Volume II: Filmography

THE BUDDHIST PRIESTESS

September 12, 1911 (Tuesday)

Length: 1,000 feet

Character: Drama

Cast: Marguerite Snow (the priestess), Marie Eline (the little daughter), William Garwood (the naval officer), Florence LaBadie

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, September 9, 1911:

"The Buddhist priestess was a mere pretty pink-and-white thing whose only care in the world was her pet doves, and yet whose simple nod meant death to the unfortunate who incurred her wrath. The monitor of the morals of thousands of human beings, hers was a high place and a pleasant one, and had she chosen to remain in it she would be there in pomp and state still. But all this high state and all this ease and plenty she gave over - for the love of a stranger. He was a very dashing Yankee naval officer, and she fell head over heels in love with him and head over heels from her throne for him. But the picture leads you to suspect she was happier for the change."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, September 11, 1911:

"A young missionary, filled with the religious fervor, joyfully accepts the post to carry the gospel to a section of Japan, where white men are not known. His wife and little daughter go with him, and he starts for his station with native guides and bearers. When they had penetrated some distance into the interior, the missionary and his wife are stricken with the plague. Their native escorts, in fear, flee, leaving them helpless and alone in a strange deserted region. The fleeing bearers pass a Buddhist temple, which they find for the moment unguarded. The scoundrels loot the temple, carrying off with them a jeweled idol. The missionary and his wife die shortly, leaving the little child alone in the strange wilderness. She wanders off in the same direction as that taken by the bearers when they fled. She arrives at the temple, shortly after the loss of the idol has been discovered by a Buddhist priest, who has rushed out to summon the natives. Finding a house, and hoping it contains people who can aid her, the little child enters the temple. She finds it deserted, but worn out with her long walk, she sinks on the pillaged altar and falls asleep. When the priest and the natives return, they find a tiny kimono-clad creature on the altar, with a strangely beautiful white face. At once they decided this must be their god come to life, bow down to her and offer her homage.

"For 10 years the little foreigner holds undisputed sway as priestess to the temple. At first she was too young to realize her position, and gradually her old life fades away and seems but a dream. She could scarcely remember any life save the secluded one she lived in the temple. A young American naval officer, whose ship is temporarily anchored in the waters of Japan, gets shore leave for a day's hunting. He penetrates in the interior, shooting many strange wild birds. He aims at a bird on a wing, wounding it slightly, and surprised to see it fly into a secluded dell. On following the bird, he finds himself outside the walled garden of the temple, and learns he has shot one of its sacred pigeons, which he finds carefully being tended to by the beautiful young priestess. With this introduction, friendship, which soon ripens into love, develops between the officer and the priestess. The pigeon which he wounded is trained to carry their love messages from the temple to the ship. The officer finally prevails upon his loved one to leave her temple and sail with him back to the land of her people. They are attacked by an indignant band of natives, who refuse to allow their priestess to be taken from them. The fugitives take refuge from the angry mob in the temple, from which place of safety they dispatch the carrier pigeon to the ship with a message employing help. The blue jackets get the message, and reach the temple to rescue their officer and his future bride from the hands of the natives."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, September 17, 1911:

"The selection of the background of this supposedly lonesome locality is remarkably well found, and few picture plays are more genuinely lifelike. The shop scenes, revenue [sic; was retinue intended?], and the costuming of the warriors and natives deserve commendation, while the story proves one of the best recently released by this studio. An American girl is captured by Chinese, and through superstition is brought up as a Buddhist priestess and worshipped by her captors, until found by a Yankee naval officer and thrillingly rescued."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, September 30, 1911:

"Here is a film which is out of the ordinary, an American-Japanese story. A child is left alone by the death of her parents of plague and wanders into a Buddhist temple where she falls asleep. The natives believe their god which had just been stolen had sent a priestess to earth, and for 10 years she rules the temple as she chooses. Then an American naval officer discovers her and a love episode soon develops. When he goes to take her away the natives object and there is a lively time ahead for the couple. But the pigeon they have trained to carry love messages to the ship carries a message to the sailors, and the jackies arrive in time to rescue the officer and his prospective bride from a very perilous position. Not acted in all its scenes very well, there is one incident that caused much enjoyment and laughter."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, September 20, 1911:

"There is a unique trend to this story, and the company deserves praise for the atmosphere given it. Two missionaries traveling with their little girl are seized with the plague. They die, and the attendants forsake the child and enter a nearby temple of Buddha, and depart with the image of the prophet. The child wanders into the temple and goes to sleep on the altar. The priest finding her there believes she has been sent to replace the statue. Accordingly, she grows up to womanhood worshiped as an idol. A naval officer at this point wanders ashore on a hunting trip, wounds one of her sacred doves, and incidentally makes her acquaintance. He sends her a love message from on shipboard by means of the dove. Later when the angry natives discover him with their priestess and the two seek refuge in the temple, the dove is again let loose, and informs the men on shipboard, who come to the rescue, and the maid departs with the man. It makes a very pretty and entertaining story; but, of course, in real life the pigeon would not deliver the second message, as they always return to their first home. It is well acted, though it is feared the little girl is losing her childish simplicity; she seemed to be imitating a full grown actress, not a little girl."

MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT. Musical suggestions by Clarence E. Sinn in his "Music for the Picture" column, The Moving Picture World, September 30, 1911:

1. Neutral moderato (Miami, published by Remick) till "The Natives Desert" [subtitle on screen], then:

2. Under the Harvest Moon (Witmark Publishers) till change of scene.

3. Mysterious till they rob the temple and exit.

4. Heavy (short) till "Her Parents Dead," etc.

5. Under the Harvest Moon until child falls asleep on altar.

6. Ping-a-ling lively first scene then slow down the broad chords while priests prostrate themselves before her.

7. "The Sacred Pigeons are Placed in Her Charge" Moon Song from Sullivan's Mikado till "Twelve Years Later."

8. Semi-devotional till priests' exit, then sentimental till "The American Naval Officer Comes Ashore," etc.

9. Lively (Heart of America march, for example) two scenes.

10. In A Lotus Field (Witmark Publishers) till "Discovered, They Take Refuge In The Temple."

11. Agitato till she leaves room, then:

12. Short sentimental until change of scene.

13. Agitato (long) p.p.f. with action until priests are driven off.

14. Under the Harvest Moon until finish.

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