Volume II: Filmography

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January 27, 1911 (Friday)

Length: 500 feet (split with Stealing a Ride, a 400-foot subject, at the end)

Character: Comedy

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, January 28, 1911:

"Jack wanted to practice law, he was eager to plead in court; but all the pleading he was able to do consisted of pleading with stony-hearted men to whom he owed money. And it must be confessed that his arguments were almost invariably overruled. Matters reached a crisis when the creditors called in a body to demand what they called their rights. Jack was in the inside office when they appeared, but did not care to come out. Also they objected to going away. But Jack, like most lawyers, was resourceful. His creditors, to while away the time, began a game of cards, and that gave Jack an idea. For with the cards he was an expert. If legal preferment were based on ability as a poker player, Jack would be the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

"So Jack departed by way of the fire escape, and through the aid of a friendly costumer, returned looking like a perfectly unhappy creditor. And he sat in on that poker game, and won a surprising amount of money to the sorrow of the others. Then Jack excused himself, slipped out to return in this short time in his own garments. And he greeted his creditors affectionately, and paid each man in full, whereat they rejoiced. For Jack was an honest lawyer, even if he did have to hold a full house to prove it."

REVIEW, The Billboard, January 28, 1911:

"Here is an ingenuous film, one that is bound to take and elicit applause. A young businessman has his office filled with creditors, who while waiting until he comes decides to play poker. Seeing an opportunity the young debtor escapes by way of the fire stairs, disguises himself, and, assuming the role of a collector, joins in the game with marvelous success, winning plenty of money with which to meet his debts. This is a good kind of comedy and is bound to be appreciated. The photography is well up to the Thanhouser standards."

REVIEW by Walton, The Moving Picture News, February 25, 1911:

"Broad farce. A penniless businessman is besieged by creditors, who sit down to play poker in the outer office until he returns. Meanwhile he is in his private office; with the help of his secretary he escapes by the window. Then he goes to a costumer and is fitted up with a disguise; he returns to his office as another creditor; joins them at the game and skins the quartet to the last cent. Then he returns his costume and goes back himself to the office, where he pays the creditors with their own money. A rollicking film full of laughs."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, February 11, 1911:

"A comedy detailing the adventures of an impecunious lawyer in devising a means to secure money to pay his debts. The clever way in which he performs his highly interesting operation, through the medium of a game of poker with his creditors, is one scarcely to be commended. It is amusing to see him pay them their own money."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, February 1, 1911:

"This is capital farce, and it is most effectively presented. A young businessman goes broke, and is beset by his creditors, who accumulate in the outer office while he remains in his private office, the stenographer having told the callers that her employer is out. While waiting, the creditors play poker, and this gives the young debtor an idea. He departs by the fire escape, rents a disguise from a costumer, and enters his own office as a pretended Hebrew with another bill to collect. They let him into the game with his half-dollar and, as should be after an exhibition of nerve like this, he wins all their money, returning later to pay them off."

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