Volume II: Filmography

GONE TO CONEY ISLAND

JULY 5, 1910 (Tuesday)

Length: 1,000 feet totally (split with Booming Business at the end)

Character: Comedy

Location: Luna Park, Coney Island, New York

Note: Coney Island was America's premier amusement park at the time and was a popular subject for motion picture photography.

ADVERTISEMENT, The New York Dramatic Mirror, July 9, 1910:

"Thanhouser funny film - Clean and infectious. Your patrons won't miss these two big laughs if you're a wise exhibitor." (The "two big laughs" referred to the two films on the same reel.)

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, July 9, 1910:

"Kate has been employed for a number of years as a maid in the home of Mrs. Greene. Her 'young man,' Henry, works down at Coney. He induces Kate to leave her place and take a situation as a ticket seller at Luna Park. Kate tries to tell her mistress of her intended departure, but Mrs. Greene is busy and refuses to listen. Mrs. Greene goes out, during her absence, Kate takes French leave, leaving a note saying she is going to Coney Island. Never having visited the Island, Mrs. Greene considers it a jungle place. When she gets Kate's note, she thinks that her duty to immediately start in pursuit of the misguided girl. Not knowing how to get to the island, she appeals to her old friend, Professor Griggs. He also is ignorant of the ways of Coney, but in turn appeals to his friend Casey, a ward politician, who of course knows the Island, and consents to act as their escort. The three set out for Coney and start on their search for Kate.

"The hunt is almost forgotten in the joys of looping the loop, shooting the chutes and various other diversions of the Island. When they finally find Kate, she is at her post, selling tickets at Luna. She laughs at Mrs. Greene's fears for her safety and announces the fact that she is happily married, and presents the lucky man. In a cool Coney corner, Mrs. Greene confesses that she found Coney wasn't as bad as it was painted, and she is going to revisit it often."

Note: This synopsis was also reproduced verbatim in Thanhouser's advertisement in the same issue of The Moving Picture World.

REVIEW by Colin, The Moving Picture News, July 16, 1910:

"Being an old exchange man and exhibitor, we cannot help remarking in our review of this picture that in producing such a subject the Thanhouser Company are marketing a picture which can be strongly recommended as a feature film even when it gets a little old. The exchange man can always assure his customer that the film will make good, as it is one of a class of pictures which can almost be shown as a repeater without hurting the reputation of the theatre.

"The story discloses the fact that Mrs. Greene, the mistress of the heroine of our tale, is a lifelong resident of New York and is unacquainted with the charms and attraction of our 'own dear Coney.' The plot of the film finds the old lady, accompanied by two well-known people, hurrying to the 'The Island' in search of our heroine. Arriving there, the story tells itself. The various attractions are visited by the trio, who enjoy the trip with evident delight. Luna Park is Kate's trysting place, and she is occupying no less a position than treasurer when her old mistress finds her. She is married, too, a proceeding explained in the closing scenes of the story. The photography is good all through, the acting is such as leaves nothing to be desired. The story, however, particularly in the marriage portion, is peculiarly worked in, nevertheless the picture need never be idle with an exchange man - he can always keep it working."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, July 16, 1910:

"Not much further explanation is needed. Those who have been there and those who have heard of it know what it means. Perhaps nothing further is required."

ADDITIONAL REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, July 16, 1910:

"It is useless to describe this film. The very spirit of Coney Island has been caught and reproduced in the picture. That is all there is of it. He who has seen Coney will appreciate this. He who has never seen it can rest assured that the motion picture is bringing him as much of the real Coney as it is possible to reproduce in a life photograph."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, July 16, 1910:

"This film gives opportunity for showing a number of the attractions at Coney Island, but it has little interest as a picture story. The young maid working for a prim old lady quits her job to go with her young man to Coney Island, where she is to have a position as ticket seller. The old lady and an escort follow to reclaim the girl, and we see the pursuit as each party visits the various novel attractions. In the end they come together, when the old lady concludes that Coney Island is not such a bad place after all."

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