Volume II: Filmography

WHEN MANDY CAME TO TOWN

April 26, 1912 (Friday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Drama

Cameraman: Carl L. Gregory

Cast: Marie Eline (Mandy), Justus D. Barnes (the father)

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture News, April 13, 1912:

"In appearance he was a 'rube,' but he was comfortably well off and steadily growing richer. He ran the 'opery house,' and had plenty of real estate, money in the bank, and a loving wife and little girl of whom he had reason to be proud. Then came the temptation of this rural Saint Anthony: a one-night stand actress, pretty in a bold way, who made goo-goo eyes at him. It must be admitted that there was some excuse for the girl. The company had had the hardest kind of sledding, and when they reached this little community, the indications were that they would be compelled to remain and break up there. They had no money, their baggage was due to be held, and the walking was rough. So the girl told her troubles to the rural magnate, displaying great histrionic abilities in doing so. The rich man wept, then gave freely of his wealth, and the company moved on to the next stand. One peculiarity of certain theatrical companies is that they are always in trouble. The girl was ready to act the next season; she had an engagement and a lovely role, the only difficulty was that it was a financial impossibility to take the troupe across the East River unless an angel was found. So her thoughts naturally turned to the 'rube' who had shown that he would listen to the appeals of beauty in distress.

"She invited him to the city to talk over a 'wonderful opportunity.' Gladly he accepted, telling his trusty wife that 'important business' was to blame; but he lost the woman's note, his child picked it up, and although Mandy was very small, she was able to realize that something was wrong, and decided to do what she could to put matters right. By the time that Mandy arrived at the New York hotel, the dinner given in honor of 'the rube' was at its height. The festivities were too much for the rural visitor, and he had dropped off to sleep. He was awakened by hearing sarcastic laughter. Drowsily he opened his eyes, blinkingly he looked around. The mirth was caused by his little daughter, and these 'show folks,' who had seemed to him to be excellent comrades, were brutally sneering at her. It came to him with a shock of surprise that neither he nor his daughter were properly placed, and he realized that the only reason he had been tolerated was because of his money. Grieved and indignant, he gathered his child in his arm and left 'Bohemian life' forever. In the morning when the country wife came downstairs at dawn, she was glad to greet her husband, who, she believed, had arrived on the early morning train. She was pleasant, however, at the warmth of his embrace, and also because he had led her into the baby's room and stood glancing at their sleeping child with new love in his eyes. For the wife did not know that Mandy went to town. She never knew it, for her husband and the child always carefully guarded the secret."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, May 4, 1912:

"A very well acted and convincing picture. We don't necessarily call it true to theatrical life. There are many interesting views of backstage doings. The stage manager is the typical character and, on the other side of the picture, we see his pleasing, simple home, with his wife and little daughter, the Thanhouser Kid. The part she plays, even though it may not be strongly convincing, relieves the picture's rather sophisticated theme and will make it popular. The photography is perfect and in two of the scenes the lighting is poetic; one is a fireside picture of the mother darning stockings; one is the child at the moonlit window."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, May 1, 1912:

"It is quite possible that the stage folk in this interesting well made picture might have acted as they did, but perhaps they carried their actions a trifle farther than most people would have dared. Yet while it makes a decidedly entertaining picture, in which stage life is carefully suggested, an actual theater apparently being used for background, and other details being in equal truth, it does no doubt give a somewhat wrong impression of the general procedure of theatrical life, when the viewpoint of the story is considered, and it brings with it the fact that theatrical producers are their own worst enemies when it comes to delineating their own life. A drama or picture depicting some of the finer traits to be found on the stage might be quite a novelty. The picture, however, is a superior production, and although Mandy is apt to strike one as being a rather precocious child, one is willing to accept her rather unusual grasp of life at her age for the sake of the story. Her father is the manager of the country theater, when a traveling troupe fails to meet expenses, the leading woman of the company exercises her arts, and his genial, simple nature responds with a substantial check. Later the woman writes him, if he will come to the city she will put him in the way of doubling many times the money he has loaned. He goes without the knowledge of his wife, but the keen, sharp-witted, though youthful daughter follows on finding the letter. She joins him at a reception, where he has become stupefied with drink, but when he sees them all laughing at his child, it brings him to the realization of his folly, and he returns, placing the child on her bed and the mother never knows. The players are exceptionally well chosen in the way of types and the work in fine character. Marie Eline is Mandy."

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