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Pals
(1910) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 950 feet
Directed by [?] Gaston Méliès and/or William F. Haddock?
Cast: Francis Ford [Denton, the young Easterner], William Clifford [Harper, the young miner]
G. Méliès production; distributed [?] on State Rights basis? by G. Méliès. / Produced by Gaston Méliès. Cinematography by William Paley. / Released 1 December 1910. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Denton, a young easterner, arrives in the gold-fields, looks about for a “find” and a partner. Entering a saloon, he partakes of some refreshment, watches the patrons of the place and studies their characters, while thus engaged a young miner, named Harper, somewhat prejudiced against easterners, engages in a quarrel with a Mexican who is about to plunge a knife into the miner when Denton seizes his wrist and wrenches the weapon from his grasp. Harper thanks Denton, and after learning the eastern man’s desire to find a prospecting partner, Denton loins forces with him and they start in to work a lead and strike paying dirt. They have hardly started operations when Denton meets with a serious accident and again Harper shows the manner of man he is by nursing his pal back to health and strength. This brings about a strong friendship and they go to work with a will and it is not long before they strike it rich. Weighing up their gold-dust they find they have a handsome pile and are now on easy street. Harper goes out to work and has proceeded but a short distance when he is seen by the treacherous Mexican who stealthily watches him on his way and then makes tracks for the pals’ shack. Just after Harper leaves the shack Denton receives a telegram from his wife telling him that his mother is sick and advising him to return home at once. He leaves a letter for Harper with the dispatch stating that he will leave the gold dust intact as he has sufficient cash and the message will explain the cause of his hasty departure. The Mexican can be seen peering through the window watching Denton and the hiding of the dust in the chimney. Denton then hastily exits and hurries for the train. The villainous greaser enters the cabin, steals the gold and destroys the letter and telegram and replaces them with a note saying Denton had gotten tired and skipped. When Harper returns and finds the note he is furious, tells the sheriff and follows Denton east. Arriving at Denton’s home town he traces him through an accident to a little child who happens to be Denton’s own daughter. He carries the child home and the next day calls to see the little girl, and while he is sitting by her bedside Denton comes in. It is a dramatic situation, but after explanations and the reception at that moment of a “wire” from the sheriff in the gold-field announcing the confession of the Mexican, all is understood and once more the two men become pals and renew their bond of friendship.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 24 December 1910, page ?] A story of the mines which impresses one with the oft repeated truth that two men can become such fast friends that nothing can break their friendships . . . The last scene, when the two men meet after one has apparently disappeared with the gold dust, is dramatic largely because it contains so much of human nature. The rest of the film is merely a pleasant story.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Gold - Mexicans
Listing updated: 25 May 2024.
References: Thompson-Star pp. 145-147, 229 : ClasIm-226 p. 54 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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