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The Iconoclast
(1913) United States of America
B&W : Three reels
Directed by Raymond B. West
Cast: Francis Ford [Mike Flanagan], Anna Little (Ann Little) [Sylvia], William Desmond Taylor [Don José], Bill Weston (William Weston) [Pedro], [?] ? [Father Marquette]
New York Motion Picture Company production; distributed by Mutual Film Corporation [Kay-Bee]. / Produced by Thomas H. Ince. Scenario by J.G. Hawks. / Released 26 March 1913. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Don Jose is a rich land owner, having in his employ a large number of peons. His beautiful daughter, Sylvia, is in love with Rafael, a sculptor, and she meets him clandestinely, despite the violent opposition of her father, Don Jose is an arrogant, surly man and a heretic, whose power is feared by the peons, and who shrink from him in superstitious dread. Working at starvation wages, the peons muster up courage to ask for more pay, and Pedro is selected as spokesman. His demand throws Don Jose in a rage, and he strikes Pedro a heavy blow across the face with his quirt. As the peons depart, vowing vengeance upon their brutal employer, the bell in the church belfry is seen ringing the Angelus, and the people drop to their knees in reverent devotion. Father Marquette, the good priest of the parish, is much beloved by his people, and makes an appeal to the land owner on behalf of the peons, but is curtly ordered to mind his own business. A dramatic scene takes place between them. Mike Flanagan, in charge of the construction gang of a railroad arrives and begins to lay tracks, the right of way extending through Don Jose’s property. His orders to the men are disregarded, and he commands his people to attack the gang. A thrilling encounter takes place, which is stopped by Father Marquette, who rushes into the melee holding aloft the crucifix, and exhorting his people to desist. They obey him, and Don Jose, raging, leaves the scene. The nest day when the peons come to work they are discharged by Don Jose. It does not take long for the poor people to feel the pangs of hunger, living as they are from hand to mouth, after their small incomes are cut off. The priest shares his food with them and solicits alms to relieve the starving. Rafael has been making a statue of the Madonna, and Sylvia is posing for the subject. As it nears completion they exhibit it to the priest, who gives his blessing to the young lovers. Pedro’s child is very sick, and is frequently visited by the priest. It finally succumbs and passes away, the priest ministering the last rites of the church. During his absence Rafael calls the people, and they carry the completed statue to the priest’s garden. He is most agreeably surprised, and is beaming upon the assembled parishioners when Don Jose appears. When he learns that his daughter has posed for the statue he becomes mad with rage, and seizing an iron bar he breaks the statue to pieces. The people are thunderstruck at the sacrilege, and stare in horrified amazement, as Don Jose grabs his daughter’s arm and drags her home. The sculptor is overwhelmed with grief and rage, and is with difficulty restrained, and it requires considerable effort on the part of the priest to quiet his flock. Don Jose secretly makes a trip to the Indian village, and explains to the chief that the railroad is the forerunner of an influx of white people who will destroy his hunting grounds. It does not take much persuasion to make the Indians believe they are being wronged, and when Don Jose tells them that the solution of the difficulty is to drive the railroad gang out of the country, they decide to follow his advice. Flanagan has wired the superintendent of the road regarding the attack by Jose’s men, and has received instructions to go ahead with his work, and if interfered with to telegraph the commander of the fort, who had been instructed to assist him. The Indians come to the outskirts of the village, where they are met by Jose, who gives them final instructions for the attack. He is accidentally seen by Pedro, who hides in the bushes. With wild shouts the Indians charge into the railroad gang. The men grab their rifles and retreat to the village, where they take refuge in the huts. Flushed with their victory, the Indians attack the village, and the priest opens the doors of the church to the women and children, who join him in prayer while all about them the battle is going on. Flanagan manages to get a message to the fort, although the Indians shoot the operator. The troops are soon galloping toward the scene of battle, which rages with indescribable fury. The horses are not spared, and over the top of a hill the soldiers hurl themselves onto the redskins, who put up a stubborn resistance but are soon killed or captured. Pedro tells of Jose’s responsibility in the matter, and the maddened populace goes to his home. Rafael, out of pity for Sylvia, runs ahead to warn Don Jose, but he is not there. Terror-stricken with the results of his work, Don Jose has taken to the woods, where he is found. His piteous cries for mercy fall upon deaf ears, for a hundred hands reach for him at once, and he is dragged away by the heels to suffer well-merited punishment.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 April 2020.
References: ClasIm-224 p. 42 : Website-IMDb.
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