|
Mrs. Van Alden’s Jewels
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Travers Vale
Cast: Franklin Ritchie [John Van Alden], Louise Vale [Marian Ross], Jack Drumier [Davidson]
Biograph Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Released 15 June 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Marian Ross is the social secretary of John Van Alden and his wife. Van Alden advertises for a valet, and chooses from among the applicants one Davidson, who has satisfactory references. While he is conversing with Davidson, Marian enters the room, and a glance of recognition passes between her and the man. At the earliest opportunity Davidson waylays the secretary and demands an interview. “You I,” she exclaims, “I thought you were dead.” He assures her that he is very much alive, and as they can talk no longer without risk of discovery, promises to see her again. Marian, unnerved by the meeting, goes about her duties. Mrs. Van Alden sends her to the safe deposit company to get her jewels. Securing the jewels, Marian returns to the house and enters her own room to think out a plan of dealing with Davidson. She finds under her door a note from Davidson, demanding that she meet him that night in the grounds. She keeps the engagement and Davidson demands that she help him get hold of the Van Alden jewels. She refuses and they part. Knowing the man with whom she has to deal, Marian decides to take desperate measures. She goes to a pawnshop and secures a revolver, with which she will defend the jewels in case of attack. Mrs. Van Alden gives her the jewels to put away in the safe in the library, writing the combination on one of her visiting cards. Just as she is closing the safe Davidson enters the room and wrests from her the card bearing the combination. That night Mr. Van Alden telephones his wife that he will stay at the country club, and asks her to send Davidson with his evening clothes. Davidson contrives to slip away from the club, boards a train, and enters the town house by a window. Marian is in the library, tailing the jewels out of the safe to hide them, in case her fears come true. Davidson attacks her after snatching the jewels, and they struggle for possession of the revolver. Mrs. Van Alden, hearing the noise, enters just as the pistol explodes, and the bullet passes through her heart. Davidson flees and regains the club, unobserved. Marian is held for trial. She takes the stand and tells the story of her life. She had married Davidson and soon discovered his true character. Detectives were seeking him for his latest outrage. She hid him in a trunk as the detectives burst into the room, and set them on a false trail. Davidson, climbing out of the window, stole a motor car, and hotly pursued, made for the country. At a bridge over a river he made a daring leap from the car, which plunged over the embankment into the water. Marian and the detectives thought him drowned. Her testimony is dramatically confirmed by a newsboy, who, selling a paper to Davidson in a saloon, finds his wallet containing Mrs. Van Alden’s card with the combination written upon it. The wallet also contains a note making an appointment at a pawnshop to dispose of the jewels. Davidson is arrested after a fight, in which he is mortally wounded. Before dying he substantiates Marian’s story and she is set free.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 10 June 2024.
References: Spehr-American p. 3 : Website-IMDb.
|
