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The Sins of the Father
(1913) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by William J. Baumann
Cast: Francis Ford, Hazel Buckham, William Desmond Taylor
New York Motion Picture Company production; distributed by Mutual Film Corporation [Brncho]. / Produced by Thomas H. Ince. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Crime.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Bill Hines, a famous cracksman, lives with his daughter whom he compels to assist him, disguised as a boy. Mary is a sweet, gentle girl who abhors the life her father leads, but is dominated by him. A detective shadowing Hines sees him loitering around a bank, and suspecting that Bill has designs upon it lays a trap for him. That night when Bill effects an entrance he meets a warm reception from the squad of detectives lying in wait for him, and is captured after a desperate struggle. Mary escapes, pursued by the officer, and makes her way to the top of a building, thence onto the roof of an adjoining house. Nearly fainting with fear, she raises the skylight and enters, dropping into a room in which a good priest is praying. The priest is startled, but will not listen to her pleadings to help her escape. In desperation she pulls off her cap, permitting her long hair to fall over her shoulders, and the priest is thunderstruck to discover she is a girl. His sympathies are aroused, and when the pursuing detective arrives the priest secretes her in the room and saves her from capture. Mary tells him the sad story of her life, and the priest determines to aid her, sending her to Father Pizzato, at Rockridge, Ariz. She joins a band of emigrants, who are attacked by Indians, and a sensational battle ensues. The emigrants are saved from destruction by the timely arrival of a troop of cavalry who rout the redskins. Lieutenant Colt meets Mary, and sees her safely to Father Pizzato's mission. Bill Hines receives a heavy sentence, and is put at hard labor. One day he makes a dash for liberty, and though fired on he manages to escape. Hungry, penniless and hunted, he joins the army and is sent to a distant post. Three months later, Mary attends a military ball, escorted by Lieut. Colt, and meets her father. He tries to force her to go away with him, and she confides in the priest, who advises her to stand firm. The next afternoon the pay for the fort arrives and Bill determines to steal it. He attempts to secure the assistance of Mary, and that night she hears him at work and tries to prevent the robbery. She surprises Bill, but he throws her to the floor, and grasping the money bags tries to escape. Lieut. Colt sees him at the window and fires, and Bill falls back in the room, dead. People rush into the room, and Mary is plunged in sorrow, fearing that exposure is inevitable, and that Lieut. Colt will cease to love her, but he leads her gently outside and tells her that Father Pizzato has told him her story, and the only thing that matters is their love. The picture closes with the kindly priest placing her hand in that of Lieut. Colt in an affecting scene.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 27 March 2020.
References: ClasIm-224 p. 42 : Website-IMDb.
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