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1914Thanhouser CompanyOne reelDrama

The Chasm

No copy you can watch online. No print is known to survive. What follows is what does: the release, the cast, the story, and what the trade press said at the time.

The story

“Dr. Mureaux, a widower, has an only daughter, Ruth. One night when her father is away, a burglar breaks into the house. Ruth displays great courage, winning the admiration of the intruder. She questions him about his mode of living and finally induces the man to promise that he will return in a few days when she will do all in her power to get him an honest job. When her father comes home Ruth tells him about her adventure and that the man has given her his word that he will return. But the doctor is a strict believer in punishment for the evil-doer. Saying nothing to his daughter, he makes arrangements for the capture of the burglar. The man is seized and put in prison. the fact that he has been betrayed by her own father causes estrangement between Ruth and the doctor. As time passes, Dr. Mureaux becomes remorseful. He secures a pardon for the burglar, and, after helping the man to find honest employment, the breach between father and daughter is healed.”

Summary from Reel Life · 31 October 1914

What the papers said

2 reviews · 3 articles

“An unusual and effective, if improbable story, dealing with the adventures of a gentleman burglar, who falls in love with the daughter of a man he robs. The film is splendidly acted, and contains a great many tensely dramatic situations. It is beautifully staged and photographed. Without being in any respect a masterpiece, it is quite a good little film, and may be recommended.”

The Bioscope · 25 February 1915

This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

The Moving Picture World · 21 November 1914

Articles3 · 26 September 1914 – 30 December 1914

26 September 1914New Rochelle Pioneer1 min

“Marguerite Loveridge has returned from Los Angeles, where she had been for almost a year, and Wednesday [September 23, 1914] worked in her first Thanhouser since her return, the title of which is The Chasm, where she shares the honors with James Durkin, who also directs the photoplay. Dave Thompson is playing the role of the father.”

10 October 1914The New Rochelle Pioneer1 min

“James Durkin is leading his own company and producing at the same time and is playing opposite Margaret Marsh, who ‘broke’ into the picture game under the name of Marguerite Loveridge, playing comedy leads to Fred Mace. She got a big following and will henceforth appear under her real name. Dave Thompson is in support.”

30 December 1914The Morning Telegraph1 min

“Marguerite Loveridge, who recently joined the Flamingo Company, and who before that played leads in Thanhouser photoplays, came to the New Rochelle studios by no means a stranger to the Mutual. It was this charmingly pretty little actress who, in the days of Apollo Films, put most of the fun into that former branch of Majestic devoted to comedy releases.... During her last few weeks at the Thanhouser plant she proved her amazing versatility—playing emotional and strongly appealing parts. There was nothing of comedy in the character she played in The Chasm, but there was a great deal of force in her interpretation of the role. Her appearance is girlish and gentle—wistful when her face is in repose. Her eyes—which are large and sweet, are, perhaps, her most attractive feature.”

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Cast and crew

Director
James Durkin
Cast
David H. Thompson as Dr. Mureaux
James Durkin as the burglar
Joe Phillips as the warden
Joseph H. Phillips
Marguerite Loveridge as Ruth, Mureaux’s daughter
Morgan Jones as detective
N.S. Woods as the butler
William Sherwood as detective

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More about this film

Bowers’ notes
  1. This is believed to have been the first Thanhouser film released featuring Marguerite Loveridge. Earlier, she was with the Apollo brand of Mutual comedies. Marguerite Loveridge, whose real surname was Marsh, was the sister of well-known actress Mae Marsh. A note in The Moving Picture World the following month stated that under the name of Marguerite Marsh she had appeared in many Thanhouser films earlier; it is presumed that this note is incorrect, and that her appearances with other Mutual companies were meant. However, her name was given as Marguerite Marsh in at least some Thanhouser publicity during this era; for example, in an article in The New Rochelle Pioneer, October 3, 1914. 2. This film was originally scheduled for release on November 6, 1914 and was later rescheduled to November 13, 1914. However, many trade notices ran the original November 6th date as the date of release.

From Volume II: Filmography of Q. David Bowers’ Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, reproduced with permission and unchanged. Read the history of 1914 →

Cite as: Bowers, Q. David. Thanhouser Films: An Encyclopedia and History, “The Chasm”. thanhouser.org/films/the-chasm/

Where a print is held

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