Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 7 (1914): The Serial Continues

The Million Dollar Mystery captured the fancy of the public, and nearly everything appearing about it in print was favorable. Episode 2, The False Friend, was issued on June 29th. The New York Dramatic Mirror commented:

When Hargreave's daughter, Florence, arrives home, she is met by the butler, Jones, who tells her that it was her father's wish that she remain under his care and that he had sufficient funds for the purpose. She makes a friend in Norton, a newspaper man, but there is trouble in store since the Black Hundred have decided to secure through her the secret of the hiding place of the million dollars.

Countess Olga, one of leaders of the conspirators, represents herself as an old friend of her father's, and two of the lowly members of the society gain entrance to her house by posing as detectives. They are ransacking the house when Norton breaks up the party, and a well-staged fight results. The two impostors are arrested, elude the police on the street, are pursued, but finally make good their escape by dumping the officers overboard from a dock. The reel ends with the Countess Olga still unsuspected, however.

In both the first and second episodes the director has proven fully equal to his task, and rises strongly to meet the opportunities of his big scenes. The staging gives evidence of care, many of the interiors offering unusual depth. Photographically, the picture is entirely satisfactory. Each installment of the serial tells its own story, no time being given to recounting the events that have transpired before.

Sidney Bracy gives a most human characterization as the butler, once more proving his ability as an actor, though, if one were over-captious, he might mention the fact that the butler's step is becoming more spry as the serial progresses. Florence LaBadie and Marguerite Snow are seen to advantage, as is Lila Chester in a less important role. James Cruze makes the newspaper reporter a most likable chap. As Braine, one of the Black Hundred, Frank Farrington is prone, and Marguerite Snow also sins in this regard at times, to over act. In fact, all the conspirators are given too much to the expressive, physical style of acting, which would lead us to place the blame on the shoulders of the director. The part of Stanley Hargreave is in capable hands.

Episode 3, The Safe in the Lonely Warehouse, and Episode 4, The Top Floor Flat, were released on July 6th and 13th, and were reviewed together in Variety:

It is evident the people following this mysterious serial are in every locality by the hundredfold. The disappearance of the million dollars in the first episode keeps the audiences on the alert to learn who removed it from the safe.

The third installment brings the story to the dock of the steamer from which the millionaire had escaped unnoticed by the crowd. The conspirators send their accomplice, the Countess Olga, to the dock to appeal to the captain and claim that she is the daughter of Hargreave. But the young reporter was ahead of them, and his visit to the dock warned the men something was liable to happen, and a trap was laid. The Countess is informed by the captain the man in question had left a box in the dock house. She tries to get to the safe, but the dock man keeps her away. She informs her pals they must raid the dock house that night if they want the money. With the aid of some gangsters the conspirators bang in the door. The reporter makes his appearance and they set out after him. He fires a shot and policemen spring from everywhere capturing all but one of the marauders. The one who escapes is Braine, the leader. He is chased to the end of the pier and plunges into the water. This part brings the third episode to an end.

Braine and the Countess decide the only way to get the money is to have the girl in their power. One of the conspirators is sent with a letter to the girl's home and he slips the note in the window and gets away. The girl is informed by the letter her father, whom she has not seen since infancy, wants to see her and for her to go to a certain apartment the following day. She does not feel safe in going, but finally without telling anyone leaves the house. Arriving at the given address she finds the apartment designated on the top floor. She rings the bell and is admitted and is welcomed by a man who is a likeness of the picture in her room. She at first feels it is her father, but her hopes are shattered when she looks in a mirror and sees a number of evil eyes peering in the door. She tries to escape, but the conspirators attack her. Picking up a chair, she smashes it through the window and gives the others the impression she has gone out of the window. She jumps into the bottom of a grandfather's clock, and while the others are looking out the window escapes down the stairs.

The picture is full of exciting incidents, with some of the parts rather far fetched but bound to go big with picture lovers. The photography could not be improved upon with the interiors that have the best of ideas in arrangement.

A writer for The Moving Picture World happened upon Episode 5, At the Bottom of the Sea, released on July 20th, and was bewildered:

This reviewer had not seen the former installments of this picture and comments on it as a spectator in the same predicament. What he sees going on is indeed a mystery; but he doesn't know whether it is so-intended or not, nor at first does he know to which side he is give his allegiance, nor who is the heroine and who is the villainess. He sees much that keeps him interested. For example, he sees "he box" thrown overboard and sink to the bottom of the sea where it disturbs the sand and sea-weeds. It is all perfectly photographed and the players are natural and act skillfully.

The reviewer for The New York Dramatic Mirror was more aware:

In spirit of production and in essence of scenario these adventure-serials continue as before, varying only in the continued increase in interest and the insertion of new material. Perhaps the addition of needed action is one of the best thing that can be said of the stories as they proceed - that and the fact that each two reels form a separate adventure, distinct and clear, for those who may begin with that installment. For settings, there are some pretty spots in and around Westchester County which continue to furnish ample material for this company. The mystery, it may be added, continues as puzzling as heretofore.

Episode Five: The butler comes to the fore in this installment when he reads a personal the conspirators have inserted in the paper with the intention of frightening Florence. He sees one of the gang disguised as an organ grinder and makes sure that the latter sees him opening a secret panel. The organ grinder reports to his gang, who then hasten to pursue the butler. The latter is learned to have left with the box, taken from the secret panel, in a speedy motor boat. The conspirators follow and the chase, becoming too hot, the butler hurls the casket into the sea and then via revolver shot manages to break the feed pipe of the pursuing launch. The escaping gasoline becomes ignited and the launch explodes, a real explosion of a real launch, comprising the "punch" that has been injected into this episode. The rest of the film concerns the lovemaking of Florence and the reporter.

As time went on, the novelty of the Mystery wore off, and fewer reviews were printed. However, the release of July 27th, Episode 6, The Coaching Party of the Countess, was noticed by The New York Dramatic Review:

Determined to find out from Florence the secret hiding place of her father's million, the conspirators invite the girl on a coaching trip, and arrived at their destination, the bogus count takes the girl and manages to lock her up in the Egyptian room. He hurries back, but the butler and the reporter who have followed the coaching party in a small but exceedingly fast motorcar know a secret entrance whereby they rescue the girl just before the conspirators enter to force the secret from her. A chase ensues and the butler manages to thwart the pursuers by stabbing the tires of their fast machine with a long knife.