|
A Mother’s Crime
(1908) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel / 447 feet
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The Vitagraph Company of America. / Released 9 May 1908. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 9 May 1908, page ?] A miserable, poorly furnished room, the kitchen serving as a bedroom, is the opening scene of this, very touching and pathetic story. A sickly old woman, the mother, is working industriously making artificial flowers. Her daughter, a girl in her teens, is trying to read a book, but disease has played such sad havoc that even this is an arduous task. The doctor makes his daily visit and leaves a prescription for the girl. The mother searches for money to pay him, but none is to be found, and the physician leaves without it. The mother works diligently, packs up her flowers, and after kissing her child adieu goes out to deliver them. Arriving at the shop the boss examines the work and calls his forelady to pass upon it. She finds considerable fault and the proprietor refuses to pay for them. The old woman cries and begs him to be less severe, telling him of her sick girl at home and showing the prescription, which she cannot get unless she pays for it. After considerable argument he gives her part and the woman leaves for the drug store, where the medicine is procured, then she hurries home. The invalid rests more comfortable after the medicine has been administered. The mother takes up a paper and notices an advertisement calling for a scrubwomen at an office building. This is indeed a godsend. She prepares to start at once for the building. Before she leaves, the landlord enters the room and demands his money. Having none, she asks for a little extension of time. This is refused her and practically the last bit of bric-a-brac is taken to the pawnshop for money to satisfy his demands. At the office building the janitor engages the woman and assigns her work. She is not strong enough for such laborious work, and. weak from the lack of food, she soon succumbs. She falls in a faint on the floor; other scrubwomen rush in, lift her up and give her food. She has partially recovered and resumed her work as the janitor re-enters, finds fault and discharges her and rudely pushes her out of the place. Returning home, sick at heart, the widow finds her daughter much worse. The doctor enters and, although realizing there is no hope, gives another prescription. With no money for medicine or food, the mother is well-nigh frantic. Going out upon the street, she passes a store and is tempted to steal an article in the window. She takes it, pawns it for sufficient money to allay the present need. The theft has been seen by a clerk, and as she marches from a pawnshop he signals an officer, who takes her to the station house. There the woman relates her pitiful story, which is disbelieved by all except one gentleman, who offers to make restitution. He is advised to first investigate. The woman is allowed to return home with an officer, the kindhearted gentleman following. Arriving there, the daughter is seen to be dying. The doctor is present and to him the situation is explained. He verifies the poor widow’s story, and the officer and man, realizing that she has stolen to care for her child, leaves the room, after placing some money on the table. The doctor follows their good example, and leaves the poor widow endeavoring to comfort her dying child. A pathetic drama.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 16 October 2022.
References: Slide-BigV p. 180; Sloan-Loud pp. 39, 41, 150 : Website-IMDb.
|
