Volume II: Filmography

THE BABY BRIDE

April 16, 1912 (Tuesday)

Length: 1 reel

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

Cameraman: Carl L. Gregory

Cast: Marie Eline (a boy), Helen Badgley (Helen, the baby bride), Harry Benham (the bachelor), Bertha Blanchard (the widow), Justus D. Barnes (the minister)

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture News, April 6, 1912:

"He was the only son of a pretty young widow. Perhaps she spoiled him, but anyway she loved him dearly, for though he was under seven years old, he had many cute, quaint ways, and heartily returned the affection of his mamma. The next door neighbor was a man the boy did not approve of. He was not married, for one thing; there were no little children in his house to play with. Besides, when he met mamma, he never had time to talk to her son. Really, he was in love with a pretty young widow, but was too bashful to say so. Then, one day, a new interest came into the boy's life. A beautiful maiden, she was three years old, moved in the house next door. She was the niece of the man, and had been left to him when his brother died. The man, however, did not know much about children, and left the girl in the care of a cross old housekeeper, who did not appreciate her. It made the boy's blood boil, for he failed to understand why anyone could be anything but sweet to her. One of his few sorrows was that he did not have a little sister to play with, guide and protect, and he soon knew that the little girl next door was the very one he would have chosen had the stork deigned to consult him.

"Matters finally came to a climax. He saw the wicked housekeeper brutally and fiendishly scold the wonderful creature, and decided that something must be done, so he firmly took her away, silencing the housekeeper's objections with missiles, led the baby to his home, and told his mother that he now had a little sister. His grief was profound when the child was taken away from him, and he could not understand why this was done, even when his mother explained to him that he had no 'legal right' to the child. He did not comprehend what legal rights were, but later he learned, when he glanced at a newspaper and saw that 'legal rights' of a father were secondary to the legal rights of a husband. Naturally, there was only one thing to do - elope - and he did it. The baby did not object; she liked the boy, and anything he said was law in her eyes. So she obediently took her bonnet, trotted to a window, permitted him to help her out stealthily, and hand in hand they wandered along to a convenient parsonage. The minister listened to their troubles; he was a kindly man; then bade them wait until he could secure the necessary witnesses. Instead, he telephoned the mother, and she and the baby's uncle hastened to the parsonage. The boy explained that he was marrying the baby, to provide against her being neglected and ill-treated, and declared that he would defend his 'legal rights.' The uncle a really good sort, but, like most unmarried men, helpless when it came to a matter of caring for children, saw a way out of the difficulty. He told the boy that he could have the guardianship of the baby if - then he looked at the pretty widow inquiringly. She blushed and hesitated - then - Well, there was a wedding that afternoon, after all, and the baby was never neglected again."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, April 21, 1912:

"Pleasing from beginning to end is this photoplay in which the Thanhouser Kid and the Kidlet are featured. It is handsomely staged, showing interiors of pleasing quality, with exteriors that are well chosen. The offering is done by the 'at home' company and is a winter time offering. A widow has a little boy (the Thanhouser Kid), while a bachelor living next door is 'willed' the little girl of a deceased relation. One day while the little boy is outdoors playing he espies the little girl and immediately wants her as his playfellow. So, on another day, when he is out with his sled, he 'kidnaps' the tiny urchin and hustles her to his home, while her nurse is unaware. But the baby courtship is of short duration, for the bachelor, with the nurse, comes and takes her home. All this has served to bring about a friendship between the widow and the bachelor. Finally the little boy conceives the idea of an elopement, and so he signals to the little girl, and she goes to the side door, meets him, and together they hasten to the clergyman. The surprised and highly amused cleric phones the widow and the bachelor, who come for the runaways, and who, to ameliorate the little ones' sufferings, decide to become man and wife, and thus the little boy and girl are made brother and sister. The work of each child is a delight, the innocent, unabashed and unconcerned facial expression of the tiniest tot being truly remarkable. She seems to be just exactly what she intended to be - a little baby bride who does as she is told by her more aged wooer. The Thanhouser Kid gives a good account of herself, and in this boy part again proves her exceptional ability as a child actress."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, April 27, 1912:

"Where pictures of children are popular, this ought to be a good feature. Little Marie Eline plays the chief role in it, as a small boy who took a great shine to the little girl, still younger, next door. The two are as cute as can be. They run away to get married. This brought about a love match between the little boy's very pretty mother, a widow, and the little girl's guardian. It is a light but bright pleasing comedy story, and the audience seem to find in it much entertainment. It is well photographed and will make a good feature for the right audience."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, April 24, 1912:

"It is hard to recall a more refreshing or entertaining comedy of child life than this, for it has a humor and character all its own, in suggesting a love romance between a small boy and an infant girl, who bring about by their elopement the marriage of their father and mother. The finish and delicacy with which the film has been handled shows much imagination and sympathy and, coupled with the delightful work of the two children concerned, Marie Eline and her captivating little colleague, Helen Badgley, results in a most human and appealing tale. The bachelor next door is entrusted with his brother's girl baby to bring up. The little boy, who plays alone in front of his mother's house, becomes much enamored of her. When the nurse takes the child for an airing in the park, the boy follows and kidnaps her, taking her to his home, where he makes a strenuous effort to keep her, but the awful parents and guardians take her away. A unique elopement follows the next day and the two march off to the minister's. Their parents follow, summoned no doubt as witnesses, but when they arrive they settle the intricate matter by getting married themselves. The bachelor is played by Harry Benham and the widow by Bertha Blanchard, both doing sincere and capable work."

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