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The Beckoning Flame
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Five reels
Directed by Charles Swickard
Cast: Henry Woodruff [Harry Dickson], Tsuru Aoki [Janira], Rhea Mitchell [Elsa Arlington], J. Frank Burke [Ram Dass], Louis Morrison [Prince Chandra], J. Barney Sherry [Muhmed], Roy Laidlaw [Hawes], Joseph J. Dowling [the baron]
New York Motion Picture Corporation production; distributed by Triangle Film Corporation [Kay-Bee]. / Scenario by C. Gardner Sullivan, [?] from a screen story by Thomas H. Ince? Production suepervised by Thomas H. Ince. Cinematography by James A. Crosby. Musical accompaniment composed and selected by Victor L. Schertzinger. / © 21 December 1915 by Triangle Film Corporation [LU7260]. © 16 January 1916 by Triangle Film Corporation [LP10730]. Premiered 12 December 1915 in New York, New York. Released 16 January 1916. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Attractive young Englishman Harry Dickson is engaged to beautiful English girl Elsa Arlington. While serving as a deputy commissioner in a principality in India, he becomes acquainted with Janira, a nobleman’s daughter, who is given in marriage to dissolute Indian Prince Chandra. While the festivities are in full swing, the groom dies from a stroke of apoplexy. His body is put on the funeral pyre. At the period of this play, it was the practice among the people of India for the widow to throw herself on the fire in which her husband’s body was burning. Janira is compelled in spite of herself to submit to this custom. Just before she is placed in the flames, Dickson and his servant see what is going on and rescue her after a fight. Dickson becomes infatuated with Janira and keeps her in his bungalow disguised as a servant boy. His sweetheart Elsa arrives from England, and he soon feels a reviving of his old love for her. His attentions to Elsa trouble Janira, but she is faithful to him and will not admit to herself that the white man can do any wrong. Dickson is summoned before the English commissioner and the father of Janira accuses him of having kidnapped the girl. The deputy puts up a bold front. Then to settle the matter, soldiers are sent to Dickson’s house to fetch the girl. They return in a short time with the message that they found on their arrival that the bungalow was in flames. After the structure had been destroyed, they saw in the embers a human body burned to such an extent that it was unrecognizable. Dickson reels and the commissioner hastens to support him. The girl’s father totters out of the office.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 14 December 2024.
References: Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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