| The Blot | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Phillips Smalley Lois Weber |
| Produced by | Lois Weber |
| Written by | Phillips Smalley Lois Weber Marion Orth |
| Starring | Phillip Hubbard Margaret McWade Claire Windsor Louis Calhern Marie Walcamp |
| Cinematography | Gordon Jennings |
| Studio | Lois Weber Productions |
| Distributed by | F.B. Warren Corporation |
| Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
The Blot is an American silent drama film directed by Lois Weber with her husband Phillips Smalley in 1921. The film tackles the social problem of genteel poverty, focusing on a starving family. It stars Claire Windsor, Louis Calhern and Marie Walcamp.
Weber filmed in real locations, using as much natural lighting as possible. Many supporting roles were given to non-professionals. Along with its bleak and unglamorous settings, the film ends on an ambiguous note, in which unrequited love, convenience, and even the characters' desperation are all factors. If this is a universe where people live in real, cramped houses with thread-bare carpets, then their need for security and desire for comfort supersedes their want for true love. The film also suggests that something greater than charity is needed to aid the impoverished. Scenes were filmed on location around Los Angeles, particularly at the old University of Los Angeles campus, now Los Angeles City College.
The Blot was restored by Kevin Brownlow and David Gill for British television. Brownlow also singles out the film for praise in his book Behind the Mask of Innocence (1990). The Blot, which is currently available on DVD and VHS, was exhibited at the San Francisco Silent Film Festival.