Volume II: Filmography

OH! SUCH A BEAUTIFUL OCEAN

Production still courtesy of the American Museum of the Moving Image/Lawrence Williams Collection (M-19-X)

August 10, 1913 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Comedy

Cast: William Russell, Florence LaBadie

Notes: 1. Variant punctuation of the title appeared in reviews, articles, and advertisements: Oh! Such a Beautiful Ocean!, and Oh, Such a Beautiful Ocean. 2. The yacht, The Dividend, used in this film and in An Unromantic Maiden, later became the private vessel of Charles J. Hite.

ADVERTISEMENT, The New York Dramatic Mirror, August 6, 1913:

"As a matter of cold fact it was so un-beautiful that a certain seasick mother did not care if her daughter did marry the hero! It may have been beautiful for the lovers, though."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, August 16, 1913:

"The young clubman did not have any trouble with his mother-in-law for the simple reason that he could not induce her to let him marry her daughter. The woman took a violent dislike to the genial young man, forbade him to visit the house, and seemed to have an uncanny ability of always being on hand when the suitor met the girl of his choice. The youth's chance came one day, however, when he learned that his mother-in-law had arranged for a yachting party. In his own little boat he rowed out some time before the yacht started, managed to be upset, and of course he was taken aboard the yacht. The woman frankly admitted that she would like to throw him overboard, but a fear of what society might think restrained her. Having won the first trick, the young man found an unexpected ally in his fight for the second. This was old Neptune; it became very rough on the boat, and soon the old woman lost all interest in everything except the silent tomb which she believed was very near her. There was a minister aboard, a friend of the clubman, and he consented to marry the young couple, provided there was no objection. The bridegroom didn't object, neither did the bride, and when the mother was spoken to she simply said wearily, 'Get married if you want to, but let me die in peace.' And while the boat tossed, the ceremony began and concluded, and the old lady was so unhappy that she neither knew nor cared that a son-in-law had become a member of her family."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, August 17, 1913:

"This is a very pretty little comedy of not more than ordinary merit, but of parts which attract an audience."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, August 16, 1913:

"A breezy summer story at a watery resort, with William Russell and Florence LaBadie in the leading parts. The hero upsets his boat, so he must be rescued by the yacht, and thus contrives to join the party without an invitation. Attractive scenes and a brisk, humorous story combine to make this a good comedy offering."

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