Volume II: Filmography

STAGE STRUCK

March 3, 1911 (Friday)

Length: 1,000 feet

Character: Drama

Cast: Marie Eline

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, March 4, 1911:

"A country girl becomes hopelessly stage struck when a company of barnstorming actors, presenting Shakespearean plays, appears in her home town. She applies for an engagement to the star of the organization and is finally offered a small part. Forbidden by her father to follow the career of her choice, she runs away and joins the company. Disillusionment soon follows. The stars dissatisfied with her attempts at acting, and the hard work and bad hotels soon tax her strength. While playing a one-night stand in a little town, the company is treated to a square meal by a prosperous young drummer [traveling salesman - Ed.] who is greatly attracted by the country girl's youth and beauty.

"The company get into financial straits, and have their baggage seized. Entirely without funds they start to walk to the next town. 'Walking the ties' is as new form of exercise for our heroine, and halfway on the journey she begs the company to go on without her, as she is too weary and sick to continue. Sitting alone and weeping bitterly on the steps of a forlorn little railway station, the girl is surprised to see, getting off the train, her new acquaintance, the drummer. He insists upon buying her a ticket for home and starting her off at once. The girl is welcomed back home by her father and when a few weeks later she receives together an offer of a New York engagement and an offer of marriage from the young drummer - she decides to accept the latter, and to appear in the future as - just a wife."

REVIEW, The Billboard, March 4, 1911:

"Any motion picture in which the views of 'back on the stage' are shown possesses a certain degree of interest. The ever-curious public is fascinated by the alluring stories of the stage world, and any peep it is given into this realm is welcomed. Because of this, Stage Struck derives the interest it has. As far as the story is concerned there is no special recommendation for it. It tells of a girl's fancy for the stage, her decision to leave home and fulfill her desire to act, the hardship she is compelled to endure after her stage life has been chosen, and finally finding herself stranded away from home. A kind-hearted drummer takes an interest in the girl and buys a ticket to her home town for her. At home she is forgiven. The drummer calls, developing another case in which Cupid acts, the girl refusing a theatrical offer in preference to home life. The theatre settings are about as faithful depictions of stage scenes as are found in motion pictures. The player portraying the role of the leading actor very much exaggerates in makeup. The photography is very good."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, March 5, 1911:

"An excellent opportunity was sadly missed for the exposition of a strong lesson to the uninitiated girl or boy who dreams of a career before the footlights. How any author or producer could permit such an impossible ending is a wonder. Can any sensible person imagine a New York manager offering an inexperienced amateur a leading part in a Broadway production? Yet this is what occurs in this tale of a stage-struck miss who joins a repertoire company, is stranded, gets home through the generosity of a traveling salesman and then, with no lapse of time or experience noted, receives a letter with such an offer! Most of the play was well put on and ably acted. The 'star' of the theatrical company wore an abominable wig, which could be distinguished as false. More care and thought would have made this an admirable offering."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, March 18, 1911:

"What happened to a girl who got stage struck would not ordinarily interest an audience, but the little love story which is interwoven with this one saves the picture and makes it really interesting. The representation of the standard theatrical company is said by those who have been similarly situated to be extremely good."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, March 8, 1911:

"This story of the stage is interestingly set forth and gives a glimpse of the trials to be undergone by the amateur road actor; furthermore, it is well acted and staged. She becomes stage struck at the performance of Romeo and Juliet given by a traveling stock company in the local opera house and immediately seeks a position, which is granted her. In spite of her father's objections, she starts out on the road with the company, and gets stranded. A traveling man helps her out of her difficulties and buys her a ticket home. Later, when she is offered a New York engagement, he appears, and instead of accepting the engagement she engages herself to him. The production leaves the impression of being exceedingly well done, but to the average actor the New York engagement, after forsaking her barnstorming company of players, seems somewhat of a dream. It was also startling to see her playing Ophelia after such a flat failure at the previous rehearsal where another took her place."

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