A Daughter of the Gods
| A Daughter of the Gods | |
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| Directed by | Herbert Brenon |
| Produced by | William Fox |
| Written by | Herbert Brenon |
| Starring |
Annette Kellerman William E. Shay Hal De Forrest |
| Music by | Robert Hood Bowers |
| Cinematography |
A. Culp J. Roy Hunt William Marshall C. Richards Marcel Le Picard Edward Warren |
| Edited by | Hettie Grey Baker |
| Distributed by | Fox Film Corporation |
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Release date
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Running time
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180 mins. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
| Budget | US$1,000,000 (estimated) |
| Box office | US$1,390,000 |
A Daughter of the Gods was a 1916 American silent fantasy drama film written and directed by Herbert Brenon. The film was controversial because of the sequences of what was regarded as superfluous nudity by the character Anitia, played by Australian swimming star Annette Kellermann. The scene is regarded as the first complete nude scene by a major star, which occurred during a waterfall sequence, though most of Kellerman's body is covered by her long hair. It was filmed by Fox Film Corporation in Kingston, Jamaica where huge sets were constructed, and directed by Herbert Brenon.
Though stills and publicity photos have survived, the film is now considered lost.
Brenon served as writer of this original scenario/screenplay for the film. However, he more than likely saw and was influenced by David Belasco and John Luther Long's 1902 Broadway play The Darling of the Gods starring Blanche Bates, Robert T. Haines, and young George Arliss, which has a similar theme of reward for rescuing a child and a large ensemble cast. The play differs in that it is set in feudal Japan while the movie is backdropped in an undersea kingdom, not unlike Atlantis.
Brenon makes aspects of the play cinematic (underwater sequences, Kellerman's nudity, etc.) in an obvious effort to avoid plagiarism of Belasco's play and hence a lawsuit.
A sultan agrees to help an evil witch destroy a mysterious beauty if the witch will bring his young son back to life.
The film is credited as the first US production to cost $1 million to produce. Studio head William Fox was so incensed with the cost of production he removed Herbert Brenon's name from the film. However, Brenon sued to have his name restored to the film's credits, and won.
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