"The epitome of the screen heroine, and the most famous of all American actresses in the history of world cinema...today Lillian Gish's performances remain as wonderful as ever, proving that she and her colleagues in those timeless dramas had perfected a universal language of the arts which remains effectively eloquent. During the latter years of the silent era, Gish starred in a memorable succession of films produced by MGM. Two of these works (the other is The Wind) were directed by the Swedish director Victor Seastrom, and in this particular motion picture, Gish's portrayal of Hester Prynne is the definitive recreation of a literary figure. She and the supporting players, notably Lars Hanson and Henry B. Walthall, gave inspired performances, and Hawthorne's classic examination of unpardonable sin still retains a certain cinematic majesty." (AJ)

• Written by Frances Marion, based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Photographed by Hendrik Sartov. With Lillian Gish, Lars Hanson, Henry B. Walthall, Karl Dane. (100 mins [corr: 82 mins], Silent, B&W, 35mm, From Warner Bros.)