Volume II: Filmography

THE SMUGGLER

July 25, 1911 (Tuesday)

Length: 1,000 feet

Character: Drama

Cast: William Garwood (the smuggler), Florence LaBadie, Harry Benham

Notes: 1. The title of this film is listed erroneously as The Smugglers in several places, including in a Thanhouser advertisement in The Moving Picture World, July 22, 1915, and a review in the same publication, August 5, 1911. 2. This release may represent the first appearance of Florence LaBadie in a Thanhouser film.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, July 22, 1911:

"The Smugglers [sic] is a film mystery story of the first class, one that places your bill for the day you run it amongst bills of the first class. So let this be your feature play that day, especially if it's a very warm day, for the picture is a logical warm weather release with enough breezy seascapes in it to keep it cool. The portrayal of the parts of the pretty daughter and the detective who trapped her are most realistic; and, indeed, each player in the picture puts over his part in a way that pleases."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, July 22, 1911:

"An old man has an ingenious plan to circumvent the customs officials and for a time it works like a charm. Officers and sailors on various transatlantic liners, who are in the gang, are given in Europe rare gems and laces, which they are to bring to America. The ordinary methods of smuggling by members of the crews being well guarded against, the men do not dare to bring the valuables into port with them. But they encase them in life belts, and on nearing the coast near Fire Island they keep a close watch out for the racing yacht which the old man owns. The rest is easy. The life belt is slipped overboard, the men in the boat pick it up and land at their little village, far from where the jewels are taken into the city. The old man has two nieces, who are orphans, and dependent upon him. He decides that the elder girl shall take part in the crime, hoping that if anything goes wrong, she may be the one to suffer, rather than he. And although the girl did not like the task, the fact that smuggling was a crime was not thoroughly clear to her, and for the sake of her little sister she consented to take the boat out and pick up the jewels.

"Unfortunately, the United States district attorney's attention has been directed to the gang. An enemy of the old man sends an anonymous letter, calling the law's notice to the boat, and a detective is sent to investigate. He manages to secure a position on the boat as a sailor, and his very first cruise proves that the charges were well founded. The detective and his police allies confront the old man just after the jewels have been turned over to him. The girl is in tears when the detective appears. But he, from his place of concealment, has heard enough to convince him that she was not a willing participant in the plot. The two are arrested, but the detective, at the girl's plea, takes care of the little sister. He places her with his old nurse, who owns a farm in the country and who promises to give the child a mother's attention. Then the detective tells the district attorney the facts on the case and pleads for the release of the girl. He shows that the blame is not really hers, but belongs to the wicked relative who practically forced her to commit wrong. And the law was merciful. Sometime later the detective met his one-time prisoner again, but this time he was the prisoner, for she bound him with the invisible chains of love."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, July 30, 1911:

"This photo play is quite away from the usual, both in plot and manner of presentation, and hence is more than pleasing. The sudden love affair between the Secret Service man and the girl is uncalled for and weakens the close of the tale. Why force Cupid at every turn! The yacht scenes are well taken, and the clever method of trying to smuggle the diamonds in the life preserver is deserving of all manner of praise. The film scored, and will with any average spectator."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, August 5, 1911:

"This is an unconvincing romantic picture, which in spite of certain drawbacks when considered as a picture of human possibilities, is interesting and quite pleasing. It is very well acted and in this is its greatest charm. Perhaps not everyone would see at once that the district attorney would not be interested in such a smuggling case, or indeed in any smuggling case; that is the care of the collector of the port. Its worst fault is that the picture of the ward's being compelled to help her guardian smuggle the gems in doesn't convince us as a picture of American life today. It is, however, not impossible as shown. Many of the scenes are very pretty."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, August 2, 1911:

"As a story this is fashioned after the old melodrama, where the too cruel guardian abuses and uses the two orphans to further his ends. The exterior backgrounds are actual and, being well chosen, leave little to be desired in that respect, though they do not always seem to be as clear as one might wish. The guardian is a smuggler and to avoid suspicion sends his oldest ward out in his boat to meet a steamer and secure a lot of diamonds that are to be thrown over in a life preserver. She does so, but is observed by a Secret Service man who has secured a position on the smuggler's boat, which has been under suspicion for some time. He causes both the guardian and girl to be arrested, but agrees to take care of the younger sister. The older sister is freed at the first hearing and in the daisy field in back of his mother's home the hero makes the heroine a 'prisoner for life.' The story is consistently conceived, but while the actors move with grace and poise before the camera in a satisfying and pleasing style, it has not the more subtle quality that one sees in some other films."

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