Volume II: Filmography

A PULLMAN NIGHTMARE

May 25, 1913 (Sunday)

Length: 1 reel

Character: Comedy, A burlesque Western thriller

Cast: Harry Benham (the father), Mignon Anderson (the mother), Leland Benham (their son), Helen Badgley (their daughter)

Note: The plot of the film owes a debt to the Rarebit Fiend cartoon creation of Winsor McCay, in which various characters eat rarebit and then have nightmares.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, May 31, 1913:

Lelando, the terror of the Swoop-Swaps, rescues his lady love from the hands of the devilish train robbers.

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, May 31, 1913:

The small boy was very happy when he took his first journey in the Pullman car, and he would have been much happier had he been able to win the attention of the little girl across the aisle. She treated him with disdain, however, and the small boy brooded over it. Perhaps it was his unusual bed, perhaps his mental commotion was to blame, perhaps he ate too heartily in the dining car. Anyway he had some exciting dream experiences, and when he told his father about them later, the man patted him on the head and simply said, 'That was some dream, son.' Of course you could hardly be surprised that the boy dreamt the car was on fire and that he was the hero, for Pullman cars get mighty hot at times. 'The only thing that worries me,' said the father, while talking the matter over later with his wife, 'is how Willie ever dreamed that a man on horseback kidnapped the child in a moving Pullman car. It shows the lad has imagination, but it is impossible for me to determine whether he is headed for Washington or Mattawan.' The mother sighed, too, but she hoped for the best.

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, June 7, 1913:

A comedy reel, showing a father and son and mother and daughter traveling on a Pullman car. The children are very young and full of juvenile flirtation. The boy dines on Welsh rarebit and ice cream and later has a terrific nightmare, in which he is seen saving the passengers from six train robbers and other heroic deeds. A delightful little comedy, although the ending was a trifle overworked.

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, May 28, 1913:

Among the excellent child comedies released by the Thanhouser company it is probable that none exceeds A Pullman Nightmare for vivacious fun; the young boy playing the lead is particularly clever, the little girl is no less pretty and appealing. Like a real sport, sonny orders Welsh rarebit when the father takes him in the dining car to eat. That night the little fellow has awful dreams - he is the hero, and the little girl sitting opposite is the heroine in many adventures which overtake him in dreamland. In telling his father of it next morning he mourns the fact that the dream ended so soon.

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