Identify the kind of text on screen
A silent film’s intertitle is part of the presentation, while a modern subtitle track is a separate access or translation layer. Restoration can involve rebuilding a missing or altered title card. If the lettering looks different from an older copy, first read the restoration notes rather than assuming the player has inserted an unrelated caption into the image.
Use the documented Foolish Wives example
In the BFI interview, restorer Robert Byrne says the original 1922 US release version is lost. The project principally used a 1928 re-release and an Italian release print with additional material. This explains why the team had to reconstruct aspects of the presentation instead of simply scanning a complete original-release copy and reproducing every title card unchanged.
Read what supports the reconstructed wording
Byrne identifies censor records, scripts, a contemporary article about the film’s titling and a music cue sheet among the documents used to reconstruct the original intertitles. Those sources contribute different kinds of evidence. Their use is a documented historical method; it should not be described as a newly discovered untouched negative or as proof that every lost image has returned.
Compare editions at the right layer
When asking about a changed card, identify the restoration and the particular wording or position in the film. Compare the published account before changing subtitle settings, which may affect a different text layer. A reconstruction can be valuable while retaining uncertainty about the lost release. An honest recommendation explains the edition’s method instead of calling every modern-looking card a technical error or claiming direct access to the original.
Questions, answered
Can a reconstructed intertitle use evidence beyond the surviving print?
Yes. The restorer describes censor records, scripts, a contemporary titling article and a music cue sheet.
Does reconstruction establish that the complete original release survives?
No. The interview expressly says the original 1922 US release version is lost.