Volume II: Filmography

A DAINTY POLITICIAN

August 23, 1910 (Tuesday)

Length: 960 feet

Character: Drama

Note: Congressman Casey, a character in the present film, was also a role in Orator, Knight and Cow Charmer, released on September 15, 1912.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, August 27, 1910:

"Here is a story of press and politics, of honesty and graft, good men and bad men; it will hit right home to your patrons' love for true triumph and make them yell bravo - for the reporter hero and the dainty politician who assisted him. It is a typical Thanhouser human-interest tale. A corking presentation of a current condition with a lively, logical love affair to top it off."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, August 27, 1910:

"Congressman Casey is a type of the ward politician who is now, fortunately, being rapidly eliminated from politics. He is planning his re-election to Congress. The decent movement in the community has been aroused and a movement is on foot to nominate Professor Blake, a citizen of high standing and character. John Willette, a reporter for the Daily Globe, calls on Professor Blake to inform him that he will be requested to run for the nomination and shows an article on the subject that has appeared in the Daily Globe. Professor Blake receives him cordially and he meets Professor Blake's daughter, Marie; the young people proceed to fall in love.

"The time for the convention arrives. As the convention is assembling and before they proceed to business, a band of suffragettes headed by Miss Croup gain admission and attempt to get a plank introduced in the platform favoring 'votes for women.' The convention turns them down and they are ejected from the floor. Nominations are then made for candidates, and after a vote has been taken it is found that ballots for Casey and Professor Blake are very evenly divided in that a candidate named Jennings, who is receiving the fewest votes, holds the balance of power. The convention takes a recess and Casey endeavors to bribe Jennings to retire in his favor and throw all his votes to Casey. Willett overhears enough of the bargain to make him suspicious, and communicates his beliefs to Marie. Between them they contrive to so fix the connection of the telephone in Casey's room that they can overhear the completion of the bribery plot. They succeed in this, and hear Jennings agree to the bargain for the consideration of a large-size check which Casey hands to him.

"The convention reconvenes, and John Willette appears and makes the charge publicly that Casey has bribed Jennings to throw his votes. Casey and Jennings indignantly deny this, and Marie comes forward as a witness; whereupon Jennings and Casey try to leave the convention. Delegates grab Jennings; search him and find the check given him by Casey. The two are ejected from the convention, which at once nominates Professor Blake and acclaims the two lovers who made the nomination possible."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, September 3, 1910:

"Apparently someone connected with the Thanhouser Company has learned something of ward politics, and the methods of controlling a convention are very clearly and bluntly stated. It isn't always possible to expose plots such as this one was exposed, but it would have been a good thing if it could be done.... The situations are dramatically worked out and the interest never flags from the beginning to the end. A love story adds a certain degree of interest to the picture, and the development of the plot is strengthened by the young people's lovemaking."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, September 3, 1910:

"This story of political manipulation may be overdrawn and lack plausibility, but it has interest and the acting is adequate. A party 'boss' and a professor are rivals for a nomination for Congress. A third candidate holds the balance of power and is about to sell his following to the 'boss,' but the professor's daughter and the reporter have heard the deal arranged over the telephone, expose the plot in the convention, and the professor is nominated - likewise the reporter is nominated for the girl's best fellow."

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