AllMovie

On the strength of his performance in The Christian, Earle Williams was voted the screen's most popular actor by the readers of Motion Picture Magazine. Based on the novel by Hall Caine, the film depicts the efficacy of religion in uplifting the lives of several Londoners. While Williams, cast as a cleric, is the nominal lead, the film is largely carried by Edith Storey, who not only handles the dramatic passages with expertise, but also gets a chance to show off her athletic skills. According to several historians, The Christian was instrumental in bringing "respectability" to the upstart motion picture industry. And at 8 reels (approximately 96 minutes), it was one of the longest American-made productions to be released before The Birth of a Nation. The Christian was remade in 1923, with Richard Dix in the Earle Williams role.