In its fast-paced 5-reel Kodascope version (available in a very good print from Grapevine Video), this is a movie-railroad buff's dream come true. The climactic shots of the loose carriage (a real carriage, not a toy!) whizzing down the mountain track are absolutely amazing and have never been bettered – not even by Cecil B. DeMille! The story too pulls no punches. Admittedly, it was probably a bit soggy in its original 7-reel theatrical release, but here there is just enough sentiment from oldies Alec B. Francis and Edith Yorke to keep interest alive and to allow us to hiss our tongues at the mercenary sawbones, so expertly enacted by Eric Mayne.
The roles played by the comedians, George Ovey and Edward Gillace. have no doubt been cut to the bone in our surviving version. There are many hints that their roles were larger in the theatrical edition, but this, I feel, is all to the good. I can certainly do without their slapstick. The only problem I have with the Kodascope cutdown is that there is a hole in the plot which possibly may have been covered or disguised in the full 7-reel version. Not that it matters all that much. The movie is so engagingly played by the hero, Johnnie Walker (who had quite a lengthy career as the hero in silent "B" movies) that we really don't care all that much that he is breaking the law to aid his sweetheart. And that sweetheart, Eugenia Gilbert, is a real honey. A fine actress too! She had a lengthy career from 1920 through 1929. In her last role, she still received second billing. (She played Calamity Jane opposite Hoot Gibson). She died in Santa Monica on December 8, 1978. I bet nobody bothered to seek her out and interview her!
The roles played by the comedians, George Ovey and Edward Gillace. have no doubt been cut to the bone in our surviving version. There are many hints that their roles were larger in the theatrical edition, but this, I feel, is all to the good. I can certainly do without their slapstick. The only problem I have with the Kodascope cutdown is that there is a hole in the plot which possibly may have been covered or disguised in the full 7-reel version. Not that it matters all that much. The movie is so engagingly played by the hero, Johnnie Walker (who had quite a lengthy career as the hero in silent "B" movies) that we really don't care all that much that he is breaking the law to aid his sweetheart. And that sweetheart, Eugenia Gilbert, is a real honey. A fine actress too! She had a lengthy career from 1920 through 1929. In her last role, she still received second billing. (She played Calamity Jane opposite Hoot Gibson). She died in Santa Monica on December 8, 1978. I bet nobody bothered to seek her out and interview her!
