L'Âme de la bête

Odd little film that stars Madge Bellamy as a Canadian girl who runs away from the circus her step-father owns because of his abusive ways. She takes her pet elephant Oscar with her (of course) and hides out in the deep woods until one day they come upon a small village that is run by an abusive man (Noah Beery). She also finds a lame violinist (Cullen Landis) who is a special victim of Beery's.

Bellamy is put to work in a kitchen while Beery continues to run the town. After Landis buys Bellamy a dress, Beery goes nuts so they run away with Oscar still trying to find them. The escape down river in canoes is well done.

A surreal film that almost plays as a fairy tale, THE SOUL OF THE BEAST has some very good moments involving the talented elephant. The three stars are all quite good. Beery was a major villain of the silent screen. Bellamy was a big star. Landis is best remembered as the male lead in the first all talking picture: THE LIGHTS OF NEW YORK.

Love that tame elephant in this film! How did they get him to do all the things he did? Who was the animal trainer?

There are so many questions I have when I watch old silent movies like this one, and the answers are most often long lost. Here pretty Madge Bellamy loves a circus elephant and he loves her back. Can't say I blame him, even an elephant couldn't be blind to her magnificent beauty. She runs away from a mean stepfather who abuses her and meets up with a trapping/logging community, concealing her identity, and falling in love with a lame violinist who protects her from the evil surrounding them. Assorted villains add suspense and a canoe chase on rapids is well done, with all ending happily.

Best thing about the film is that elephant. Gosh, he was cute!