Volume II: Filmography

LETTERS OF A LIFETIME

October 1, 1912 (Tuesday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Drama

Director: Albert W. Hale

Cast: Marguerite Snow, James Cruze, Harry Benham

Cameraman: William Zollinger

Note: The October 5, 1912 issue of The Moving Picture News carried a story by Virginia West, based upon an expansion of the scenario of this film.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, September 28, 1912:

"A dying bachelor of wealth stumbles across some old letters and they call back the happy days of the past. He knows he has every comfort that money can buy - except friends - but the recollections the letters bring prove there is still a void. He is reminded of his brother, who remained poor through marrying, but who found happiness in his poverty. His reflections make an unusual film."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, September 28, 1912:

"The wealthy old bachelor returned to his home after a visit to his club, and found awaiting him news that his time on earth was pitifully brief. He had money to pay for the best medical attention, but doctors could not save him. This first time it struck the old millionaire that no man or woman would care whether he lived or died. Essentially selfish, he had never made friends. From his safe he took a package of letters and legal papers. As a boy he and his brother had loved the same young woman. The boy was the favored suitor, and although not engaged, he confidently expected to wed the girl some day. Then a letter arrived from a lawyer. It informed the brothers of the death of their uncle, a recluse and woman hater. He left all of his large fortune to them, conditional upon their remaining bachelors. The old man who now sat musing had accepted the conditions. His brother refused them. The elder boy with the money had it so strangely come to him, lived a happy, careless, heartless life. Another letter told how the brother had achieved the ambition of his younger days and won the woman he loved. Other notes told of poverty and sufferings and unsuccessful appeals for aid to his rich relatives. Sickness and want, that might have been warded off by money, cost the life of one of his children, and he bitterly blamed the wealthy brother.

"The millionaire mused over these things, and wondered what good his money was after all. Even his relatives were estranged from him, and in his time of affliction he could not appeal to them. While he sat there dreaming over the past, a servant brought him a letter from his brother that had just arrived. In it the writer told of hearing of his brother's illness, and offered to welcome him in his 'humble but happy little home.' For the poor brother had triumphed over the sorrow of years, and although far from wealthy, he was content, as his declining days were made comfortable by his children and grandchildren. Then he shuddered, for his doctors had only given him a month to live."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, October 6, 1912:

"This tells an interesting story in a charmingly novel way. Having inherited a fortune on condition that he must never marry, the principal of the tale lives his life selfishly and alone. He becomes very rich, but disease threatens him. He looks back over his life and realizes that his brother, from whom he had received a letter inviting him to spend their last days together, has won the best things of life, because the brother has married happily."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, October 12, 1912:

"In this drama an old man, with only a month of life promised by his doctors, rereads a number of letters, and they remind him of his wasted years. The scenes which depict his retrospections have been well chosen and show the most dramatic incidents of his life. People of a reflective turn of mind will like this film."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, October 2, 1912:

"After a visit to his club, a wealthy old bachelor returns to his home and finds awaiting him news that his time on earth is brief - one month. For the first time the realization breaks in upon him that no one cares whether he lives or dies. Essentially selfish, he has never made friends. From the safe he takes a package of letters and legal papers, and commences to read them, and as he does so visions of his past life arise before him. As a boy, he and his brother had loved the same girl. A letter received by them that the uncle, a recluse and woman hater, has left all of his fortune to them on condition that neither of them marry. The elder boy accepts the conditions, though he is the favored one with the girl, and leaves her to the brother. Over the years notes come to the older brother telling of poverty and suffering, as the other brother made unsuccessful appeals for aid to his rich relative. And so, a series of scenes are given, depicting the various stages in the old man's life, and at the close he wonders if it pays to have money without love. For a picture of this order it is very well done, and does not fail to affect the spectator."

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