All Films

The Dull Sword

1917 • 4 min • Japan

A samurai purchases a new sword only to find it is already dull. When he returns to the dull looking merchant to complain, something quite unexpected happens.

Danger Trail

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

John Howland travels to the frozen North to build a branch of the Hudson Bay Railroad. There he meets and falls in love with Meleese Thoreau who warns him that her three bloodthirsty brothers, Max, Pierre and François, have sworn vengeance against a man named John Howland, the son of a man who killed their mother, and that torture and death await him along the route to his station.

The Rise of Jenny Cushing

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

A resourceful young girl struggles to free herself from slum life.

Mothers of Men

1917 • 60 min • United States of America

Dorothy Davenport as Clara Madison, a prominent lawyer, wins a judgeship over fellow Attorney Grant Williams, played by Willis L. Robards. Upon winning the prominent position as judge, Ms. Madison finds herself walking a political tight rope with enemies all around doing what they can to cause her down fall. Judge Madison convicts a murderer to death paving the way for her to be easily elected as the first female Governor. As Governor she is faced with a difficult dilemma. She has the power to pardon her husband who has been convicted of a serious crime, but to do so she’d be using her office for her own personal gain. “I must find some way to realize my ideals without sacrificing my husband. I must struggle on somehow for the sake of womanhood!”

The Gentle Intruder

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

Mary Miles Minter is Sylvia, the niece of a man who leaves her a fortune. The money is in the hands of his lawyer, Baxter, who uses it to support his ambitious wife and daughter. Sylvia comes to Baxter's home and it's obvious she's not wanted there. Arnold, Baxter's son, is wasting his life away with drinking and nightclubbing, but Sylvia sweetly influences him to straighten up.

The Bride of Hate

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

Dr. Dudley Duprez is a well-known Louisiana physician. His beautiful but wayward niece, Rose Duprez, is abducted by Paul Crenshaw, a friend of the doctor, and to prevent her shame from becoming known, Rose kills herself. Dr. Duprez learns her secret and determines to make Crenshaw expiate his crime. While traveling on a Mississippi River steamer, the doctor wins Mercedes, a beautiful slave, at cards. He takes her home and, passing her off as a distant relative, arranges it so that Crenshaw falls in love with the girl.

The Wrong Mr. Fox

1917 • 13 min

An unemployed actor is mistaken for the new preacher in a small town.

The Rose Of Blood

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

Lisza Tapenko (Bara) is governess in the household of Prince Arbasoff (Charles Clary). After the death of his wife, Lisza and he become involved, but because of the difference in social station he refuses to marry her. Lisza's former lover, Vassya (Richard Ordynski), convinces her to join the revolution and she goes off to the group headquarters in Switzerland. But the prince's little boy begs to have Lisza come back, so he goes after her and marries her.

The Stolen Play

1917 • 52 min • United States of America

A blind playwright is engaged to his assistant, and the two are close to completion of a new play, which is so dark and morbid that they find themselves on the brink of breakdowns. A greedy agent who has admired the playwright's previous work will stop at nothing to secure the play for himself.

Who Goes There?

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

During World War I, Kervyn Guild, an American citizen who was born in Belgium, is captured with other Belgian refugees by the Germans. Brought before the commanding officer, General Von Reiter, Guild is offered his own freedom as well as that of the other refugees if he goes to London and returns with the officer's daughter, Karen Girard, who actually is his mistress.

The Rescue

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

After divorcing her husband Kent, actress Anne Wetherall returns to the stage. Upon receiving a plea for help from childhood chum Nell Jerrold begging Anne to save Nell's daughter Betty from marrying Kent, the ex-Mrs. Wetherall decides to journey to the Jerrold's home in the town of Wheaton to investigate.

The Sultan's Wife

1917 • 24 min

On a sailing trip, sweethearts Bobby and Gloria arrive in a very sinister-looking India, where an evil rajah attempts to force Gloria into his harem.

La Figlia del mare

1917 • 59 min

On a beach, a painter rescues a young woman whose face reminds him of a woman he once loved.

Until They Get Me

1917 • 58 min • United States of America

In an effort to reach his wife's deathbed, Kirby is forced to kill a man in self-defense. He is arrested by Selwyn, a member of the North West Mounted Police, who allows him to say a last farewell to his wife. After visiting his wife's deathbed, Kirby eludes Selwyn and becomes a fugitive from the police. Each year he returns to visit his son and, during one of his sojourns, meets Margy, a little farmhouse servant who has run away from her life of drudgery.

Hamlet

1917 • 47 min • Italy

The short film tells the story of Hamlet, who was forced to flee from the treachery of the usurper of the throne who had killed all the relatives of the young. But he will now return to the castle to avenge his father ...

Forbidden Paths

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

Sato (Sessue Hayakawa) faithfully works for importer James Thornton (James Neill). When the old man dies, he leaves his daughter Mildred (Vivian Martin) in Sato's care. Sato loves the girl, but as he is Japanese he cannot hope to ever marry her (at least not in the racially prejudiced era of the early 1900s). Besides, Mildred loves Harry Maxwell (Tom Forman), who was raised alongside her.

The Car of Chance

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

In his will, Mr. Baird leaves his son Arnold just one seven-passenger auto and a hundred dollars to keep it filled up and in good repair. When James Bennett hears of this, he insists that Baird do something to make his fortune before he can marry his daughter Ruth. Bennett begins by using the car to start a jitney-bus line. This is not terribly impressive to Bennett -- who owns a trolley company -- and he decides he would rather see Ruth married to his controller, William Mott-Smith.

Luke's Trolley Troubles

1917 • 11 min • United States of America

Luke and his sidekick steal a trolley car and create havoc for passengers.

Witching Hour

1917 • 56 min • Germany

The noble family de la Porte lives at castle Medan. After the lost heir August returns unexpectedly, countess Herm, mother-in-law of younger brother Johann, fears for the inheritance of her daughter.

Maggie's First False Step

1917 • 18 min • United States of America

Maggie's First False Step

The Hidden Children

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

In accordance with an Iroquois custom, two women unknown to each other decide to make their babies "hidden children" by giving them to Native American foster-parents until they reach maturity. A boy and a girl are thus raised within the Iroquois community. Upon learning of their true heritage and the custom's purpose, they return to their original people. They are then expected to marry each other to bring a fresh spirit into the tribe.

Spliced and Iced

1917 • 12 min • United States of America

Musty Suffer gets married.

Lonesome Luke, Messenger

1917 • 11 min • United States of America

While on the job, delivering a message, Luke finds himself in a girl's seminary.

The Crystal Gazer

1917 • 50 min • United States of America

Rose Jorgenson, a poor tenement dweller who lives with her daughters Rose and Norma in a slum and whose husband is in prison, finds out that he is to be electrocuted. Distraught, she commits suicide. The children are adopted--Rose by the wealthy Judge Keith, who brings her up in the lap of luxury, and Norma by a poor neighbor, who raises her in the squalid tenement she was born in. After they reach adulthood Norma is hired as an assistant to the shady hypnotist Caistro, who also knows Rose and notices the strong resemblance between the two. Complications ensue.