Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 7 (1914): Great Expectations

On Monday, November 16, 1914, the curtain rose on Episode 22 of The Million Dollar Mystery. Titled The Waterloo of the Conspirators, this was the last regular installment of a serial which had thrilled millions. Now it remained to determine the winner of the $10,000 prize and to create wrap-up Episode 23, which was eventually screened on February 22nd of the next year.

To refresh its readers' memories, The Photoplay Magazine Note printed a synopsis of episodes 1 through 22:

Stanley Hargreave, lured by youth's proverbial love of adventure, joins a Russian secret society known as The Black Hundred. When he discovers that it is a criminal organization he finds no alternative between treachery to his vow and a life of crime. He chooses treachery to his vow only - not to any member of the band - and returns to America, where he amasses a fortune. He found it easier to shake his pledges than his comrades. He made money. They pursued him constantly. His infant daughter Florence was placed in good hands: her father provided for her, and she was brought up to know herself as Florence Gray.

At the opening of the story Florence is 17 years of age. Hargreave, though a strong man, is wearying of the fight and longs to join the daughter he loves. He has made in legitimate American business a fortune of one million dollars. He cashes in all his resources for the million, in actual money which he deposits in a safe in his house, meanwhile sending for his daughter, whom he wishes to return home.

From this moment the story is a welter of mysterious adventure, fierce action and startling incident; sweetened by a splendid romance, and ennobled by the devotion of a servant faithful through all to Florence, though quite unknown to her. The Black Hundred surround Hargreave's house, under the leadership of an arch-criminal named Braine, and Hargreave escapes in a balloon, which later is picked up a wreck at sea. Jones, a butler, appears with a letter from Florence's father in which he begs that the girl will trust Jones implicitly - and Jones' fidelity truly rewards her faith.

A newspaper reporter sent just for 'a good story' - one Jimmy Norton - falls in love with Florence. Florence is trapped through the machinations of the wicked Countess Olga - a member of the conspirators' band - is lured to a flat, is made prisoner on a faked coaching party, is seized by auto bandits, is adjudged insane and taken to sea, leaps from the liner and is rescued by Newfoundland fishermen, is again kidnapped, is tortured, is lured to a quicksand, and is thrown into an underground river - only to be rescued by Norton, as usual, whose destinies throw him, through a similar series of kidnapping, abductions, beatings and attempted murders, continually into her path.

Thus, seething with romance and revenge, with the stalwart faithfulness of Florence, the butler Jones, the dauntlessness of Florence, the robust love of Jimmy, the deviltry of Braine and the alternate jealous hate and crafty cunning of Countess Olga, The Million Dollar Mystery, with the missing million still unfound, circles the vortex of incident into its twenty-third and final episode.

Such thrill-a-minute stuff eventually brought over a million dollars into the coffers of the producer. It was with great expectations that its sequel, Zudora, was begun in late summer under the supervision of Charles J. Hite. Distribution was to be through the Thanhouser Syndicate Corporation, a Mutual Film Corporation division with its own financing. Although scattered announcements about Zudora appeared in New Rochelle newspapers, little notice was carried in trade papers until advertisements began in October.

The transition at the studio from the Mystery to Zudora was reported in The New York Star Note by Elizabeth Lonergan, sister of Lloyd F. Lonergan:

Zudora has become a suburbanite. It was moving day at New Rochelle, Saturday, October 10. Someone moving out and someone moving in! The wonderful four-room set of The Million Dollar Mystery was being carried out as Zudora's quarters were set up across the way. Hargreave's picture was taken down from the wall and now occupies a place in the property room. No more will it thrill the multitude as it rises to disclose the hiding place of the money. No more will the beautiful settings of Florence's room cause admiration, or the conspirators' chamber cause thrills! They have gone and will only live in memory of Mystery fans.

Zudora's apartments are sumptuous. A wonderful staircase, Oriental hangings of great beauty, rare prints upon the walls and the mystic atmosphere so essential to the background of the new serial. The apartments are locked and well guarded, and so far few have penetrated their recesses. But it is worth begging a sight of them and going through the third degree to get inside. But, oh you Mystery! We shall miss you terribly.

An advertisement in Reel Life, October 17th, told theatre owners what was in store:

ZUDORA: The new Thanhouser serial to follow The Million Dollar Mystery. A mammoth production of 20 thrilling episodes - 150 scenes in each episode - more scenes than in all the plays of Shakespeare. A two-reel episode will be released each week starting Monday, November 23. Story to appear in the Chicago Tribune and 500 other leading newspapers. A play written by noted authors, enacted by stars - positively the biggest attraction ever brought out!