Lost1913Thanhouser CompanyOne reelDrama

The Medium’s Nemesis

Name: The Medium’s Nemesis
Genre: Drama
Released: 1913-08-22

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

“A wealthy widower, whose life had been placid and uneventful, suddenly found himself involved in a sea of trouble. While walking along a lonely street one day, a stranger bumped into him, then abused and struck him. The widower struck back, and was horrified when his assailant fell to the ground, apparently lifeless. A doctor who came running up, pronounced the man dead, and the unfortunate slayer fled in terror. For several days he remained trembling in his home, fearing the police were on his track, but seemingly he was not suspected. Then one day the blow fell. A letter was handed to him signed by ‘The Princess Ozeb,’ a spiritualistic medium, who occupied a house not far from his. In this missive, he was told that ‘a terrifying message concerning you comes from the spirit land.’ The medium wound up by commanding his presence at her circle, and in fear and trembling he obeyed. While there the spirit of his victim appeared and accused him of his crime. When he returned to his home he was on the verge of prostration ready to obey any or all commands that may come from the spirit land.

“Strange to say, the spirit did not call upon him to deliver himself to justice. The spirit, it seems, had dear ones still on the earth and if their needs were supplied, justice would be satisfied. Finally a demand was made for $10,000, the money to be given to the kindly Princess Ozeb, who would see that it reached its destination. This ‘The Slayer’ agreed to do, and on a certain evening appeared with the cash and handed it over, per instructions, while the spirit told him that all would be well. To soothe him, the medium summoned ‘The Spirit of Mercy and Justice,’ but somehow her signals got crossed, for what really came out of the cabinet was a husky policeman. The widower’s little son, it seems, did not believe in spirits, and aided by his friend, ‘The Cop,’ had investigated with satisfactory results. The widower had not killed anybody; he had simply been the victim of a cunning plot. The swindlers were punished, while the big policeman, in addition to a reward, acquired the nickname of ‘The Medium’s Nemesis.’”

Summary from The Moving Picture World · 23 August 1913

What the papers said

3 reviews · 1 advertisement

“Plenty of action and a fairly good plot characterize this film. This theme also has been done before by the Imp Company, with very little difference in the character of the story.”

The Morning Telegraph · 24 August 1913

“A good exposure of a spiritualistic confidence game, which holds the interest well and will be a good eye-opener to people who are sometimes misled by such things. The Thanhouser Kid unravels the medium’s trick and saves the father from being duped out of $10,000 by the fake Princess Ozeb and her friends. An interesting reel.”

The Moving Picture World · 30 August 1913

More reviews

27 August 1913The New York Dramatic Mirror1 min

“There is considerable amusement to be had in watching this comedy-melodrama revolving around a gang of swindlers and a man’s faith in spiritualism. To have shown the father a believer in the occult before the escapade, which led him to suppose that he had committed murder, would have made his willingness to join the medium’s circle more consistent. But the piece is acceptable, and particularly amusing is the climax where the medium, after having taken the father’s rolls of money, summons a ‘comforting spirit of justice’ and gets a policeman. In the main, the acting is sufficient. However, the boy seems to overact a trifle.”

13 August 1913The New York Dramatic Mirror1 min

“He was a mere ‘copper’—a city bluecoat—but aided by the bright little son of the medium’s victim, he quickly became her nemesis. In fact, he lodged her in jail and her swindling band with her.”