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The Sheriff’s Daughter
(1912) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by [?] Gaston Méliès and/or Robert Goodman?
Cast: [?] William Steele? [Jim, the sheriff’s son], Mildred Bracken [Leone, the sheriff’s daughter], [?] Francis Ford?
G. Méliès production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Gaston Méliès. / Released 14 March 1912. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [From Méliès promotional materials] Jim, discovered teaching his little sister to play cards, having already been reprimanded by his father for gambling, is turned out of the home and becomes a professional gambler and bandit. Twelve years later his father is taken sick, and the sister, now grown, goes to town for a doctor. The gambler, not recognizing her and taking a fancy to her beauty, disables and impersonated the doctor. On the road home the girl, finding herself at his mercy, looks into his eyes and he sees in hers the depths to which he has sunk. Ashamed, he confesses. Meanwhile, the real doctor raises an alarm and a posse chases and captures Jim and takes him before the sheriff, who is about to order severe punishment when he recognizes in him his own son. Jim begs forgiveness, and the posse leaves him to his father to deal with as he sees fit. // [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Many times had the sheriff’s son Jim been warned against gambling, but when in spite of these advices, he continues, and when he is discovered teaching the game to his little sister, Leone, he is disowned by a sad but stern parent. Twelve years later finds Jim in the association of men and women of the lower class, a gambler by profession. He is enamored of and more or less under the influence of a Mexican coquette. As he sits with her, Leone, now grown to womanhood and beauty, rides up to the tavern and inquires the whereabouts of a doctor, her father having suffered an injury. Jim, not recognizing his sister, determines to possess this new beauty at any price. He outrides her to the doctor’s, who is also the deputy sheriff, and assaulting him, dons his clothes, and when Leone arrives, poses as the doctor. He accompanies her en route for the sick man’s home, but does not go far before making his advances. Dismounting and forcing her into his arms, he imprints a kiss on her powerless lips, but is soon repelled by Leone’s eyes. It is the first time the gambler has seen the eyes of a good woman since youth. His conscience is awakened. Meanwhile the deputy sheriff and real doctor has regained his senses and with a posse gives chase and captures Jim. They take him to the sheriff’s house, where at first the old man is inclined to take the law into his own hands. But when the gambler makes himself known as his own son and begs his sister’s forgiveness, the sheriff leads him into the house and explains to the boys that he will decide on proper punishment later. Having gained his father’s forgiveness, the wayward son cares not what punishment the boys might exact.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 23 May 2024.
References: Thompson-Star p. 231 : ClasIm-226 p. 55 : Website-IMDb.
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