A Yoke of Gold is a 1916 American silent black and white melodrama directed by Lloyd B. Carleton and starring Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson.

Based on an original story by Rob Wagner, it is a period piece set in the early days of the California missions.

Castro and Carmen decide to finish their journey and take Jose to Don Ortega's home to recover.

After they arrive at Don Ortega's home, Carmen starts nursing Jose back to good health.

Both Jose and Luis ride hard and fast across the desert to Santa Barbara - the home of Don Ortega.

[7] There was a recurring claim that Carl Laemmle was the longest-running studio chief resisting the production of feature films.

[c] Carl Laemmle released 91 feature-length films in 1916, as stated in Clive Hirschhorn's book, The Universal Story.

The expectation was that the completed project would combine a moral message with an entertaining love story for moviegoers Lloyd B. Carleton (c. 1872–1933) started working for Carl Laemmle in the Fall of 1915.

[18] Carleton arrived with impeccable credentials, having directed some 60 films for the likes of Thanhouser, Lubin, Fox, and Selig.

[19] Between March and December 1916, 44-year-old Lloyd Carleton directed 16 movies for Universal, starting with The Yaqui and ending with The Morals of Hilda.

In 1914, Wagner married a newspaperwoman who believed he could earn more money writing about the film industry than as a working artist.

After completing this film's scenario, he would write the story and adaptation for the October 1916 Universal production of The Human Gamble.

In addition, the San Gabriel Mountains and the Mojave Desert served as the settings for other essential scenes in the movie.

On March 15, 1915,[37] Laemmle opened the world's largest motion picture production facility, Universal City Studios.

According to a news item published in the Los Angeles Sunday Times, location shooting for this film started in April 1916.

[39] An item in the May 27, 1916 issue in the Motion Picture News referred to the film as a two-reel photoplay named " 'Not by Faith Alone,' or 'In the Days of the Missions,' .

[13] On June 3, 1916, a notice in the Motion Picture News stated: "The scenario entitled 'Not by Faith Alone' adopted from the Bob Wagner story of the same name is to be made into five reels instead of two as first planned.

"[40] In the June 17, 1916 issue of Motography, an article reported that Lloyd Carleton had completed a two-reel drama called "The Days of the Missions."

(Title is not a misprint)[41] The exact date of the film's final name change to "A Yoke of Gold" is unknown.

Apart from altering the title and length, the movie transitioned from a moral story to a historical depiction, ultimately focusing on the clash between the wealthy California elite and those aiming to rob their wealth.

[1][2] Advertising plays a vital role in ensuring a movie's success by bringing paying customers to the theater.

By providing details about plotlines, actors, release dates, and other key information, a successful marketing campaign boosts excitement among potential stakeholders.

In addition to an advertising campaign for a movie, Carl Laemmle added another wrinkle to assist potential stakeholders in deciding to view or book a new film.

[f] In 1916, Universal produced 91 branded feature films, consisting of 44 Bluebirds and 47 Red Feather productions.

They concentrate on family issues, direct their attention to a victim character, and develop the themes of duty and love.

In the September 16, 1916 issue of the New York Clipper, the reviewer writes[51] Here we have the "Red Feather" stuff at what seems to be its lowest ebb .

The story is weak, the direction fair at best, the acting "most ordinary", and the general characteristics, designate "The Yoke of Gold" as a puerile affair.In the September issue of the Moving Picture World, Robert C. McElravy reviewed this movie and stated:[43] A weak story is its main drawback, and this is the more noticeable because so many strong tales have been woven about the early days of California.

But these things do not compensate for the slow action and lack of dramatic strengthIn the September issue of the Motion Picture News, Peter Milne was more upbeat in his review.

He observed:[44] Aided by some beautiful scenes and good photography, the picture leaves little to be desired from an artistic standpoint .

With Emory Johnson and Dorothy Davenport in the roles of lovers and Alfred Allen as the bandit, the picture has been well-acted.The September issue of the New York Clipper estimated the budget of this film at no more than US$3,000 (equivalent to $84,000 in 2023).