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Molly on location in northern
Ontario
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Deerskin Costume Worn by Molly Spotted Elk in "The Silent
Enemy"
1930
Molly Nelson Archambauld,
better known by her stage name Molly Spotted Elk,
was a famous dancer and vaudeville star in the early
20th century. As a Penobscot performer, Molly achieved
fame for her beauty, intelligence and abilities as
a dancer.
In 1928 film producer Douglas
Burden offered Molly Dellis the leading female role
in a silent film he hoped would challenge stereotypic
views of American Indians. The script featured a love
story within the context of an Ojibwa band’s struggle
against winter starvation. Molly accepted the part eagerly
and spent a year on location in the wilds of northern
Ontario. By the time the shooting was done, “talkies”
were beginning to destroy public interest in silent
films. Seeing this, Burden added a sound-synched prologue
and a musical score based on Ojibwa musical motifs.
When The Silent Enemy
debuted at Broadway’s prestigious Criterion Theater
in 1930, critics lauded the film for its “authenticity,”
“superb acting” and “stunning cinematography.”
Nonetheless, as a silent picture released amid a flurry
of talkies, it failed commercially.
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