wife are hosting a Christmas party, which he observes. He also reflects on the end of his relationship with his sweetheart. His relentless quest for wealth has steered him toward greed and delusion.
Next to appear is the Ghost of Christmas Present. The spirit reveals the events of Christmas Day. The miser's nephew, Fred, hosts a party where his uncle is the subject of mockery and disdain. Next, the spirit shows Scrooge how the Cratchit household has been faring. Bob Cratchit lives in a humble home with his wife and their son Tiny Tim. Scrooge learns that unless the future changes, the Cratchit's disabled son, Tiny Tim, will die.
The final spirit is The Ghost of the Future. This spirit shows Scrooge scenes of people discussing someone's death. The people in the room do not seem to care about the deceased. Scrooge suddenly realizes that he is the man whose death is celebrated. His demise is cheered by people like Caroline, who have unpaid debts, while others are indifferent. Then, he learns that Tiny Tim has also died. The spirit reveals that if he does not alter his disposition and outlook, he will perish, unloved and unmourned. After seeing these dreadful visions, Scrooge resolves to change his behavior and become a new person. He pleads for an opportunity to rectify his past conduct.
Upon awakening, Scrooge finds himself deeply shaken. To his astonishment, he discovers that all the spiritual visits occurred on Christmas Eve. He then realizes his encounters with the spirits were nothing more than a dream and that today is Christmas Day. The experience has transformed him into a kind-hearted older person, focusing on making up for his past mistakes by helping the less fortunate. Scrooge experiences a joy and fulfillment he had never known through his newfound kindness. As the days pass, the older man, who was defined by greed and coldness, is now a living testament to the power of redemption and the transformative spirit of Christmas.

Production

Pre-production

Before the debut of this picture, several short films showcasing had already made their way to the silver screen. These films were launched when the technology for feature films was not as advanced. However, these films integrated or into their titles, rendering them more suitable and tailored explicitly for seasonal viewing. Universal aimed to create a film that captured the essence of Christmas and had a title suitable for year-round viewing.
There are five known screen adaptations preceding the release of :

Development

Authors Charlie Keil and Shelley Stamp observe in the book – One aspect of this transition was the longer duration of films. Feature films were slowly becoming the standard fare for Hollywood producers. Before 1913, you could count the yearly features on two hands.
Between 1915 and 1916, the number of feature movies rose Two and one-half times or from 342 films to 835. There was a recurring claim that Carl Laemmle was the longest-running studio chief resisting the production of feature films. Universal was not ready to downsize its short film business because short films were cheaper, faster, and more profitable to produce than feature films.
Laemmle would continue to buck this trend while slowly increasing his output of features.
In 1914, Laemmle published an essay titled - In 1915, Laemmle ran an advertisement extolling Bluebird films while adding the following vocabulary on the top of the ad.
In his book "The Universal Story - The Complete History of the Studio and its 2,641 films," Clive Hirschhorn states Carl Laemmle produced around ninety-one feature movies in 1916. This total included fifty-four Bluebird films.

Casting

  • Rupert Julian was years old when he accepted the role as Ebenezer Scrooge.Thomas Percival Hayes was born in Whangaroa, New Zealand, in January 1879. He adopted the stage name "Ralph", eventually changing to "Rupert Julian". These name changes avoided confusion with a local personage, Percy Hayes, a convicted felon. Julian was already an experienced stage actor when he migrated from Australia to America in July 1911. After becoming an established stage actor in the New York theater district, he moved to Los Angeles and found work in the burgeoning movie industry.Julian had worked in close to 80 movies and directed 28 before accepting the dual role of director and leading role of Ebenezer Scrooge. After completing this film, he continued to find work as an actor, director, writer, and producer. Eventually, he acted in over 90 films, of which he directed 60. Julian's career waned with the advent of Talkies. He retired in 1936 and died in Hollywood at in September 1943.Johnnie Cook was an American actor born on October 1, 1874, in Manhattan, New York. Cooke was and a veteran character actor when he was selected for the supporting role of Bob Cratchit. Like most of the actors in this movie, he was a Universal contract player. He acted in over 30 films between 1914 and 1921. He died on October 2, 1921, in Los Angeles, California, at age 47, and was buried in East Los Angeles, California.
  • Claire McDowell was an American actress. She was years old when this film was released. Her role in this movie was portraying Mrs. Cratchit, the wife of Bob Cratchit. She appeared in 350 films between 1908 and 1945.
  • Frankie Lee, was an American child actor of the silent era born on December 31, 1911, in Gunnison, Colorado. Lee was years old when he appeared in this film as Tiny Tim. Lee made his acting debut in the 1916 Universal production of directed by Lynn Reynolds. This picture would be his second film. Frankie was also the older brother of Davey Lee, another child actor. Lee would also make an appearance in the 1922 Emory Johnson-directed picture The Third Alarm. Frankie made his last film appearance in the 1925 production of The Golden Strain, which starred Hobart Bosworth and Madge Bellamy. He appeared in 56 films between 1916 and 1925.
  • Harry Carter was years old when he landed the role of Jacob Marley. Carter was an American actor who appeared in 84 films between 1914 and 1933.
  • Emory Johnson was years old when he acted in this movie as Fred, Scrooge's Nephew. In January 1916, Emory signed a contract with Universal Film Manufacturing Company. Carl Laemmle of Universal Film Manufacturing Company thought he saw great potential in Johnson. Laemmle paired Dorothy Davenport with Emory Johnson to create sizzling chemistry on the silver screen. 1916 saw Johnson and Davenport complete 13 films together, ending with The Devil's Bondwoman released in November 1916. Johnson would make 17 movies for Universal in 1916, including six shorts and 11 feature-length Dramas. 1916 would become the second-highest movie output of his entire acting career. Emory acted in 25 films for Universal, mostly dramas with a sprinkling of comedies and westerns.
  • Francelia Billington was years old when she acted in this movie playing Scrooge's Sweetheart. She was an American silent-screen actress and an accomplished camera operator. She acted in 140 films between 1912 and 1930.
  • Lydia Yeamans Titus was years old when she acted in this movie as Mr. Fezziwig. She was an Australian–born American singer, dancer, comedienne, and actress. She appeared in at least 142 motion pictures between 1911 and 1930.
  • Wadsworth Harris was years old when he acted in this movie portraying the Ghost of Christmas Past. He acted in 46 films between 1911 and 1936.
  • Richard L'Estrange was years old when he acted in this movie as the Ghost of Christmas Present. He acted in 27 movies between 1913 and 1929. They also show L'Estrange served in the movie industry as an actor, assistant director, casting director, cinematographer, director, producer, and production manager.Tom Figee was years old when he acted in this movie playing the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. This film was the only feature film he acted in. He also acted in one short film in 1922.
  • Roberta Wilson was an American actress born on January 15, 1896, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She was years old when she played the part of Caroline. When she was young, her parents moved the family to Alabama. She was also the younger sister of the more famous Lois Wilson. Both girls were known as the Alabama beauties. Wilson started working for Universal in November 1915. Like most aspiring actors, she earned her acting chops in minor uncredited roles. Wilson appeared in her first Universal movie with an onscreen credit - on April 25, 1916. After her introduction as a female lead in, she had gone from uncredited to shared top billing in a matter of months. Roberta Wilson's first feature-length film was the Universal Red Feather production of released on October 30, 1916. Wilson's second feature-length film was the Universal Red Feather production of released on November 13, 1916. This movie would mark her promotion to do Bluebird films. 1916 would mark the highest yearly film output of her entire acting career. Wilson would receive onscreen credit for 12 movies consisting of 3 features and 9 short films.
Roberta Wilson was not the first choice for the role of Caroline. Agnes (Brownie) Vernon was an American actress of the silent era born on December 27, 1895, in San Diego, California. She was chosen to play the character of Caroline in this movie when she was just. During the production of this movie, she was under an exclusive contract with Universal and a valued member of the Bluebird stable of actors. With her established name, prior acting experience, and a history of collaboration with Rupert Julian, Vernon appeared to be an ideal fit for the role. Universal had grand plans for this film, aiming to make it a standout attraction for the Christmas season. Caroline's scenes were slated to be filmed towards the end of the production. This project marked Vernon's second planned feature film and her final slated appearance for 1916.
The movie's promotional materials and articles widely advertised that Francelia Billington and Agnes Vernon were the lead actresses. Trade magazines consistently listed Vernon as playing Caroline until approximately Christmas 1916. In December, Vernon was involved in a car accident and sustained injuries. While no known news items directly attributed her replacement to the accident, the timing was highly coincidental. An article in Billboard on December 2 mentioned that Universal had postponed the film's release from December 18 to December 25. The studio desired one of their beauties to portray the character of Caroline, which ultimately led to the selection of southern belle Roberta Wilson for the role.

Director

Rupert Julian was years old when he undertook the dual roles of director and actor in this film. When he migrated from Australia to New York City in 1911, he was already in his thirties and an established stage and screen actor. After establishing himself as a stage actor in New York, he moved West to Los Angeles in 1913.
Julian embarked on his cinematic journey by acting in his first recorded short film, released by Universal on February 9, 1913. He would finish the year by acting in fourteen more short films. The following year, 1914, he worked in another twenty-five films. His first recorded directing experience was in August 1914, when he directed the short film. In 1915 he acted in nineteen pictures and directed six short films. In 1916 he performed in twenty-three films. This year would mark the first time he directed a feature film, a Bluebird Photoplay titled released by Universal on May 10, 1916. He would also direct three more Bluebird feature films before being given the reins of With a substantial body of work already under his belt, Rupert Julian had acted in an impressive total of eighty movies and directed twenty-eight before undertaking the dual responsibilities of a director and the leading role of Ebenezer Scrooge. He remained active in the industry and directed his final film in 1930.

Themes

A Christmas Carol was introduced as a Christmas-themed story during its initial publication. The story's events unfold on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, embodying the true spirit of generosity and compassion associated with Christmas. Yet, a profound moral lesson lies beneath the surface of this seemingly straightforward yuletide narrative. The story revolves around the transformation of its main character, Scrooge. Dickens introduced Scrooge by having him appear as At its core, "A Christmas Carol" is a Christian morality tale serving as a reminder that even the most hardened hearts can be softened and redeemed to embrace compassion and find redemption.
Universal placed the primary focus of its film on Scrooge's transformation. By doing so, the film aimed to become a year-round morality play, where the central theme revolved around Scrooge's profound change, with Christmas serving as an incidental backdrop. In her book "Charles Dickens: A Life" Claire Tomalin argues that Scrooge's conversion carries a powerful Christian message: By using this concept of Redemption, or the act of being saved from sin or evil, emerges as a paramount theme throughout the movie, appealing to audiences all year round.
Universal was concerned that keeping the story's original title,, would link the film to the Christmas season, potentially impacting its bookings all year round. Having recognized that a crucial aspect of the moral message conveyed the idea of individual control over one's destiny, they named the film. The film also explored Scrooge's backstory.

Screenplay

Elliot Judd Clawson was an accomplished screenwriter who authored the scenario "A Right to be Happy" at the age of. The prolific screenwriter wrote scripts for seventy-nine films between 1913 and 1929. Forty-nine of these scripts were produced under the banner of Universal Pictures.
Clawson was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 18, 1883. He began his professional career as a newspaper reporter in San Francisco. However, in 1910, Clawson's path took a new turn as he ventured into the realm of cinema in 1910. This marked his debut as a scenario writer, setting the stage for a prolific career. It was in this new artistic landscape that Clawson found his true calling.
His first foray into screenwriting came with the short film "Shadows of Life," released in October 1913 by the Rex Motion Picture Company. He wrote his first feature-length scenario for "The Truth Wagon," released in December 1914 by Masterpiece Film Manufacturing Company. He became a well-known writer for the Morosco Photoplay Company and Masterpiece Films until he was signed to a contract by Universal in March 1916.
Clawson landed his first writing assignment for Universal, crafting the scenario for the short film "The Fur-Trimmed Coat," released in May 1916. The film paired Clawson with Rupert Julian, marking the beginning of a fruitful partnership with the multi-talented Rupert Julian, who directed and starred in the movie. Clawson created fifteen scenarios in 1916, of which eight were for Rupert Julian's projects. Their creative synergy would culminate in, released in December 1916.
As Clawson's collaboration with Julian extended over the years, their partnership blossomed further. Clawson's involvement in scenario writing extended to twenty-four out of the sixty films that Julian directed between 1916 and 1925. Their exceptional journey together culminated in the production of the iconic film The Phantom of the Opera released in September 1925.
In 1930, Clawson achieved a notable milestone in his career when he received Academy Award nominations for Best Writing in not just one but four different films. The advent of Talkies caused the careers of Julian and Clawson to languish and then fade into obscurity. Elliott Clawson died in Vista, California, on July 24, 1942

Filming

On March 15, 1915, Carl Laemmle officially opened the world's largest motion picture production facility, Universal City Studios, on a 230-acre converted farm.
This picture was filmed entirely at the Universal Studios studio complex located at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City, California as reported in The Los Angeles Evening Citizen – Universal produced and distributed this film.

Working Title

During the production phase, films need a reference name to identify the project, often called an or Working title. Often, the working title becomes the official release title of the film.
According to the British Film Institute website, Universal considered titling the movie, In his book, "The Universal Silents: A Filmography of the Universal Motion Picture Manufacturing Company, 1912-1929," Richard Braff supplements his entry for with the additional notation - also known as "Marley Ghost."
The most significant alteration involved switching the movie title from the novella's original name, to In the December 2, 1916, issue of Motion Picture News, the article refers to the film as a version of – In the December 9, 1916 issue of The Moving Picture World, the item cites the film's final release title as – "The Right to Be Happy"

Post production

The theatrical release of this film totaled five reels or 5,000 feet of film. As is often the case, the listed time for this feature-length movie varies. The average time per 1,000-foot 35mm reel varied between ten and fifteen minutes per reel at the time. Thus, the total time for this movie is computed between fifty and seventy-five minutes.

Music

One noteworthy aspect of Bluebird Films was their practice of crafting unique musical scores specifically for each of their productions and then submitting these scores to the Library of Congress. As a result, numerous film scores from Bluebird productions can be found in the LOC collections.
One example of this convention was the musical score submitted to the Library of Congress for the 1916 Bluebird production of The Crippled Hand. The LOC is titled -. The item also shows original scores by – and Regrettably, there are no surviving musical scores from this film in the LOC archives.
In the "Accessory News Section" of the Motion Picture News dated January 6, 1917, the introduction to the "Music and the Picture" component reads:
The following shows some of the early lines of the musical Cue Sheet for :

"THE RIGHT TO BE HAPPY" Dickens' "Christmas Carol" THEME: Cantique De Noel by Adams
1 – Theme until T : "Now Marley was dead."
2 – "Berceuse" by Karganoff until T: "Fred Scrooge's Nephew."
3 – Theme until T: "At this festive season."


Release and reception

When this film was released, there were no extravagant premieres in New York or Los Angeles, no theater searchlights, and no star-studded cast members in attendance. Instead, it had a modest release on a Monday, similar to other branded Universal films.

Official release

On December 15, 1916, was copyrighted to Universal with a registration number of LP9742.
In the December 2, 1916 issue of the "Motion Picture News," the article stated:
In the December 9, 1916 issue of the "Moving Picture World," we see first time the new title is applied:
The December 16, 1916 issue of the "Moving Picture World," states:
The December 23, 1916 issue of the "Moving Picture World," states:

Advertising

The Moving Picture Weekly usually published marketing tips for films in a section named "Putting It Over." However, in the Christmas issue of December 16, 1916, the magazine published advertising insights for this picture as part of its comprehensive coverage of this film. Among the included recommendations were:
An article published in Wid's Films and Film Folk dated December 21, 1916, suggested:

Reviews

Movie reviews played a vital role for both theater owners and fans, offering crucial perspectives. The opinions shared in reviews, which were published in different trade magazines, were indispensable in the process of deciding whether to book a movie for screening or to watch it as a viewer. When critics expressed conflicting viewpoints about a film, making a choice became more challenging. It is important to note, however, that divergent reviews did not always imply that the movie was inherently bad. In the end, the choice relied on personal preferences and the weight one gave to the movie review and its author.

Critical Response

  • In the December 25, 1916 issue of the "Chicago Tribune," the movie was reviewed by Mae Tinee. She observed:
  • In the December 30, 1916 issue of the "Moving Picture World," the reviewer Margaret MacDonald stated:
  • In the December 30, 1916 issue of the Motion Picture News, movie critic Steve Talbot points out:

Audience response

Prior to leasing a film, picture house owners had a significant concern: ensuring that the film had the potential to be a profitable venture in their specific location. To aid them in making informed financial decisions, these proprietors would subscribe to trade journals. These publications provided valuable assistance by featuring critical reviews, attendance, revenue, and opinions from other managers. By reading these assessments, picture house owners could determine the viability of a film deciding whether it was likely to attract audiences and generate the desired financial returns in their locale.

Preservation status

Many silent-era films did not survive for various reasons, as explained on this Wikipedia page.
According to the Library of Congress website, this film has a status of - No holdings located in archives; thus, it is presumed all copies of this film are lost.