Mrs. Van Ruyter’s Stratagem

“Here is one of those pleasant and entertaining stories in which all the good people are thoroughly likeable and virtuous without being unnaturally so, whilst all the bad people are entirely disagreeable and malevolent without being exaggerated beyond recognition. It follows that, apart from the excitements of an interesting and well-constructed, if slightly improbable, plot, one of the main charms of the piece consists in seeing the engaging heroes and heroines brought to happiness in the most satisfactory manner possible, while the evil-disposed ones are very properly discomfited.

“Mrs. Van Ruyter is a wealthy woman of middle age who wishes to allocate her fortune in her will strictly in accordance with the merits of the possible legatees and not on the conventional basis of close relationships. In collusion with a worthy young solicitor who is also a widower with a child, she temporarily exchanges places with her housekeeper, and then invites all her relations on a visit (the latter apparently being unaware of her appearance) in order that she may gauge their respective qualities without prejudice. This promising situation is further elaborated by the appearance on the scene of a charming young woman who has saved the life of the solicitor’s child. The rest of the film is devoted to the working out of the wealthy woman’s stratagem and to the manner in which the various fortune-followers receive their just deserts in spite of much unscrupulous scheming.

“The play is unusually full of excellent subject matter for a two-reel production, and it is presented with the utmost skill by Fan Bourke, Muriel Ostriche, Helen Badgley, Ethyle Cooke, Carey Hastings, Harry Benham, Ernest Warde, and other clever members of the talented Thanhouser Company. As we have said, the probabilities of the plot are just a little overstrained in places, but one can readily forgive these small weaknesses in view of the very many points of real merit which the picture contains. Altogether, Mrs. Van Ruyter’s Stratagem is a thoroughly enjoyable comedy, with, here and there, quite considerable dashes of drama.”

“A wealthy widow rather suspects that her relatives are after her money. She disguises as her own housekeeper and puts a young girl in her place. Thus she learns of a plot against the supposed Mrs. Van Ruyter, proves a young man’s love for the girl, and makes her her heiress.”

REVIEW by Elizabeth Lonergan, The New York Star, November 25, 1914:

“Mrs. Van Ruyter’s Stratagem is filled with surprises. First of all, the audience is let into the secret. Mrs. Van Ruyter is rich, eccentric and wishes to be loved for herself alone. The money bags interfere, and, as she is desirous of testing her unknown relatives, she persuades her housekeeper to change places with her. That sounds conventional—but the plot is far from the usual sort of ‘disguised heiress’ variety. The wealthy widow takes her lawyer into her confidence and he is greatly amused at the outward show of affection for the widow’s substitute. Her niece is affectionate before others, but ridicules her supposed aunt behind her back and confides in the housekeeper. Broadhurst, the lawyer, is an attractive widower with a small child.

“While visiting a factory the little one barely escapes serious injury. A young girl worker, at the risk of her life, snatches Helena from the whirring wheel that would surely have maimed her. The grateful father tries to express his appreciation by a gift of money. This is refused, so he asks Mrs. Van Ruyter to take the girl into her house as maid for the factory life is not what she is fitted for. Mrs. Van Ruyter, in her supposed role of housekeeper, takes a great fancy to the girl and cannot help contrasting her with her niece, who is selfish, indolent and ill-tempered. The butler, who is in love with Ruth, is incited through jealousy by Grace, the niece, to cause the girl’s discharge for theft. Mrs. Van Ruyter overhears the plot, but she determines to let it be carried out to fulfill the test. The lawyer, however, steps into the scene and denounces the others, telling of his love for the girl who saved his child. It all ends happily, for Ruth not only marries the handsome widower, but turns out to be a niece [sic; inconsistent with synopsis] of Mrs. Van Ruyter.

“Harry Benham, who is sharing the honors in Zudora, plays the leading role with his usual finish; Carey Hastings, in the name part gives an excellent character study of the two women, mistress and housekeeper; Muriel Ostriche is a pretty picture as the factory girl whose good disposition wins her a fortune, and there are a number of scenes with genuine ‘punch,’ and Ernest Warde gave a fine performance as the butler. The factory scenes were interesting, and the enlargement of the large saw in operation will thrill the picture ‘fans.’ One of the handsomest estates in Westchester County was used for the home of Mrs. Van Ruyter. The play is a clever satire on money-loving relatives. The feature is from the pen of Philip Lonergan, and produced under the direction of Carroll Fleming, and the cast includes, among others: Carey L. Hastings, Ethyle Cooke, Harry Benham, Helen Badgley, Fan Bourke, Ernest Warde and Muriel Ostriche.”