The Musketeers of Pig Alley
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| The Musketeers of Pig Alley | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | D.W. Griffith |
| Written by | D.W. Griffith Anita Loos |
| Starring | Elmer Booth Lillian Gish Clara T. Bracy, Walter Miller |
| Music by | Robert Israel |
| Distributed by | General Film Company |
| Release date(s) | October 31, 1912 November 5, 1915 (US release) |
| Running time | 17 minutes (16 frames per second) |
| Country |  US |
| Language | Silent |
| IMDb profile | |
The Musketeers of Pig Alley is a 1912 American short/drama film credited as the first gangster film in history. It is directed and by D.W. Griffith and written by D.W. Griffith and Anita Loos. It is also credited for its early use of follow focus, a cinematic method still in use today.
[edit] Plot
The film is about a poor married couple living in New York City. The husband works as a musician and must travel often for work. During one of his away trips, he is robbed by a gangster. Later, he gets caught up in a shootout and recognizes one of the men as the gangster who took his money. Now he wants it back.
The film was released on October 31, 1912 and re-released on November 5, 1915 in the United States. The film was shot on location in New York City, and reportedly used actual street gang members as extras during the film.
