Volume II: Filmography

THE GRAND PASSION

(Princess)

March 20, 1914 (Friday)

Length: 1 reel (1,005 feet)

Scenario: John William Kellette

Character: Comedy

Cast: Muriel Ostriche (as Muriel), Morris Foster (Boyd, secretly in love with Muriel), Nolan Gane (Joe, whom Muriel prefers), Fan Bourke (Fanny, a woman of the streets), James Dunne, Mrs. Minnie McCoy

Notes: 1. Reel Life and other trade publications assign Morris Foster to the role of "Boyd, secretly in love with Muriel." This is a strange juxtaposition in view of the fact that Boyd Marshall was Muriel Ostriche's leading man at the time. One would think that Morris Foster would have been given a different screen name. 2. A Princess advertisement for this film (Reel Life, March 14, 1914) noted: "A REAL INNOVATION. The Princess Company, New Rochelle, N.Y., Institutes the 'Traveling Star' System (Presenting the Princess Players in association with leading Players from other companies). The first time for this system in motion pictures!...See the Princess Favorites as they 'line up' with your other New Rochelle favorites!"

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, March 21, 1914:

"Boyd secretly loves Muriel, whose preference is Joe, and upon her birthday the office force presents her with a lavaliere, while Boyd's gift is a flower. Enthused at the gift she wants to kiss everybody, but Boyd, knowing that a kiss from her would mean a lot to him, refrains from taking a kiss so lightly given. The crowd looks on his action as an insult to Muriel and bind him while Muriel kisses him thrice, and with the last kiss goes the hate of a woman's scorn. His flowery gift to her is used to slap his face after the third kiss. Enraged, the crowd starts to assault Boyd, taking their cue from Muriel's treatment, but she prevents. Later, with hope and spirit crushed, Boyd takes to drink, and, leaving the bar room, falls and his head is injured. When he recovers his mind is a blank, and it is only when Muriel insists that the scene of the birthday kissing be enacted that his memory is restored."

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, March 14, 1914:

"The office force of the firm where Muriel has a responsible position present her with a lavaliere on her birthday. Muriel is secretly loved by Boyd, an employee. Boyd gives her a flower. When Muriel lightly starts in to kiss the entire office force for their kindness, Boyd, alone, refuses to be kissed. The office force resents his attitude toward their employer and playfully bind him so that Muriel can kiss him to her heart's content. Muriel does not understand that Boyd has refused her kiss because he felt that such a caress should not be given lightly, and when he is securely pinioned, kisses him thrice with disdain. She then slaps his face with the single flower he has given her. Crushed by her rebuff, Boyd takes to drink and is hurt when he stumbles from a barroom into the street. When he recovers, his memory has left him. Muriel, who has nursed him during his illness, is able to bring him back to a consciousness of past events only by re-enacting the birthday kissing scene."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, March 22, 1914:

"Once upon a time a gentleman by the name of Shakespeare penned a little thing called Much Ado About Nothing, and that is just what The Grand Passion is. Of course, since it is a farce, the more ado there is, the better, and Morris Foster as Boyd manages to create quite a bit of excitement in Muriel's office when she attempts to kiss the force (himself included) on her birthday. Anybody that refuses to let Muriel Ostriche kiss him deserves all he gets. Hurt by her flippant way of looking at things, which he thinks very serious, he takes to drink. Then he loses his memory. But she brings back his wandering memory by the re-enacting of the kissing scene. For the benefit of those interested in whom Muriel kisses it might be just as well to say that this time he doesn't rebel, but takes her in his arms and they live happily ever after. The cast includes in addition to the two principals, Fannie Bourke and Nolan Gane."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, April 4, 1914:

"In the early part of this offering there is a picture of a supersensitive lover that gets over strongly and is humanly convincing; but there is so much downright foolishness in the story's development that, as an offering, we are afraid to commend it. We feel sure that it will fail of popularity."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, April 8, 1914:

"The hero of this film is a strange young man. When the girl of his dreams kisses him before a crowd of their fellow office workers, his ideals are so badly shattered that he leaves town and seeks solace in drink. He believes that his ideal of womanhood made light of that ever sacred thing - a kiss. Injured in an accident, he loses his memory, but eventually the girl restores it by re-enacting the kissing scene in the office. From this suggestion of the plot, the character of the story may be gathered. Muriel Ostriche appears well as the girl, and other parts are properly cast. The photography gives a clear reproduction of simple settings."

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