Volume II: Filmography

THE WATER CURE

November 2, 1913 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel (1,011 feet)

Character: Comedy

Scenario: Lloyd F. Lonergan

Cast: Florence LaBadie (Bella, the much-admired girl), Harry Benham (an admirer), William Russell (an admirer)

Location: Cape May, New Jersey

Notes: 1. In the 19th century, "water cure" was a popular term for hydropathy, or the cure of various ailments by the application of water at various temperatures, to different parts of the body. Later, the term became associated with a cure of alcoholism. 2. This was the fifth picture in the "Cape May series" of Thanhouser films. The group of films included the following: Louie, the Life Saver (October 7, 1913), A Deep Sea Liar (October 12, 1913), Beauty in the Seashell (October 19, 1913), The Mystery of the Haunted Hotel (October 21, 1913), The Water Cure (November 2, 1913), and Little Brother (November 7, 1913:).

ADVERTISEMENT, Reel Life, November 1, 1913:

"She was SOME 'water-cured,' was our pretty heroine. In the first place, she had never been to a seashore resort before. Her home was 'way inland. A married sister invited her to visit at the former's summer home by the sea. Then a rush of admirers almost drowned Miss Heroine. For she couldn't swim! Another winner in the Cape May 'By-the-Sea' series."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, November 8, 1913:

"The girl lived in a village in the Middle West and had never seen the ocean, or any large-sized body of water. She dreamed of it constantly, and was overjoyed when an invitation came from her married sister to spend the summer with her at the seashore. The girl arrived at the seashore, full of joyous anticipations. One day she went rowing with one of her admirers. Being a simple little inland girl, she did not know that it was wicked and dangerous to rock the boat. As a result of her folly, she and her escort were dumped into the water. A second admirer came along in his sailboat, however, and picked her up, sternly refusing to receive her first admirer, whom he knew was a good swimmer. Ignorance got the girl into trouble again, for she did not know enough to look out for the boom, and admirer No. 2 was too engrossed with her to take heed. Thus, for a second time was she thrown into the water. A swain in a motorboat rescued her this time, but the engine got out of order soon afterward and they were compelled to swim ashore. The girl not knowing how to swim made the trip in a life preserver. When she finally reached land, she decided that home was the place for her."

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, November 1, 1913:

"A funnier, prettier play than The Water Cure would be hard to find among the new attractions. All her life, Bella, a girl of the Middle West, has dreamed of the ocean - and when her older sister, who had married and gone East, invites her to spend the summer with her at Cape May, she is enraptured. The attractive Western girl arrives at the hotel, and becomes immediately the centre of admiration for three young men, each of whom tries to monopolize her whole attention. 'I'm just crazy about the water!' she confides to them - and they each and all resolve on the spot to show her old ocean. First, Harry asks her to go rowing. All is 'perfectly lovely,' until the innocent landlubber rocks the boat - and they are upset. Then, along comes Tom, with his yawl, and rescues her - but flatly refuses to take Harry on board - as his rival is a good swimmer. They bound along merrily enough - until Bella forgets to look out for the boom - and, a second time, she and her admirer find themselves in the water. Dick hauls her into into a motor boat - and Tom is left to strike for the shore. But the engines stop - and once more Bella is overboard - Dick with her. At last, with the aid of a life preserver, he brings her to dry land. In the space of one eventful afternoon, Bella gets about all of old ocean she wants - and she takes the next train home to Kalamazoo."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, November 9, 1913:

"This is a very excellent little comedy which recounts the adventures of a Michigan girl who has never seen the ocean. Bella is her name. When an older sister is married and moves to Cape May she welcomes a chance to visit her. Arrived there she becomes the most sought after of all the summer girls. 'I'm just crazy about the water,' she tells the young men. All at once offer to show her the beauties of the sea. Harry takes her rowing, and manages to upset the boat. Tom comes along in his yawl and rescues her, but leaves his rival to swim ashore. Next, Bella forgets to look out for the boom, and is knocked overboard with Tom. Dick in a motor boat rescues her, and leaves Tom to swim. Then the engines stop, and Dick has to take her ashore with the aid of a life-preserver. Bella has seen all she wants to of the sea, and leaves at once for the West."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, November 15, 1913: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

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