Movies Way Back When: “The Jilt” Filmed in Montecito

By Betsy J. Green

Here’s a silent movie released by “Flying A” on August 16, 1915 that deals with a young woman from a well-to-do family who has a child out of wedlock, and then ends up marrying the father of the child, but not before a whole lot of unpleasant stuff goes down.

The plotline was so complicated, I had to make a chart to figure out who was doing what with whom. Pretty amazing that all of this was crammed into just two reels (about 20 minutes).

It was filmed at one of the million-dollar mansions in Montecito, as well as on the beach near some cliffs. “‘The Jilt,’ a magnificently photographed story, with locations in Montecito never before used.” – Santa Barbara Morning Press, October 2,1915

Unfortunately, this is one of the many silent films that have not survived.


 
Betsy’s Way Back When book — Movies & Million-Dollar Mansions — is now available in local bookstores and at Amazon.com. This is the seventh book in her series on the history of Santa Barbara. Learn more at betsyjgreen.com​.

bjgreen

Written by bjgreen

Betsy J. Green is a Santa Barbara historian and author. Her books are available in local bookstores, and at Amazon.com. (Shop local if you can.) Learn more at betsyjgreen.com.

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