All Films

The Child as Benefactor

1909 • 14 min • Denmark

The fates of two people align as a beggar tries to steal money from a sleeping newspaper boy. Instead of reporting the crook to the police, the benevolent boy buys him a hearty meal, convinces him to give up drinking and helps him back onto the right path in life. Soon enough the beggar has a job, money and a roof over his head. The two friends face a bright future together. (stumfilm.dk)

The Gibson Goddess

1909 • 10 min • United States of America

A pack of admirers won't leave a beautiful woman alone at a seaside resort, so she devises a plan. She appears in a leg-revealing swimsuit, but the stockings have been stuffed with cotton to make her limbs appear misshapen. All but one of the men is driven off, and regret it when she removes the misleading leggings.

The Salvation Army Lass

1909 • 14 min • United States of America

A girl from the New York slums falls in with crooks. After her love is arrested following a barfight turned deadly, her life seems directionless-- that is, until she's saved from the streets by a band of Salvationists. She enrolls, and soon afterward encounters her former love in the same bar. Her faith is real, and strong, and her former love doesn't like this.

They Would Elope

1909 • 8 min • United States of America

Two lovers elope and expect to be pursued by her father. But the clever father has tricked them into running off, and celebrates their wedding when they return home.

Modern Education

1909 • 3 min • France

The great men of letters and military conquest pose on subsequent pages of a very special history book.

The Prince and the Pauper

1909 • 11 min • United States of America

Extremely condensed version of the Mark Twain story of a royal heir and his poor doppelganger trading places.

The Day After

1909 • 9 min • United States of America

Mr. and Mrs. Hilton throw a New Year's Eve party. They agree not to drink the punch themselves, but as guests begin to arrive their resolve weakens, and soon they are both cavorting drunkenly. Next morning Mr. Hilton, feeling very sick, is conscience-stricken over his drunkenness and his behavior with another woman. He fears to face his wife until he discovers that she feels just as guilty herself.

The Magic Purse

1909 • 8 min • Denmark

A young sailor dozes off in the grass in Frederiksberg Have and wakes up surrounded by supernatural fairylike creatures. They take him to the mermaid Capriciosa, who gives him a magic, inexhaustible wallet. The only rule he must abide is never to share his fortune with his family. (stumfilm.dk)

Sweet and Twenty

1909 • 8 min • United States of America

Alice misunderstands when she sees her sweetheart Frank accidentally kissing her sister, and gets upset. Frank claims he'll kill himself by throwing himself into the river, but gets cold feet when it comes time to actually do the deed. Fortunately for him, his girlfriend has come running worried after him, and all is forgiven between them.

A Change of Heart

1909 • 13 min • United States of America

Howard Norris, a wealthy young man from the city makes the acquaintance of a lovely young daughter of a farmer. By promising marriage, he entices her into accompanying him to the city. There is a fake wedding. She inadvertently learns the truth and in great anguish sets out for her home. The rich young man is holding a drinking party when his mother stops in and advises him to give up drinking and become an upstanding young man. He takes her advice, realizes the error of his ways, and begins searching for the girl he wronged.

Crimes of Diogo Alves

1909 • 16 min • Portugal

Diogo Alves is a Spanish fugitive that comes to the Portuguese capital terrorizing the inhabitants by his cut-throat methods against rich and poor people alike. He attacks the women launderers on the Lisbon Aqueduct and throws the bodies over the high wall, and assaults homes with his large band of criminals. Eventually arrested, he, his female companion and his henchmen are condemned to death by the court.

Two Memories

1909 • 6 min • United States of America

Henry and Marion have a lover's quarrel and part in anger. They do not reconcile, and ten years pass without contact. Marion becomes a society girl and spends her time at parties with her friends. Henry has become very ill and wishes to see Marion one more time. He writes asking her to visit. When she recieves the note, she laughs and tosses it on the floor, but, later, on a whim, decides to take all her drunken friends with her to visit him. When they arrive, Marion finds Henry dead, clutching her portrait in his hand. She sends her friends away and falls to her knees in remorse. Mary Pickford's debut!

Through the Breakers

1909 • 17 min • United States of America

A society couple, neglect their young daughter in favor of their social life. When the girl becomes seriously ill, the father realizes the errors of his ways and stays home with her, demanding his wife do likewise. She sneaks out to a dance and the child takes a turn for the worse. By the time she returns home the child is dead. After her husband leaves her, the mother realizes her selfishness and begs forgiveness at her daughter's grave.

The Mended Lute

1909 • 11 min • United States of America

In an Indian tribe, a girl escapes from her father and suitor to be with the man she loves.

The Cardinal's Conspiracy

1909 • 16 min • United States of America

A royal woman rejects her arranged marriage. The cardinal hatches a plan: the suitor will shave and change clothes. He arranges with 4 clowns to stage an attack on the princess which he easily repels. It works; the princess falls for him, especially when the cardinal arranges his arrest.

The Slave

1909 • 11 min • United States of America

A Greek woman marries a struggling sculptor. When he can't support her and their baby, she offers to sell herself as a slave to allow them to buy food.

Oh, Uncle!

1909 • 5 min • United States of America

Harry's rich old bachelor uncle thinks Harry is still single. When Uncle announces a visit, Harry's wife has to play the part of the housekeeper so Uncle doesn't discover the truth.

The Restoration

1909 • 11 min • United States of America

A husband suspects his wife of an affair. The wife's cousin borrows a shawl to meet her lover in the garden. The husband spies the couple embracing, and, thinking it's his wife, he strikes the lover. The thought that he has killed a man temporarily unhinges the husband's mind until he can be convinced that the lover is still alive.

Tender Hearts

1909 • 8 min • United States of America

A country boy and a city boy are both courting the same girl. The girl sees the country boy's tender treatment of a wounded bird and chooses him.

Long Arm of the Law

1909 • 7 min • France

The exploits of a policeman who literally has the long arm of the law.

A Corner in Wheat

1909 • 14 min • United States of America

On a whim, a greedy tycoon decides to corner the world market in wheat. This doubles the price of bread, forcing grain producers into charity lines and others further into poverty. The film contrasts the differences between the lives of those who work to grow the wheat and the life of the man who dabbles in its sale for profit.

Oliver Twist

1909 • 14 min • United States of America

Adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel.

Carmen

1909 • 10 min • Italy

The Necklace

1909 • 16 min • United States of America

Mrs. Kendrick borrows a jeweled necklace from a friend for an important social event. The necklace is stolen, and Mr. Kendrick goes into debt to replace it. The thief discovers it's costume jewelry, but the Kendricks never learns the truth; Husband and wife struggle for years to pay off the huge debt.