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The Crimson Scars
(1911) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel
Directed by [?] William F. Haddock?
Cast: Edith Storey [Alice], [?] Francis Ford?
G. Méliès production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Gaston Méliès. Cinematography by [?] William Paley? / Released 5 January 1911; in a split-reel with Fire! Fire! Fire! (1911). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The stage appeals very strongly to the child of temperamental nature and often it dreams of the glory and fame attending success. Little Alice is a child of this kind and although she is surrounded by the most meager, even poor circumstances she has a great desire to be an actress. Her mother, who takes in washing, sends the little girl to deliver a large basket of clothes. Struggling along the street she stops at the theater to look at a display of photographs of actors and actresses who are appearing there. She loses herself in reverie; while thus engaged the leading lady, whose picture particularly attracts the child’s attention, arrives for rehearsal. She speaks to Alice, becomes interested in her and gives her two tickets for the afternoon performance. Pleased and delighted with the gifts she rushes home to her mother who takes the tickets from her, scolds and whips her for not attending to her errand. A neighbor comes in and Alice’s mother shows her the theater tickets, invites the visitor to attend “the show” and they are soon on their way. Left at home disappointed and unhappy Alice decides to see the performance come what may. She sneaks through the stage door of the theater, hides behind the scenery until she sees the star who gave her the tickets come in, and watches her go to her dressing-room. Smoke is seen coming through the sceneries and there is an alarm of fire. Everybody is on the jump and there is great excitement. The star rushes back to her room to secure her valuables and before she can make her escape is overcome by smoke and falls fainting into a chair. Alice makes her way to her friend, tries to help her and throws a large cloak over the actress’ face and then calls for help from the window. The firemen climb up the ladders into the burning building and rescue the woman, then save Alice who is injured by falling timbers and burned by the fire. Several years have passed and things have changed. Alice has become a star under the patronage and tuition of her benefactress. She has grown to be a beautiful young woman and a great attraction. She enters her dressing-room where her adopted mother awaits her coming. She tells the good woman how grateful she is for her kindness and love, for to her she owes success and fame. Smoothing back the golden tresses from the fair young brow she kisses a scar on it and points to another scar on Alice’s arm and says, “To these and you, my dear child, I owe my life.”
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Actors - Actresses - Fires
Listing updated: 27 May 2024.
References: Thompson-Star pp. 155-157, 229 : ClasIm-226 p. 54 : Website-IMDb.
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