Volume II: Filmography

THE TEMPTER AND DAN CUPID

October 13, 1911 (Friday)

Length: 950 feet

Character: Drama

Cast: Marguerite Snow, Marie Eline (Dan Cupid)

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, October 7, 1911:

"The Great Tempter, the evil spirit, which haunts and plays havoc with the heart of weaklings, fights a battle royal with Dan Cupid. On the outcome of the struggle depends the happiness of a father, a lover and his bride. Dan Cupid wins and the devil is cheated out of a victim."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture News, September 30, 1911:

"Several centuries ago there was a pitched battle between Satan and Dan Cupid, the prize being the hearts of young lovers. Each claimed the right to the couple, Satan because he tempted the man first, Cupid because he had shot them with his magic arrows. As it 'is love that makes the world go 'round,' Cupid is naturally a very busy little sprite, and for a time the contest went against him. Satan, who always finds some mischief for idle hands to do, had everything his own way for a while, but when Cupid woke up to the seriousness of the affair, there was something doing. Satan lured the young man away from the church, by showing him a vision of some boon companion gambling; he induced them to rob his own father to obtain funds to continue his play, and he brought forward a siren who for a time lured the boy from his sweetheart. Then he tricked him into a duel, and the indications were that the youth would lose both his life and his soul.

"But Satan had not counted on the energy of Cupid. There is an old saying that 'Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn,' but this is really mild compared to the feelings of Cupid when his magic arrows are made a mockery of. And Cupid went after Satan hotfooted. They met on the duelling ground, and Cupid, arming himself with Satan's dagger, made short work of the King of Evil. Then he escorted the lovers home again, and they live happily forever afterward, as they were under the careful watch of Cupid; for the little God did not intend to have this romance spoiled. It would have hurt his professional pride."

Note: Compare the preceding to the following. During this era, synopses printed in The Moving Picture News were often slightly different from those in The Moving Picture World.

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, October 7, 1911:

"The myth, which is beautifully told in the screen, shows the stages of the struggle between the little love god and his enemy, Satan. Although Satan has the better of the struggle for a time, it is Cupid, 'who makes the world go round by love,' and naturally is a busy sprite, who is compelled to temporarily neglect his protegés. He comes to the rescue, however, at the right moment, and the devil is thwarted. Satan in the picture begins his operations by luring the young man away from church by showing him a vision of his boon companions enjoying themselves at the gambling tables. The King of Hell with his evil influence draws the young man to the gambling den. At the gambling tables, when luck goes against him, evil spirit appears and induces the young man to rob his father. The father, however, appears in time to protect his son from losing all of an immense sum of money. Thus frustrated, Satan brings forward a siren, who lures the boy from his sweetheart. In this way he is tricked into a duel with the siren's lover and we soon find him with sword in hand facing his rival and Satan at his back leering with delight.

"But Satan did not count on the energy of Cupid. There is an old saying that 'hell has no fury like a woman scorned,' but this proverb is really mild compared to the feelings of Cupid when he realizes that the influence of his love-darts is questioned. So Cupid goes after Satan with an unquenchable thirst for vengeance. They meet on the dueling grounds, and Cupid, arming himself with Satan's dagger, makes short work of the King of Evil. Then he escorts the lovers home again. They live happily forever afterward, under the careful guidance of love."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, October 15, 1911:

"Another poetical photoplay of a mythical sort, poetical in theme and not in versification, however. It is not quite as good as other offerings of the sort made by the Thanhouser Company, though it is pleasing and on the whole creditably done. But at times it is a bit stagey and, unlike some previous fairy stories released by these makers, is slightly unconvincing because of this fact. It is the old fable in photoplay form of Satan's attempt to lure the young lover from the right path and his sweetheart. First he leads him to the gambling tables, then he brings another woman to him and causes him to fight a duel with this woman's lover, but at the critical moment Cupid appears and without fear or misgiving wins a victory for the lover and brings him back to his sweetheart, thus putting Satan ignominiously out. The film pleases and makes for an entertaining few minutes of picture gazing."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, October 21, 1911:

"A very pleasing picture, like the old morality plays of the early stage. In it Dan Cupid is the opponent of Satan, and its prize is the soul of a young man. The settings and costumes are romantic and pleasing. The youth is tempted by Satan to steal from his father and to gamble. He falls, but is forgiven by his father. Cupid now shoots him with an arrow and he falls in love with a beautiful maiden. Satan doesn't give him up easily, but Cupid wins in the end. It is fairly well acted within limitations, and the picture has many charming scenes. It is likely to please very much."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, October 18, 1911:

"This is as delicate a little fantasy as one would care to see and has been artistically realized and put on, though the portrayal of the young man might have been a trifle more spirited. It represents the struggle of Cupid and Mephisto for the soul of a youth in behalf of his lady love. Mephisto incites the young man to steal from his father's coffers and gamble his means away. At length discovered by the father, with the aid of Cupid, the youth seeks the maid but is lured away by Mephisto through the wiles of another woman. A duel is arranged between this woman's lover and the youth, but Cupid rises to the youth's aid, vanquishes his assailant, and in a duel with Mephisto causes him to disappear from his life."

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