Volume II: Filmography

TWO SOULS

September 20, 1912 (Friday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Drama

ADVERTISEMENT, The New York Dramatic Mirror, September 11, 1912:

"He was a mere racetrack 'bookie' and she an unfortunate who threw herself from the city dock in the hope that death would end her misery. He jumped in after her, rescued her, and later they were wed. Then the law came after him for an old crime, and he went to prison manfully - unknown to the lost soul he had saved. How he tried to keep all knowledge of his fate from the one who worshipped him, is the story, and it is one that thrills."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, September 14, 1912:

"The bookmaker was a good-hearted chap, but cursed with a violent temper. He had a quarrel one day with a patron who imagined he'd won on a certain race. The bookmaker was in the right, but lost his temper. He struck but one blow, and a moment later found with a thrill of horror that he was a murderer. Then he fled, escaped his pursuers, and sought refuge at a secure boarding house, where he was not known. The girl was an unfortunate. She was hard working, but feeble, and found it difficult to obtain employment. At last all her money was gone, and the future held out no promise, so she decided to end it all in the dark waters of the river. The bookmaker happened to be taking a stroll at the time - he never went out in the daytime, being afraid of being captured. He saw the girl make her leap, plunged in after her, and saved her life. She told him her sad story, and he pitied her. Leading her to his boarding house, he placed her in the care of the kindly landlady, and made himself responsible for her. The two friendless ones soon fell in love, were married, took a tiny cottage in a suburban town, and for a time were very happy. Then one day a stranger called and the husband told his wife that he had been called out of town on business, but would return as speedily as possible.

"Wife wondered, but made no comment. She did not notice the handcuffs that united her husband and the stranger. At intervals letters came from the husband. She had no worry of her financial matters, but she longed to see the man she loved. Finally she could bear the strain no longer, and wrote to her husband in care of his old landlady. She told him how much she missed him, and confided that her health was much worse and her doctor gave her but a short time to live. The letter was delivered to the husband at a penitentiary, where he was a convict serving a long sentence. It maddened him to make his escape. It was successful, but when he reached his cottage, his wife was dying. He managed to elude her until he had a chance to change his convict stripes. Then he went to her and told her that he was back from his business trip, and would never leave her again. The man was kneeling by his wife's side, when the door was pushed open softly, and two prison guards entered. They were prepared for a fight, but there was no fight in the convict. He turned to the men, raised his hand warningly, pointed to his wife and whispered: 'Dying. Wait.' The rough guards stood back respectfully. The woman gasped and expired. Her husband kissed her hands, folded them reverently over her breast, then turned to the waiting guards, and held out his arms for handcuffs. He did not care what became of him on this earth, for the soul of the only person he loved had gone to plead for him before the Great White Throne."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, September 22, 1912:

"There is one piece of business in this play which is improbable. This is the escape of the convict bookmaker in his striped suit to his home. The bookmaker in a fight with a tout at the track kills the latter and escapes. In the city he meets a girl who is about to commit suicide because of her friendlessness and dejection. He rescues her from the river, cares for her, marries her and settles in the country. He is later found, arrested and imprisoned. His wife falls ill and sends him a note telling him of her condition. He escapes, goes to her, and she dies in his arms as prison guards arrive to take him back. The racetrack scenes are actual scenes, which are well taken."

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

"This presents a tragedy of a man who commits murder in a quarrel and of a girl dogged by poverty and ill health. A good horse race quickens the interest at the outset of the action, and some strong traits of character in the man serve much to relieve a generally dark atmosphere. The human touches and pathos in the most dramatic situations have a strong appeal."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, September 18, 1912:

"At the beginning of this dramatic and unusual film a race track and a race are featured in a highly entertaining manner. The events surrounding the affair, however, might have been more dramatic in leading up to the actual murder committed by the young bookmaker, as it comes so suddenly upon the spectator that he hardly realizes just what has happened, and it is the essential point of the drama. The bookmaker then flees to the city undiscovered. Here he saves another soul who has fallen low, and has cast herself off from the pier. Both start life over again in the country when a detective appears. The bookmaker has been traced as the man who committed the murder on the race track two years before. The process, however, is not shown in the film. He deceives his wife by telling her that he is going to the city on business. A letter through his former landlady informs him that she is dying. He escapes from prison, though how he did it the spectator must guess at, and reaches his wife just before she dies. The prison officials enter at this moment, though just how they knew he was there is another unexplicit part of the film. He bids them be quiet while his wife passes on. The film presents a unique little problem, and reveals it to the spectator, but deeper acting and dramatic construction would doubtless have brought forth a form of exceptional power. It is, however, an impressive performance."

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