Volume II: Filmography

THE NECKLACE OF PEARLS

December 19, 1915 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel (1,011 feet)

Character: Drama

Cast: Thomas A. Curran (the banker), Ethyle Cooke (his wife), Sully Guard (a crook), Ethel Jewett (a woman crook), Wayne Arey (the detective)

Note: The release date of this film is that given in an advertisement in The Moving Picture World, issue of December 11, 1915, and in a synopsis and advertisement in Reel Life of the same date. However, The Necklace of Pearls was omitted from numerous trade schedules, which mentioned The Political Pull of John as the only Thanhouser release on December 19, 1915.

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, December 11, 1915:

"Two crooks steal a $100,000 pearl necklace from the wife of a banker, while crossing the ocean. They fasten the pearls around the neck of a big black cat which they have in their stateroom, and tie a white satin ribbon over the jewels. When the ship reaches New York the little daughter of the banker demands to see the new kitten which her mother has promised to bring her from abroad. The mother is so worried over the loss of the necklace, however, that she hardly can hear what the child is saying. She pleads hysterically with the detective summoned by wireless to find the gems. Meanwhile, her little daughter has found on the wharf a basket containing a big black kitten. She gets through the lines with it to her mother's automobile.

"The crooks, by this time, have discovered the loss of their cat. They find another basket, however, containing a Maltese kitten, and tagged with the name and address of the little girl. Leaving all their baggage on the pier, they hastily follow on her trail. Such indifference to all their belongings, and an apparent insane desire to recover a lost cat, arouses the suspicions of the detective. He pursues the crooks. At the little girl's house they learn that the child has gone to a cat show in the neighborhood, where she is presenting her new feline pet for a prize. The detective shadows the pair to the show. The place is crowded. But presently the intruders manage to work their way up to the wire enclosures, where several hundred beautiful cats are mewing for popular favor. Suddenly the two crooks push their way over and lay violent hands on the black cat, which is sitting bolt upright on a blue cushion in a familiar basket. The child utters a cry of dismay, and reaches out for her pet. In the confusion, the white satin bow becomes untied. The little girl's father, who has hurried up, seizes from the cat's fur the necklace of pearls. The crooks are arrested. And the little girl is surprised to find that she now has two beautiful kittens - the black one and the new Maltese."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, January 1, 1916:

"An interesting one-reel number, first showing a jewel theft on board a passenger boat. The thief's woman accomplice puts the necklace around the neck of her cat, covering it with ribbon. Later the facts come out at a cat show. This is novel and interesting."

MODERN SYNOPSIS

(from surviving print)

(Library of Congress)

IN AN EMPTY STATEROOM ON BOARD AN OCEAN LINER

In the opening scene, a man (the villain) is shown cutting a circular hole in the wooden wall of a stateroom. The scene shifts to a lounge on board, where guests listen to a pianist, who plays a requested song, accompanying a guest who sings.

The camera goes back to the scene of the hole cutting. The aperture is now completed, and the man extends his arm through to a space behind the hinged left side of a dressing table mirror. By pushing the mirror forward, he reaches to the table top. When the hinged mirror is back in place, the hole cannot be seen by any dressing table user.

A fashionable lady returns from the lounge to her stateroom and places her valuable pearl necklace in a small box on her dressing table. Later, when the woman is asleep, the villain reaches through the hole from the next room, moves the mirror panel, and steals the necklace. His girl accomplice puts the necklace around the neck of a cat, and covers the necklace with a wide ribbon.

THE NEXT MORNING

The fashionable woman awakes and finds her necklace is missing. She sees the gaping hole in the wall near her dressing table, and notifies the captain of the theft.

"WE'LL MAKE A SECRET SEARCH FOR THE THIEF AND I'LL WIRELESS TO NEW YORK FOR A DETECTIVE TO MEET THE SHIP"

A maid comforts the distraught society woman.

TWO DAYS LATER THEY ARRIVE IN NEW YORK

The passengers leave the ship. The captain accompanies the fashionable woman, who explains the situation to a waiting detective. The woman is met by her daughter and a woman. Her daughter has brought a message:

"My Dear -

"I must attend an important board meeting today so I cannot meet you in New York. I will get away as soon as possible and will see you at home.

"Lovingly,

"David"

"MAMMA, WHERE IS THE PRIZE KITTY YOU PROMISED TO BRING ME?"

Customs inspectors look at the luggage of the arriving passengers. A wicker basket containing a cat is picked up by the daughter.

"THAT'S ALL RIGHT - LET THE LITTLE ONE TAKE THE KITTY"

The society lady, her daughter, and the woman friend go home in an automobile. The society lady goes into the house, while, on the front walk, her daughter opens the wicker basket. Other children from the neighborhood, each with a pet cat, crowd around her.

"WE'RE GOING TO ENTER OUR KITTIES IN THE CAT SHOW - WHY DON'T YOU?"

The husband arrives home, as the little daughter and her friends go to the cat show.

In the meantime, the villain and his lady accomplice go to the customs depot and find that their cat basket has been taken by mistake, and in its place there is another basket with a cat, bearing a tag: "Helen Sears, New Rochelle, N.Y."

"THIS IS NOT MY CAT!"

The conspirators hurry off with Helen Sears' basket and cat.

THAT AFTERNOON

The conspirators arrive at the Sears home in New Rochelle. The little girl's parents tell them that their daughter has taken the other cat to a pet show, and point out the directions to the event.

"YOUR FELLOW PASSENGERS SEEM UNDULY EXCITED OVER THE LOSS OF THEIR CAT!"

At the show, many cats are on display in cages. Outside the show grounds, on a stone gate marked "Highwood," is posted a sign: "First Annual Cat Show of Westchester Cat Club."

"Ruffles," the cat with the wide ribbon around its neck, had been on display, and now the little girl was taking it home. The conspirators arrive and try to grab the animal, as the little girl's father, who is also on the scene, protests. The woman conspirator grabs the ribbon on the cat's neck, and as it is untied the necklace is revealed. As she takes the necklace, the detective, who is on the scene watching, handcuffs the pair.

"WE'VE GOT YOUR MOTHER'S NECKLACE, AND I GUESS YOU CAN HAVE BOTH CATS!"

The little girl hugs her cat.

"THESE PEOPLE WON'T NEED A CAT IN JAIL"

(End of film)

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