Volume II: Filmography

COURTING ACROSS THE COURT

June 27, 1911 (Tuesday)

Length: 1,000 feet

Character: Drama (per Thanhouser); comedy (per some reviewers)

Cast: William Garwood (the lover)

Location: Some scenes filmed in New York City

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, June 24, 1911:

"A new wrinkle in film fiction of the love sort, carrying a suffragette atmosphere at the distinct diversion. A clever woman lawyer wishes to bring her pretty daughter up in that profession. But the daughter thinks better of the profession of wife, especially since she had a choice for a husband already made. Said choice was the result of the odd courting the title tells of. So from title of the trailer you can wager the reel will hold your interest."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, June 24, 1911:

"A pretty girl is very proud of her mother, who had achieved fame as a lawyer, but she had no desire to follow in Mama's footsteps. In fact, her one ambition was to wed a most presentable young man, who had a fortune, sweet disposition, and a desire to make her his wife and insure her happiness for the rest of her life. But the mother did not see it. She wanted her child to become famous at legal circles and objected to her choice of an idle young man, even though he was a fine young fellow.

"The mother's law offices were in a large building, and the suitor, being romantic as well as wealthy, determined to be near the girl he loved. When he found that the suite across the court was for rent, he promptly hired it and moved in, although he had no more use for a business office than a missionary in the Cannibal Islands for tips from the race tracks. The new businessman was very happy for a time. He was able to exchange loving glances with his sweetheart, and in his idle moments he had his mandolin and cigarettes to console him. And the woman lawyer was more determined in her opposition than ever.

"The suffragettes were having a big parade, and the mother was invited to join in the march. She accepted with alacrity, and her stenographer, a mild youth, much in love with the daughter, volunteered to go along. Of course daughter had to go, although she protested. On their way out, the trio met the rich young man who had followed him in response to a C.Q.D. signal sent by the girl. He was asked to join the merry throng, but declined. He had another engagement; he was scheduled to run in a marathon race, and thereby sank lower than ever in favor. The youth went to the marathon race, to win it. The girl went to the suffragette parade, and walked it. But when a good chance came, she slipped out of line and joined the throng that cheered her sweetheart. More tired than ever of law books, and pleased with his triumph, she consented to become his wife at once, and to ignore the wishes of her home 'court of appeals.'

"The mother and some of her suffragette friends were celebrating their victory by meeting in the mother's office when they chanced to look across the court and saw something that made them gasp. When you see a couple standing before a minister, when he closes his book, congratulates them and they kiss, what would you think? The answer is obvious, of course, and in this particular family there is only one female lawyer, and that one the mother. Her daughter never graduated, but became a happy and contented wife."

REVIEW, The Billboard, July 1, 1911:

"This little comedy is built around the suffragette parade which recently was seen in Fifth Avenue, New York. If any audience is so poorly informed in regard to the manufacture of motion pictures as to believe that the parade was part of the company's scheme to complete the story, the film will be indeed interesting. To anyone else, however, the film will lack interest, because it drops in the mediocrity because of the hurried way in which it is worked up. The marathon race as well as the parade is used as part of the story. The photography is good, but not a large part of the parade or race as shown."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, July 2, 1911:

"This is an interesting film because of the views of the recent suffragette parade and the Marathon race, both held on the same day in New York, and entertaining because of the story it unfolds. The interior views of the two business offices are very well made and the scene looking from one to the other across the court is especially so. It is commendably acted and scored a goodly hit when viewed at the Fourteenth Street Theatre. It has to do with the love affair of a young man not in sympathy with women's rights and a young girl, the daughter of a woman attorney. When mamma and her fellow suffragettes are parading, the maid attends the Marathon race and sees here sweetheart win the first prize. On the return of the mother to her office she observes the pair being wedded across the court."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, July 8, 1911:

"The recent 'Votes for Women Parade' has an important place in this film. A parade is usually a heart-stirring affair, and one with a purpose or for a cause is especially so. This parade, shown in the midst of a love story, makes the film effective. The lawyer mother of the comedy's pretty heroine makes her read dry law books until she is sick of them. The hero takes an office just across the court. When the mother and her friends bring the 'Votes for Women' banners back to her office after the parade, they see the marriage ceremony being performed in the office across the court."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, July 5, 1911:

"A decidedly novel and original comedy is put together on this film that introduces the suffragette parade in New York and a portion of the recent modified marathon race held in this city under the supervision of the Mail. The story is unique in conception and these scenes aptly blended with the plot. The woman lawyer objects to Jack calling on her daughter at the office. Jack promptly rents the office over the court, and the two enjoy a flirtation. The mother drags the daughter off to the suffragette parade, from which she escapes to see Jack win the marathon. When the mother returns to her office she is horrified to see her daughter across the way being married to Jack, while Gussie, her stenographer, faints."

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