| |
 |
| |
Lee Moran (left), Eddie Lyons, Victoria Forde and Harry Rattenberry.
Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
|
The Downfall of Potts
(1915) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Al E. Christie (Al Christie)
Cast: Eddie Lyons [Eddie, the young detective], Lee Moran [Potts, the star detective], Victoria Forde [Victoria], Harry Rattenberry (Harry L. Rattenberry) [the police commissioner, her father]
Nestor Film Company production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. / Scenario by Ben Cohn (Bennett Cohen), from a screen story by Ben Cohn (Bennett Cohen). / © 10 June 1915 by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. Released 18 June 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Universal release number 0588. The film was marketed in the USA with one-sheet and three-sheet posters. The film was released in Canada on 25 June 1915.
Comedy.
Synopsis: [The Universal Weekly, Volume VI, Number 24, 12 June 1915, page 23] Detective Potts is the star detective on the force and as such is a welcome suitor for the hand of the commissioner’s daughter. The commissioner, too, likes Potts and encourages his attempts to win the hand of his daughter. / The young detective joins the force. He is made the butt of all jokes, and the star detective distains to even look upon him. But he is a real detective, for the first thing he finds is that the commissioner has a beautiful daughter. The daughter falls for the new man, too, and it is a case of love at first sight. But they have a road hard to travel with the opposition of both the commissioner and the star detective. In spite of all objections they manage to meet quite frequently on the sly and get to have an understanding with each other. / Both realize that matters can not go on as they are, so they decide on drastic measures. They arrange to have a fake kidnapping with Eddie to pull the hero stuff. The matter is all arranged. The girl goes to visit her father, after writing him a note telling him that unless he comes across with some money his daughter will be kidnapped. Her father shows her the note and makes it a joke. / The girl pretends to be afraid but is reassured by her father, who tells her that such a thing cannot happen with Potts on the job. / The girl then goes to her chum’s, calls dad on the ’phone and tells him that she has been kidnapped. When dad hears a muffled scream come over the wire, which is caused by the chum holding her hand over Vic’s mouth, he is frantic. / Potts is put on the job and combs the town but without avail. Eddie pleads to be put on the case but gets nothing but sneers. He calls the girl up and tells her the plan is working smoothly but he can’t seem to get on the case. They plan another coup. The girl writes another not to Potts telling him to go to a deserted house near the railroad and await developments. He has a clue at last and departs stealthily. He finds the house all right and sits down at the door, gun in hand, to await developments. / Meanwhile the girl has been taken to the house and put in an inside room, tied to a chair and left. The young detective at last gets on the case and, after making the rounds, comes back and tells the commissioner his daughter has been kidnapped by the star detective. They laugh at him when he tells them he will prove it. He takes the commissioner to the house and tells him to peer in at the window. They see the girl inside tied. At the front, as if on guard, sits Potts, “waiting developments.” He is denounced and his star taken off. Meanwhile the young detective has released the girl and they are inwardly shaking with laughter at the success of the plan. / As the picture fades, the young detective has risen to be the star and with the old man’s backing things look bright for an early marriage.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 3 March 2011.
References: UnivWeekly-19150612 pp. 23, 28, 30, 34 : Website-IMDb.
|
