Volume II: Filmography

A WILL AND A WAY

December 3, 1912 (Tuesday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Drama

Cast: Mignon Anderson (the stenographer), Riley Chamberlin (Gray)

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, November 30, 1912:

"Through her independence, a girl enrages her rich old father, is disowned, and sees her cousin made heir. Then the temperamental father, repentant, makes a new will, cutting off his nephew and deeding his wealth to his daughter. But the nephew, who is a scoundrel, tries to make a way with the second will. What results makes good drama."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, November 30, 1912:

"A hot tempered old man, enraged because his daughter defied him and married the man she loved, disowned her, and made his nephew the heir to his wealth. A couple of years after his daughter left she returned to her father's house. Her husband was dead and she and her baby were in dire want. Her pitiful plea was addressed to her father, but the nephew intercepted the letter, prepared to drive the poor woman away. Fortunately for her, the father came along at the opportune moment, affectionately greeted his daughter, and ordered the heartless nephew out of the house. When the woman returned the father made a new will, giving her all and the nephew nothing. The lawyer who drew up these documents was a tricky individual, and saw a chance to benefit himself by them. He did not destroy the old will, but kept both papers. When the rich man died the lawyer got into communication with the nephew, exhibited the first will, and intimated that he would suppress the second for a consideration.

"The lawyer had a stenographer who had met the nephew and hated him. She had seen the daughter and approved of her. The lawyer and the nephew were dickering over their deal and the lawyer carelessly dropped the will on the desk. The girl was summoned into the room to take some signed letters. She saw the will, realized its importance, and while the attention of her employer was distracted, gathered it up with the letters and departed into her room. She knew that the document must reach the proper authorities. It was impossible for her to slip out without attracting attention, as she would have to pass through the room in which the two men sat. There was no one to whom she could hand the letter, yet before the swindlers left the office the important document was on its way to the surrogate, and when the lawyer and his client arrived in court they found that all their wicked plans had come to naught."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, December 8, 1912:

"This story pictures a dramatic incident wherein two wills are the picture around which the tale revolves. A wealthy old man disinherits his daughter on her marriage to a man not to his liking, and invites a nephew to live with him and become his heir. The girl's husband dies and leaves her poverty stricken. She goes to her father after writing letters which the nephew received and destroyed. The father receives her and turns the nephew out on learning of his cruelty, and makes a new will, leaving all to the daughter. The attorney who draws up the new will does not destroy the former, but sends for the nephew and informs him that he can nullify the second for a consideration. The stenographer of the lawyer knows both the nephew and the girl, and in a cleverly dramatic manner gets the original will to the proper authorities and thus has it legalized before the lawyer can offer the first and annulled will. Like most Thanhouser productions the play is done in a natural manner, presenting several excellently designed settings of massive sort."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, December 14, 1912:

"Besides telling a good entertaining story a series of clear pictures, this film also carries a strong 'office' atmosphere. The setting is good throughout, and even the way the blonde stenographer chews her gum is realistic. The plot tells of how the scheming nephew is kept out of an inheritance which finally went to the daughter. A good film throughout."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, December 11, 1912:

"There is a sincere effort on the part of the players and the director to make something out of this airy little drama. Around such one situation, rather novel in itself, a tale has been built that is rather conventional. It is a tale of a hot-tempered old father, repentant daughter, an unscrupulous cousin and two wills. Better results would have been gained if the author had manipulated his materials in a more delicate manner, allowing the situations to develop more naturally. Resort has been made to the crude and elemental in plot construction, in an apparent effort to get to the end as quickly as possible, in as easy a way as possible. The girl knocks at the front door and sends in a note to her father begging forgiveness. The nephew, plotting to acquire the old man's wealth, intercepts the note, showers curses upon fortune that should bring the girl back at this time, and determines to send her away without the father's knowledge. Father enters and demands enlightenment. After this there is a new will made and the daughter is the beneficiary. The lawyer says, 'Ah, I see a chance for easy money,' and he schemes and keeps the old will. The office stenographer in the nick of time steps in and in a clever manner rights all wrongs. The one novel situation is the girl's method of getting rid of the will she has taken from her employer's desk."

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