|
The Lover’s Signal
(1911) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 980 feet
Directed by Joseph W. Smiley
Cast: King Baggot [Raymond Williams]
Independent Moving Pictures Company, Incorporated [IMP] production; distributed by Motion Picture Distributing & Sales Company. / Produced by Thomas H. Ince. / Released 3 April 1911. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot in Cuba.
Drama.
Synopsis: [From IMP promotional materials] A pretty love story with the Cuban individuality. Obstacles are thrown in the way of true love and the stern parent is circumvented by means of a whistle, which is the signal agreed upon by the lovers to meet. The girl reads a newspaper account of the supposed death of her sweetheart. She is striken and loses her reason. The well remembered whistle of her lover restores her sanity in a unique manner. The exacting parent now gladly removes all objections to the marriage. This is the sort of story which has made “Imp” films famous all over the world. // [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Allan Roberts is in sad straits financially and Maurice Anderson endeavors to assist him. Grace Roebrts is the idol of her father, who insists on seeing her happily married. Adjoining the Roberts’ estate resides John Williams and his son, Raymond. Roberts discusses financial affairs with Anderson. Williams is wealthy and he writes his neighbor a very flattering offer for his property. Anderson, who is rich, sees a way out of the difficulty by marrying Grace and restoring the fortunes of the family. This meets with the approval of Roberts and the pact is made. In the meanwhile, Raymond Williams has strolled into the grounds of Roberts and meets Grace. Raymond comes to look over the property and is immediately interested in Grace. Roberts and Anderson appear and Raymond is ordered off the premises. He does so, and they meet clandestinely. They plan for future meetings. Raymond proposes to Grace that they agree on a signal to aid them in meeting at the trysting place. He whistles through his fingers a shrill note and she is delighted. Raymond is entrusted to deliver some important papers out of town. He meets Grace. He tells her of his journey and of the train on which he will leave. He has dallied too long with the girl, missing the train. Grace is summoned before her father who is reading a newspaper and she looks over his shoulder and reads the headlines, detailing an account of a railroad wreck in which every passenger was killed. It is the train on which her lover was to leave. She falls prostrate on the floor. Physicians are summoned. They fail to restore her and she lies in a stupor. Raymond enters the room and there finds Roberts and Anderson bending over the bedside of Grace. Raymond is obsessed by an idea. Calling the father and friend from the room, he explains his plan. Mr. Roberts consents. Grace is left alone and Raymond, going to an adjoining room gives the whistle. As the first shrill notes echo through the room, the girl hears and she partially realizes. The men go to the room expectantly and peer through the door. The experiment has failed. Raymond, excitedly whistles again and the call of love has its effect. The girl rises, her reason clears and she realizes that it is her lover summoning her. The men return to the room to find her in possession of her reasoning faculties. Raymond takes the girl in his arms. The father is overjoyed and invites his friends to join him in a hospitable glass. All objections as to their marriage being removed Raymond and Grace are happy in their unrestricted love.
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 14 December 2024.
References: Tarbox-Lost pp. 5, 279 : Website-IMDb.
|
