User Reviews

This strong production is classified as a drama of 1796. The story covers two reels, in black and white. It is of the sentencing for life to the prison castle of Roucras, on the cliffs of the Bay of Gascony, of the Marquis de Fiers. The prisoner discovers the governor of the castle to be an old friend. Privileges are given the newcomer, and he meets the mother and the wife of the governor, he is charmed by the wife and pays much attention to her, which fact is observed by the husband. When notification comes of the innocence of the Marquis and instructions for his immediate release, the governor decides to conceal from him his instructions. Instead he furnishes the Marquis with a rope and a hack saw. The bar of the cell is cut through and the prisoner descends the rope, to discover it is many feet short. He falls, and at daylight recovers consciousness, only to find the tide rapidly rising. He jumps from rock to rock, and disappears. The governor, on the morning after the escape, gives the pardon to his wife and permits her to carry the news. She returns, horrified, and tells of the scant rope and the empty cell. Just as the husband is upbraiding her he is handed a note. It is signed by the Marquis, and informs the governor that it^was not necessary to try to send the prisoner to his death, as there was no justification for his jealousy. Reconciliation follows. The scenes of the surf in the opening of the story are unusual. The descent over the rope of the prisoner is followed by the camera and makes a striking picture. The strongest scene of all, however, is the battle with rising tide, the great rollers at one time taking from his feet the apparently doomed man and engulfing him to his neck. - The Moving Picture World, July 20, 1912