Volume II: Filmography

 

A THANKSGIVING SURPRISE

 

November 22, 1910 (Tuesday)

Length: 1,000 feet

Character: Drama

Cast: Marie Eline

 

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, November 19, 1910:

"Deals with the transformation of a young, useless society snob into a splendid man of the world and shows how the change was accomplished. This was the ruse of his uncle's hand and the sweet, pure love of a humble flower girl, that the youth strove to win. While succeeding, he shook off the shackles of class feeling and redeemed himself in his wealthy uncle's eyes and - best of all - his own. As a story that glorifies that grand American virtue - democracy - this will capture the American audiences. It makes irresistible appeal to that main support of the moving picture - the great American middle class."

 

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, November 26, 1910:

"Jack Clyde is a rich young fellow who has been brought up by his wealthy uncle in a small Western town. Jack decides that he wants to move to New York and is indulged in this whim by his uncle, who sends with the lad as valet a faithful old servant, who has his welfare at heart. In the city Jack rents expensive apartments, and leads a vain, idle life. Jack's uncle hears of his conduct and devises a scheme whereby he can make a thorough test of the boy. He instructs his lawyers to announce his death, that the entire fortune has gone to charity, and Jack has been left penniless.

"Jack is turned out of his rooms and shunned by his rich friends. Among the very poor, whom he formerly despised, he is treated as a comrade. They share with him their last crust, and he ends by marrying them, and falling in love with a humble little flower girl. Jack finally secures a situation as a porter in a hotel. His uncle discovers that he is planning to give a Thanksgiving dinner to all those poorer than himself and decides that Jack has learned his lesson. Jack brings to his poor room a few meager provisions that his week's salary has permitted him to buy. While waiting for his guests to arrive Jack goes to sleep. His uncle and the old servant who have been watching him closely, seize upon this opportunity to enter Jack's room and substitute for his poor meal a real Thanksgiving feast. The guests arrive, their host awakes, uncle returns, and Jack is assured that his prosperity is real and not a dream."

 

REVIEW by Walton, The Moving Picture News, November 26, 1910:

"A well-staged, naturally acted story with a lesson. There is pathos and stern reality mixed in with fidelity and anxiety, the whole making a story of entrancing and edifying power."

 

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, December 10, 1910:

"To be plunged from affluence to poverty unexpectedly is a bitter experience, yet the young man here depicted stands the test, as an interested audience can easily see. And then comes another surprise when he is as quickly raised from poverty to affluence. The contrasts in the delineation of human nature constitute the principal points of interest, and they are worked out with full appreciation of dramatic varieties. The implied false friends have a good many counterparts, and the way they are depicted here is too graphic to be misunderstood."

 

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, November 30, 1910:

"After witnessing the camera posing of the Bison and Powers films it is some pleasure to observe the unconscious actions of the Thanhouser players. The story that is told, however, is little improvement over the others in plot, although it purports to point an excellent moral. A wealthy young cad, who abuses his servant and spends money with his gay friends at extremely disreputable-looking saloons, is taught a lesson by his uncle, who has a notice sent to the youth telling him that his allowance is cut off because the uncle died, leaving all his money to charity. The youth accepts the story without question and goes out on the street to starve, being aided at last by the flower girl and the newsboy whom he had abused in the days of his affluence. When he gets a job and is about ready to marry the flower girl the uncle comes to life with a turkey dinner. The part of the flower girl was particularly well portrayed."

# # #

 

Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.