Volume II: Filmography Volume II: Filmography
January 25, 1915 (Monday)
Length: 2 reels (Reels 19 and 20)
Note: The title, description, and 36 prints of scenes from this episode were registered by the Copyright Office on January 18, 1915. Howell Hansel and F.W. Doughty were listed as authors.
ARTICLE, Reel Life, January 23, 1915:
"From the beginning Zudora, the great Thanhouser serial, has been full of surprises. The announcement a short time ago that future chapters of this splendid production would contain many spectacular features never before seen on the screen, struck an immensely popular note, which has since steadily increased in volume, as the newly released episodes bore out the original promise. This, coupled with the fact that practically all the popular stars of The Million Dollar Mystery, are now in the cast of Zudora, has created an unprecedented demand for bookings.
"Scores of exhibitors, who, for one reason or another, had previously refrained from opening negotiations with the Thanhouser Syndicate Corporation or its agents at the various Mutual exchanges, are now writing in demanding early bookings of this great serial at their houses. So considerable is the demand, that, to meet it in adequate fashion, it has been found necessary to order nearly fifty additional prints of the forthcoming chapters.
"The popularity of Zudora, equaled only by that of its predecessor, The Million Dollar Mystery, has made it advisable to transform it into a sequel of the famous photoplay, which made the name of Thanhouser known in the farthest corners of the earth. Thus, in the tenth episode, 'Zudora' becomes the central figure in The Twenty Million Dollar Mystery, in which she stakes her all on winning back the wonderful diamond mine, bearing her name, from a band of conspirators led by a woman as beautiful as herself.
"James Cruze, the reporter-hero of The Million Dollar Mystery, appears in a similar role in the sequel under the name of Jim Baird. Frank Farrington, famous as Braine, will be seen as Captain Radcliffe, a gentleman crook, while Sidney Bracy, the beloved and resourceful butler, in the character of Tom Hunt, a detective, will win new popularity among photoplay lovers. Truly sensational surprises are in store for those who view the coming episodes of Zudora in The Twenty Million Dollar Mystery."
ARTICLE, Reel Life, January 23, 1915:
"Marguerite Snow has received in the last few weeks about a hundred requests to become godmother to the same number of babies, all of whom are to be called 'Zudora.' She has been kept busy answering the letters and sending gifts to her tiny namesakes all over the country."
ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, January 23, 1915:
"A reward of $5,000 has been offered by the Thanhouser Film Corporation for the return of an imported Persian cat used in Zudora. The cat, with another, was recently purchased from Commodore E.C. Benedict of Greenwich. Last week all was in readiness to take a scene in the famous Grecian salon which will appear prominently from now on as the rendezvous of Madame Duval and her conspirators. Miss Snow, Mr. Cruze, and Mr. Benham and Miss Forbes were waiting the direction of Director Howell Hansel, when the head property man reported the loss of the cat, and the search began, but to no avail. Then the reward was offered. Now everyone in New Rochelle is hunting the cat. Director Hansel fails to see anything funny about it."
ARTICLE, Reel Life, January 30, 1915:
"Two hundred exhibitors met in Loew's American Theatre recently to witness a complimentary showing of episodes 10, 11, and 12 of The Twenty Million Dollar Mystery, Thanhouser's big serial, in which Marguerite Snow is being featured as Zudora. As the favorites in The Million Dollar Mystery, Thanhouser's preceding success, made their appearance they elicited enthusiastic applause. The exhibitors' approval truly reflects the intense interest this remarkable production has roused among photoplay fans everywhere."
ARTICLE, The Morning Telegraph, March 14, 1915:
"With Episode 10 of The $20,000,000 Mystery, a sepia-toned poster, one sheet size, will be issued. Instead of the lithographic posters as of old, the rotogravure is used. It has great similarity in appearance to a steel engraving. It has not been applied before to motion pictures owing to the fact that long runs are necessary to get the price within reason."
SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, January 16, 1915:
"After Zudora's thrilling escape from the kidnapers as narrated in Episode 9, having no suspicion of Madame Duval's part in the plot against her, she continues her acquaintance with that beautiful but distinctly dangerous lady. Little does she dream that Madame Duval's home is the center of the web of crime which has its strands in the furthermost parts of the world. It happens that just at this time Madame Duval and a certain Captain Radcliffe, who is an ardent suitor of hers, are interested in a half-burnt scrap of paper on which is written in a tremulous hand news of the discovery of some valuable diamond mines. The worthy couple are awaiting the arrival of one Bruce, a member of the band over which Madame Duval has supreme control, who at that very moment is concealing a bag of jewels in the room of the transatlantic liner on which he is coming to New York. Both Bruce and the scrap of scorched paper have some connection with Zudora, who is evidently under the constant surveillance of Madame Duval's band, for coincident with Bruce's arrival, the girl's home is ransacked and it is there that the mysterious burnt paper is found.
"Meanwhile John Storm, Zudora's sweetheart, has visited the office of Tom Hunt, a detective, and after this conference Hunt and Jim Baird, a reporter, are seen waiting on the pier for the arrival of the liner with Bruce. Disguised as a customs official, Hunt searches Bruce's luggage in vain. He finds nothing incriminating. The reporter, however, trails him. He sees Bruce enter the mansion of Madame Duval by a rear entrance and, following close on his heels, in the basement of the house, Baird finds himself set upon by several of the band. After a desperate struggle he is bound and gagged and then, after a conference of his captors, he is taken to a deserted hut, where worse threatens to befall him.
"In the meantime Madame Duval and Captain Radcliffe, seated in the saloon, are apprised of the arrival of Bruce, by means of a wonderful fountain, in which a small spurt of water changes its course from upward to downward on the arrival of any stranger. A moment later, the draperies at the side of the room part and he enters, stepping from a secret elevator which has brought him up from the basement. He shows traces of the struggle with Baird, and after some explanation Madame Duval receives him enthusiastically. All her plans have been successful and she playfully forestalls the ardent advances of the debonair Captain Radcliffe. She touches a secret spring on the ivory tabletop and it slides back and discloses a wealth of precious stones beneath, while Bruce and the captain stand by fascinated.
"To celebrate the success of her schemes, Madame Duval gives a dinner party at a well known café that night, and it happens that John Storm and Zudora are also dining there. As Madame Duval and her escorts pass she greets Zudora, who does not realize that the friendship of the clever adventuress for her is all part of her daring scheme, and asks her to join her party.
"Zudora and Storm accept, but they are soon to be disillusioned about the character of Madame Duval. Returning home later in the evening, Zudora discovers that her rooms have been looted. While John Storm and she are examining the traces left by the robbers, Tom Hunt, the detective, suddenly appears. He has been following a clue to the leaders of the international band of criminals headed by Madame Duval, which he has discovered, following the disappearance of Jim Baird. A mysterious message in Zudora's rooms gives him the missing link in the chain, and he tells Storm and Zudora his suspicions about the adventuress, whose influence is so far-reaching.
"'Madame Duval is a most dangerous woman,' said Hunt, 'but it seems almost impossible to get the necessary evidence against her. I have no doubt but that she is behind this raid on your apartments. Can you think of nothing which might have tempted her to make this search?' Zudora and Storm both shook their heads. 'There is nothing here, that I know of,' said Zudora, 'which would interest Madame Duval or anyone else, unless it were something of my uncle's.' Hunt smiled mysteriously. 'Then I guess there's nothing to be done,' he said, 'except to go to the place, which this letter indicates. We may find something there.'
"So together the three go to the deserted hut, where Baird, bound and strung up, has been imprisoned. Several of the gang have remained to torment their victim, and listening outside, Storm and Hunt decide that desperate measures are necessary. Battering down the door they attack Baird's captors and a savage struggle follows. For a time it seems that the odds are against them, but in the end the thugs are vanquished and Baird is rescued. When he has told the story of his adventures, a light dawns in Zudora as to the character of the beautiful Madame Duval. In the future we shall find her watching more and more closely the moves of this clever adventuress."
REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, January 30, 1915:
"This two-reel installment contains a plot, but the scenes are very confusing and the continuity is broken repeatedly. Zudora finds a trunk full of family heirlooms with a letter left by her father concerning some diamond mine. Madame Duval and Captain Radcliffe join forces in effort to rob her of her possessions. Many of the scenes are on a liner at sea. The number is not as good as some of the early ones."
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Copyright © 1995 Q. David Bowers. All Rights Reserved.