User Reviews

The loss of this 1915 silent film The Goose Girl starring popular actress Marguerite Clarke, is a particularly sad one as many of her films are lost. The story is about Count Von Herbeck ( James Neill ), an ambitious chancellor to the Grand Duke of Ehrenstein ( E. N. Dunbar ), who secretly marries and has a daughter. At the urging of his dying wife, the Count kidnaps the Duke's infant daughter ( Marguerite Clark ) and substitutes his own in the castle so that she may live in the style of a grand lady. The real princess, abandoned by the gypsies who abducted her for the Count, is raised by peasants and given the name " Goose Girl." The young King Frederick ( Monroe Salisbury ) is betrothed to the impostor princess of Ehrenstein, whom he has never seen, but before the wedding takes place, he runs away and roams the countryside, where he encounters and falls in love with the Goose Girl. After a series of adventures, during which Frederick decides to wed the false princess for the good of the country, the Goose Girl's true identity is revealed, and the very delighted Frederick is now happily betrothed to the girl of his heart. Motion Picture News admiringly noted Clark's " youthful personality and girlish portrayal," and the Moving Picture World declared " When the brave little Goose Girl is rescued from the clutches of the brutal libertine the whole audience breaks into applause." Surviving photo stills of this film show wonderfully costumed characters and a very pretty Clark looking quite expressive in her role as the charming Goose Girl. The very talented and beloved stage actress was Mary Pickford's biggest rival when she began appearing in silent film adaptations of classic children's fairy tales, and nearly surpassed Pickford's popularity for a couple of years. This makes the loss of her films all the more tragic as it would be interesting to see her work, and to appreciate what the audiences of that era enjoyed.