Lost1915Thanhouser CompanyTwo reelsDrama

The Moment of Sacrifice

Name: The Moment of Sacrifice
Genre: Drama
Released: 1915-04-13

Also released as The Moment of Great Sacrifice

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

“Van Vorst, a spy, is sent by the head of a secret service bureau maintained by a foreign government in a large American city, to get the plans of the army post of which Col. Darrell is in command. Van Vorst manages to win the confidence of the family, including Clyde, the Colonel’s son, and succeeds in stealing the plans. Later, however, he is captured. He asks to be granted a hearing before the Colonel and Clyde. This granted him, he declares that the young man is his son. Mrs. Darrell is summoned and confirms that incredible fact. She had adopted Clyde in babyhood, on the death of Van Vorst’s wife, because her husband longed for a son. Clyde plots to recover the plans. He plays a trick on Van Vorst by which he wins from his father the address of the secret service bureau. Pretending to be a man embittered against his own country, the young officer goes thither, but is discovered and surrounded by his enemies. Van Vorst comes to his son’s rescue—though at the cost of his own life.”

Summary from Reel Life · 27 May 1915

What the papers said

2 reviews · 1 article

Read in full · 1 min

“A two-reel story of an army post, containing some surprising and interesting situations. Lieutenant Darrel is suddenly shocked to learn that he is not the colonel’s son, but son of the spy just discovered at the post. He goes to the spy’s headquarters to regain the stolen plans. He succeeds in destroying these, but his life is in danger—when the father sacrifices his own life to aid his escape. The situations in this are strong in interest and hold the attention well. It makes the whole story a very pleasing offering, with the scenes at an actual military post.”

The Moving Picture World · 17 April 1915

Read in full · 1 min

“A good two-part story of army life, with several exciting moments and the suspense well sustained. As most of the exteriors were taken at Fort Slocum, a real army atmosphere is obtained, which adds greatly to the picture. The plot is rather intricate, dealing with the stealing of some plans by an international spy and their recovery by a young army officer, who in the end proves to be a son of the spy who stole the plans. There is an exciting climax, in which the father is forced to sacrifice his life in order to save that of his son.”

The New York Dramatic Mirror · 28 April 1915

Article

14 February 1915The Morning Telegraph1 min

“Arthur Ashley of the Thanhouser Company played the part of a soldier recently in a manner which delighted his companions in arms. Under Director Carroll Fleming a company of the New Rochelle players was taking a picture over at Fort Schuyler [sic], utilizing some of Uncle Sam’s own boys. The Thanhouser player, who was enacting the role of a lieutenant, took up his position at the head of a good-sized squad of regulars. As the company marched, a barbed-wire fence loomed up before them. Those who saw the performance were at first of the opinion that Arthur was just waiting to test the troopers before giving a command. But when the distance between the column and the obstacle was reduced to one short jump, he issued a command, which sounded as if it had been violently from his awestruck vocal chords. It was: ‘Do as you please, and hurry!’”