1909
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- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsLinda ArvidsonJohn R. CumpsonFlora FinchSet in an early cinema house, this comic short illustrates the problems with the gals' hats obscuring the movie patron's line of vision.
- DirectorWalter R. BoothAn inventor uses a wireless controlled flying torpedo to destroy enemy airships.
- DirectorPercy StowAn Indian dancer saves a tourist from his lover, follows him to England, sees he is married and dies on his doorstep.
- DirectorAndré CalmettesCharles Le BargyStarsCécile SorelRené AlexandreCharles Le BargyRome, June 1800. Floria Tosca is a celebrated opera singer, better known as La Tosca. Her lover is Mario Cavaradossi, a young artist and Bomapartist sympathizer. When the latter helps Angelotti, the leader of the opposition, to escape from prison and hides him in La Tosca's home, he antagonizes Baron Scarpia, the ruthless chief of police, all the more as his love for Tosca is unrequited. Scarpia has Mario arrested and condemned to death. Upset, Floria begs the Baron for her lover's life. He accepts to have the bullets of the firing squad replaced by blanks if... she sleeps with him. She agrees nominally but when she finds herself with Scarpia, she stabs him to death. She then goes to see Mario in his cell and lets him know about his phony execution. But Scarpia had had time to get the order reversed and in the early hours of the morning, Mario is executed in the proper manner. In despair, Tosca throws herself into the void...
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsFlorence LawrenceFrank PowellOwen MooreRising Moon loves Little Bear, but her father prefers Standing Rock, a richer suitor. Standing Rock takes her to his teepee under guard, but she escapes and joins Little Bear as they attempt to escape.
- DirectorAshley MillerNo sweeter, sadder tale of mother's love has ever been presented to the moving picture audience. Briefly told, it is the story of a youth who leaves his widowed mother to seek his fame and fortune in a great city. Risen to fame and affluence, he is visited by his old mother unexpectedly at a moment when he is entertaining his affianced and her father. The sudden appearance of his mother, whose quaint, old-fashioned clothes and baggage are so strikingly incongruous among such luxurious surroundings, visibly embarrasses him and he ill conceals a feeling of shame before his guests. His changed manner is not lost upon the poor old lady, who, although at first mystified, is finally forced to the conviction that her presence in "Laddie's" house is not welcome. Although brokenhearted at the realization, she determines that "Laddie" shall not be embarrassed by her presence and steals from the house, stopping only to tuck her shawl about him as he lies asleep on the couch and to imprint a loving farewell kiss upon his brow. Awakened from his sleep by a police messenger, he hurries to the hospital to find that she has been the victim of a street accident and is at the point of death. Overcome with remorse and shame, his grief knows no bounds. Willingly would he sacrifice all his earthly possessions, even life itself, if she were spared to him, but in vain! She dies in his arms, a smile of supreme happiness upon her countenance as site unites his hand with that of the lovely girl who is his affianced wife.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsHenry B. WalthallMarion LeonardGladys EganThe children set a trap for Santa Claus on Christmas Eve, knowing he has to come through the window because their estate has no chimney. Their father, who abandoned them and his wife before she inherited her fortune, plans to burglarize that very house, unaware of the occupants or the trap.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsFrank PowellGrace HendersonJames KirkwoodAn unscrupulous and greedy capitalist speculator decides to corner the wheat market for his own profit, establishing complete control over the markets.
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsCharles ClaudelOctavie HuvierFrançois LallementA man rents an apartment and furnishes it in remarkable fashion.
- DirectorArturo AmbrosioLuigi MaggiStarsAlberto CapozziLydia De RobertiMirra PrincipiRoman emperor Nero is used to getting what he wants. He has grown tired of his wife Octavia, and has become infatuated with Poppea. He succeeds in making Poppea the new empress, but soon he faces opposition from an outraged populace.
- DirectorSegundo de ChomónIn a medieval palace, an astronomer with a telescope shows the king.
- DirectorJ. Stuart BlacktonStarsPat HartiganJulia ArthurWilliam HumphreyThe persecution of the children of Israel by the Egyptians. Now there arose up a new king in Egypt. And he said unto his people. Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Let us set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. (Exodus, chapter I.) The first scenes show the Egyptian court and King Pharaoh commanding the slave drivers to beat the Hebrew toilers who show signs of rebellion. Pharaoh notices this and, calling his scribes, orders that a decree be published that every man-child born to the Hebrews be killed. The parchment is prepared and is read in Pharaohs court in the presence of Pharaohs daughter, who hears and pleads in vain for his clemency. Pharaohs Decree: Every male child that is born to the Hebrews shall be cast into the river. The Egyptians ruthlessly proceed to carry out the decree and seize the male children from the arms of the Hebrew mothers. Here we are shown the interior of a Hebrew dwelling. The child Moses is in a cradle and his mother is bending over him, utterly unconscious of the cruel edict of King Pharaoh. The sister of Moses is shown attending to household duties and she takes a pitcher and goes to the well to draw water. There she learns of the slaughter of the innocents and hastens back and tells the mother of the cruel scenes she has witnessed. They decide to hide the child Moses by the river, and the cradle or ark is covered and carried between them to a marsh, where they plaster the outside with soft mud to keep out the water, and placing the child therein, his sister remains nearby to watch what will become of him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the rivers edge; and when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it she saw the child; and, behold, the babe wept, and she had compassion on him. Pharaohs daughter fondles and pets the crying child and decides that she will keep him for her own. The sister of Moses approaches and suggests that she call a nurse of the Hebrew women and she, of course, called the childs mother. And Pharaohs daughter said unto her, Take this child away and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it. Pharaoh is informed of his daughters caprice and demands to see the child. He orders it away, but his daughter embraces him and pleads so hard for the life of the child that he consents and gives it his protection and blessing. A fitting ending is a picture of the mother and sister of Moses again fondling their own and giving thanks to God for their unexpected good fortune. The first reel of this series ended with the child Moses being adopted by Pharaohs daughter. The Hebrews are still under bondage, and we see them laboring in the brick fields, beaten by the taskmasters, as they build those gigantic specimens of Egyptian architecture, many of which stand to this day. Moses has been reared and educated in the Egyptian court, and is now in the prime of life, but he does not forget that he is of Hebrew blood, and, as he watches his brethren in their slavery, his blood boils at the outrages and he looks toward Heaven and cries, How long, oh Lord, how long? A number of Hebrews are digging clay, which is filled into baskets. The load is too heavy for one of the laborers, and the taskmaster beats him unmercifully. Moses sees this and kills the taskmaster. T The other Hebrew slaves, horrified at the enormity of the act, run away, and Moses, afraid of the consequences, hastily buries the body in the clay pit. Two days after this, Moses seeks to separate two of his brethren who are quarreling, and one of them says: Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian? Moses is terrified when he knows that his crime is known, and decides to flee from the country. He seeks refuge in the home of a Hebrew laborer and bargains for a suit of the laborers garments, with which he disguises himself; he also purchases provisions and a water bottle, and departs. Moses is seen crossing the desert. Tired and dusty, he rests and drinks from his water flask. Still toiling on through the arid desert, he reaches an eminence and looks hack to see if he is being followed, and, seeing no one, he gives thanks for his deliverance. Moses has at last reached the land of Midian. He discovers a well and refreshes and rests himself. While he is resting seven daughters of Jethro, a Midianite, come to the well to draw water for their sheep and cattle. Other herdsmen also come to the well and ungallantly drive away the maidens, but Moses comes to their aid, and draws the water for them. The home of Jethro, the priest of Midian, father of the seven maidens. They enter and tell of the encounter at the well, and how they were aided by a Hebrew traveler. He says the man must be his guest, and hastens to the well and greets Moses and invites him to the shelter of his house, which offer is accepted. Moses enters the home of the priest of Midian, where he is effusively greeted by the whole household, and we see him seated and enjoying a meal with the family. (And Moses was content to dwell with the manand he gave Moses his daughter, Zipporah, to wife.) (Forty years later). Moses is now a shepherd, and, while tending his flocks in the land of Midian. The voice of God speaks to him out of a burning bush and commands him to return to Egypt and deliver his brethren out of the bondage of the Egyptians. Moses bids farewell to Jethro, his father-in-law, and, with his family, journeys to Egypt. On the way he meets Aaron, who had been, commanded by the Lord to meet Moses, and together they arrive at the Egyptian court. The court of Pharaoh, a young man, the elder Pharaoh having died while Moses was in Midian. The officials announce the new arrivals, and Moses and Aaron are ushered in and demand, in the name of the Lord, that the Children of Israel be set free. The Egyptian king refuses, and Moses tells him that if he does not consent the wrath of God will come on all the Egyptians. Moses prays to the Lord for advice, and is commanded to work a miracle before the Egyptian monarch to convince him that it is the Lord, the God of the Israelites, who demands the deliverance of His people. Moses and Aaron appear before Pharaoh again. Aaron casts his rod upon the ground and it becomes a serpent. Pharaoh is amazed, but he still refuses to free the Children of Israel. Pharaohs continued refusal brings upon Egypt the ten plagues. Moses finds Pharaoh near the rivers edge and again asks that his people be allowed to go free. When Pharaoh denies again. Aaron smites the water of the river with his rod and the waters are turned into blood. Again Moses appears before Pharaoh and again Pharaoh refuses his request. As God had commanded, Moses stretches his hand toward heaven and immediately a great storm of hail and lightning, such as they had never seen, descends on Egypt, killing man and beast and striking terror to the heart of Pharaoh. Pharaohs heart was again hardened and he still refuses to free the Hebrew children. Again Moses stretches his hand toward heaven, and a thick darkness, a darkness that might be felt, covered the land for three days, so that no one was able to rise from his place. The last and most terrible plague visited on Egypt for Pharaohs continued refusal is the death of all the Egyptian first born. The Feast of the Passover is instituted at this time. Moses directing all the Hebrew people to observe the Feast by killing and preparing a lamb. Moses commands the Children of Israel to sprinkle the door posts on both sides and on top with the blood of the lamb and on every house where they are to eat the Feast of the Passover, and to prepare the Feast. The Feast of the Passover is observed, according to the instructions of Moses, by every Jewish family in Egypt, the Feast consisting of roast lamb with unleavened bread and herbs. The same night that the Feast of the Passover is being observed by the Israelites, the Angel of Death passes over the land of Egypt in the last plague, the death of the first born. The Angel of Death enters every Egyptian home where there is no blood on the doorposts, and the first born of every Egyptian family is slain, from the first born in Pharaohs household to the first born of the captive in the dungeons. The Angel of Death, however, passes by every Jewish home, as God had promised to Moses that where He saw the blood on the doorposts He would pass them over and the plague should not be upon them. In Pharaohs palace Pharaoh and his court are feasting, when the Angel of Death enters and Pharaohs own first born is slain. Pharaoh is overcome with grief at this terrible visitation and sends for Moses and Aaron immediately. The death of his first born softens the heart of Pharaoh and when Moses and Aaron now appear before him he commands them to take the Children of Israel and to depart out of the land of Egypt. Moses and Aaron give the command to the Hebrew people, who immediately gather together their possessions and prepare to leave the land of their bondage with reverent and thankful hearts. With Moses and Aaron as leaders, the Israelites begin their exodus from Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, where they had been slaves for so many years.
- DirectorJ. Stuart BlacktonStarsPaul PanzerGladys HuletteA drowsy pipe-smoker attempts to nap, only to be tormented relentlessly by the mischievous Princess Nicotine and her fairy companion.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsDavid MilesMarion LeonardMary PickfordA gang of thieves lure a man out of his home so that they can rob it and threaten his wife and children. The family barricade themselves in an interior room, but the criminals are well-equipped for breaking in. When the father finds out what is happening, he must race against time to get back home.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsArthur V. JohnsonMarion LeonardHenry B. WalthallA king exacts vengeance upon his faithless mistress and her lover.
- DirectorJoseph-Louis MundwillerThis is another one of our famous scenic films which is a revelation of the beauties of the historic Russian city, showing it clad in a blanket of snow and giving us a good view of the many points of interest in and about the place. We get a good view of the famous old Kremlin from different angles, then a view of the city taken from one of the high towers. Next we see Petrovsky Park and some of the main thoroughfares during a heavy blizzard in which the inhabitants go about well muffled up and seemingly undaunted by the severe cold atmosphere.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsBarry O'MooreLinda ArvidsonArthur V. JohnsonThe story, while not biographical, is founded on incidents in his life, showing his devotion for his sick wife, Virginia. Desperate from his utter helplessness to ameliorate his dying wife's suffering, owing to extreme destitution, he is in a frenzy of grief, when a raven is seen to perch on a bust of Pallas above the door of their cold, cheerless apartment. An inspiration! He sets to work, and that masterpiece. "The Raven," is the fruit. During his work he has divested himself of his coat, putting it over his wife to protect her from the cold. The poem finished, he rushes coatless and hatless to the publisher, where he meets with scant attention. One editor, however, thinks the work possesses some merit and offers ten dollars for it. Ten dollars for the greatest jewel in the diadem of fame - think of it! Poe thinks of the comforts, meager though they needs must be, for his poor wife and accepts the offer. Hastening to the store, he procures food, a heavy comfortable for the cot, and medicine, and with much lighter heart returns home. Spreading the quilt tenderly over Virginia, he takes her hand and gazes fondly into her sightless eyes, but the cold, unresponsive hand tells him the awful truth. "My God, she is dead!" and he falls prostrate across the cot.
- DirectorGeorges MélièsStarsGeorges MélièsA magician creates a butterfly woman and then a spider woman.
- DirectorCharles KentJ. Stuart BlacktonStarsWalter AckermanCharles ChapmanDolores CostelloIn ancient Athens, four young lovers escape into the woods. Meanwhile, tradesmen rehearse a play. All of them suffer from the shenanigans of mischievous fairies.
- DirectorLouis FeuilladeStarsHenri DuvalChristiane MandelysMaurice VinotNymphs and cupids dance in celebration of the arrival of Spring.
- DirectorAlfred MachinStarsPitje AmbrevilleBerryerMademoiselle SaunièresDutch girl Johanna loves poor Joachim, but marries the weathy Miller. When the miller finds out, he takes revenge.
- DirectorEdwin S. PorterStarsMary FullerMarc McDermottHerbert PriorThe story revolves itself around a Western cowboy who has been sent to the town of Cedar Gulch to deposit gold in the bank for his boss. Arriving too late in the night to dispose of the gold, he seeks out the pretty daughter of the gambling-house keeper who has given her heart unto his keeping. While waiting for the bank to open in the morning, he becomes fascinated with the sight of the money being won at a gambling table, and starts to gamble with his boss's money. Luck is against him, and scarcely before he realizes it he has lost all. Ruin, disgrace, and prison or lynching stare him in the face. Only seeking to get back what he has lost he tries to rob the gambling house at night, and here he comes face to face with the little girl whom he loves. He confesses to her his crime and shame, and the woman's love spreads forth its hands to shield him. She seeks out Rattlesnake Jim, the Sheriff of Cedar Gulch, who also is in love with her, and implores his aid for her unworthy lover. A warrant for the cowboy's arrest reaches Jim while she is at his cabin and he struggles manfully to follow its mandates to the letter, but his love for the girl causes him to swerve from his strict path of duty and he decides to give the guilty man a fighting chance. Either he or the cowboy must quit Cedar Gulch at once. In other words, one of them must die. To live and not do his duty is a thought that has never entered Jim's mind. So these men of iron and nerve fight a novel duel in the Sheriff's lonely cabin, at which he has ordered the cowboy to report. Baring their arms to the elbow they sit at opposite sides of a table, calmly waiting for a great, poisonous rattlesnake to rise from its bed, which opens in the center of the table, and choose its victim. Slowly it uncoils itself upon the table with fangs darting in and out, it rears its head, the men watching its every move in fearful silence. At a moment when it seems that the awful suspense will be ended by a deadly strike fate interferes, and though justice miscarries, yet Cupid's arrow finds an unsuspecting but not unwilling victim in the person of the lion-hearted Sheriff, whose manly conduct, in contrast with that of her lover, reveals to the girl his true worth. All this is told with a wonderful dramatic strength and power, and one never loses interest for a moment.
- DirectorVan Dyke BrookeMrs. Northfield has been left a widow with three children to support. Only the eldest, Robert, is old enough to aid her in her struggles for existence, and he makes precarious earnings delivering papers on a newspaper route and running errands. Mrs. Northfield is a dressmaker, and in an early scene sets out to deliver a dress to a fashionable patron. Some minor changes are required to be made and the tired seamstress works on the finishing touches in her patron's room. The latter, Mrs. Aldcorn, wife of a wealthy broker, hides her jewels and forgets that she has done so. That evening she is dressing for a theater party and cannot find the gems. She remembers that Mrs. Northfield was in the room alone for some time and her husband swears out a warrant for her arrest. On purely circumstantial evidence, poor Mrs. Northfield is sentenced to a prison term and is led to a cell weeping, but finding some comfort in Bobby's promise that he will look out for his little sister and the baby. It is a tremendous responsibility for a ten-year-old boy to face, but Bobby is a plucky lad. The newspaper route which he serves is for sale, together with the newsstand. Bobby sells most of the furniture to a second-hand dealer and with the proceeds becomes the proprietor of the business. With his childish enthusiasm and courtesy he builds up a large trade. Some time after Mrs. Aldcorn discovers her jewelry and she and her husband lose no time in obtaining Mrs. Northfield's release from the remainder of her sentence and with many abject apologies escort her to her home. On the way they pass the new and prosperous stand which Bobby has had built, and the mother's delight at the bravery and success of the Little Father are so great that Aldcorn induces her to let Bobby accept a substantial sum of money with which to still further enlarge his interests.
- DirectorD.W. GriffithStarsRose KingHerbert PriorCaroline HarrisMiss Louise Leroque was one of those charming young ladies, born, as if through an error of destiny, into a family of clerks, and after she married John Kendrick, she suffered an incessant yearning for all those delicacies and luxuries she felt were her due. John was a bighearted, indulgent husband whose every thought was for his wife's happiness, and while Louise was a devoted wife, still there was the strain of selfishness ever apparent, for she who studies her glass neglects her heart. She yearned for ostentation, and poor John was in no position to appease this desire. However, an occasion presents itself when they can at least bask in the radiance of the social limelight, in an invitation to attend a reception tendered a foreign prince. John is in the height of elation, hut Louise meets him with that time-honored remark, "I've nothing to wear." Well, he feels the strength of her argument, so goes and pawns his watch and chain to procure her a gown fitting for the occasion. The gown emphasizes the absence of jewel ornamentation, so they visit their friend and neighbor, who lends them a handsome necklace. At the reception she makes quite a stir and is presented to the prince, who becomes decidedly attentive. Arriving home after the affair, Louise rehearses the incidents of the event, when suddenly she stands petrified with horror. "My God! The necklace is gone." High and low they search, and even back to the ballroom, but without result, for we have seen it stolen from her neck by a sneak thief while she is talking with the prince. Unable to find the necklace, they swear to give their fingers to the bone, their life's blood until it is paid for. But then there is the humiliation of not returning the jewels, so they hunt for a duplicate. At the jeweler's they find one, in appearance an exact copy, but the price is $20,000. Twenty thousand dollars to ones in their condition meant a large fortune. However, John borrows money on his salary, gets loans from his various friends and is granted a large advance by his employer, giving notes for same: in fact, mortgaging his very life as the result of vanity. With the money he purchases the duplicate and gives it to their friend, who is unaware of the substitution. Meanwhile, the thief has taken the necklace to a pawnshop and finds it is a worthless imitation, and so throws it into the rubbish heap. Five years later we find the couple toiling, toiling, but still in bondage; after night in the endeavor to make a little extra above his ordinary salary. Ten years we find them, still hounded by the note collectors, aged and broken in health, yet determined. Twenty years, and the last penny on the necklace is paid, but at the expense of their bodily strength. Having cleared up his debt with his employer, he is discharged, being too feeble to do the work. As a last resort they write to their friend, confessing the substitution of the jewels, and their plight as a result, begging that she give them some slight assistance. Their friend, of course, is amazed, she cognizant of the worthlessness of her property, so hastens to give Louise back the jewels, arriving only in time to put them about her neck when she sinks back dead. John, poor fellow, is found sitting in a chair at the head of the bed, also dead. They had received vanity's reward.