|
Mary Magdalene
(1914) United States of America
Color : Short film
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: Constance Crawley [Mary Magdalene], Arthur Maude [Canis Proculas], William Nye (William Nigh) [Syrius Superbus], Joe Harris [Judas Iscariot]
Kennedy Features, Incorporated, production. / Cinematography by William F. Adler. / Released 4 February 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. Kinemacolor color film process.
Drama: Historical.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The story opens with Mary Magdalene as a notorious courtesan of Caperneum. She has two principal lovers, Syrius Superbus (a Roman, living in Caperneum, who is married to Portia, a follower of Christ), and Judas Iscariot. Canis Proculus, a Roman noble, coming to visit Syrius, meets Mary at one of her bacchanalian orgies on her roof top and falls in love with her. She returns his affection and casts aside both Judas and Syrius, who turn their hatred on Canis as the result. After a week of happiness, one day when Canis is away. Mary Magdalene sees Christ and is overcome by his magnetism. Influenced by Portia she decides to forsake her sinful life and follows Christ. In the meantime, Canis has told Syrius that he wishes to marry Mary, and Syrius determines to prevent this at any cost. Judas finds that Mary is following Christ to Jerusalem, so he and Syrius decide to go with them without proclaiming their identity, and Syrins writes a letter to Canis, telling him that Mary is unfaithful and has gone away with him (Syrius). One day, Mary looking out her window, sees Canis arrive at Jerusalem and he sees her; they meet, but she tells him she can never become his wife until he believes in Christ. Judas and Syrius, angered at Mary’s repeated rejections of their overtures, and believing that this is due to a material love they fancy she has for Christ (instead of a spiritual love) determine to betray the Master. They obtain a warrant from Pilate, find Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane, and with Caiaphas, the High Priest, succeed in arresting Him, Mary hears of this and rushes to the barracks, warns Canis, who comes out with his soldiers to stop the outrages. Seeing the warrant of Pilate for Christ’s arrest, Canis realizes that force is useless and decides to appeal to Pilate, who is his friend. Pilate promises to do what he can to save the Master and Canis returns to Mary, only to find she has left the house. While sitting waiting for her, a spiritual voice comes to him, which seems to be the voice of Christ, and which says, “Seek for Mary in the Garden of Gethsemane.” He rushes out and gathering a body of soldiers makes his way as quickly as possible to the garden. In the meantime Mary has gone to the garden to assuage her grief and has been found there by Syrius, who tries to persuade her to run away with him on condition of his trying to save the Master. Mary refuses and Syrius angered beyond measure urges the crowd to attack her as a follower of the Nazarene. Just as they are about to tear her to pieces, Canis rushes in with his men and tearing Syrius’s sword from his hands, kills the latter with it. He then tells Mary that he believes that Christ had led him to her and that he now believes in Him. Protected by the soldiers, he leads Mary away. The story ends with a short vision of the hanging of Judas, and the progress of Canis and Mary up the hill of Calvarv, with the three crosses showing on the top of the hills.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 10 December 2024.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 209 : Website-IMDb.
|
