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The Silent Death
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Richard Ridgely
Cast: Elsie MacLeod [Tolida, the Indian girl], Harry Chira (Professor Chira) [Officer Costigan]
Thomas A. Edison, Incorporated, production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Released 30 January 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Jack Latham and his brother Robert were joint proprietors of a large plantation in Central America. Jack was very much in love with Grace Gardner, the daughter of the American consul. When she and her father were obliged to make a long journey into the interior, Jack was inconsolable. After moping about for a few days, he decided to go hunting. Consul Gardner left his office in charge of a scamp named Costigan, who had been engaged in several rather shady deals. Costigan, who was ready to do anything under the sun for money, readily entered into the plan of Don Manuel Lopez to gain possession of the Latham plantation. While Jack was absent in the woods, a file of soldiers suddenly appeared at the plantation, seized Robert, and took possession of the place. Meanwhile, Jack had been overcome by an attack of swamp fever. His life was saved by Tolida, an Indian girl, for whose brother Jack had once done a great kindness. Tolida nursed Jack back to health and then told him that his brother had been sentenced to death on a trumped-up charge. Jack, still weak and faint, went with Tolida to acting-Consul Costigan. That worthy refused to lift a finger in help. In desperation, Jack seized a rifle with a silencer attached, which was lying in the Consul’s office and rushed to his brother’s aid. Climbing into a tower near the execution ground, Jack succeeded in shooting the officer in charge just as he was about to give the order for Robert’s death. Then with careful shots, he brought down several of the other chief men. The unexplained source of the fatal blight so rapidly diminishing their number threw the crowd into a pandemonium and Jack was able to keep them in their uncertainty until the opportune arrival of American marines. Manuel Lopez swore to be revenged. He first turned his attention to poor little Tolida and for the aid she had given Jack, drowned her. Then, with a deadly knife in his hand, he crawled to where Jack and Grace were sitting. Jack shot the scoundrel and better days settled over the Latham plantation.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 25 June 2020.
References: Website-IMDb.
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