The Disciple
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Five reels / 4921 feet
Directed by William S. Hart
Cast: William S. Hart [Jim Houston], Dorothy Dalton [Mary Houston], Thelma Salter [Alice Houston], Robert McKim [‘Doc’ Hardy], Charles French (Charles K. French) [Sheriff ‘Birdshot’ Bivens], Bob Kortman [the mob leader], Jean Hersholt [a member of the mob], J.P. Lockney [the storekeeper], Wedgewood Nowell (Wedgwood Nowell)
New York Motion Picture Corporation production; distributed by Triangle Film Corporation [Thomas H. Ince Production; Kay-Bee]. / Produced by Thomas H. Ince. Scenario by S. Barret McCormick. Assistant director, Clifford Smith. Cinematography by Joe August (Joseph H. August). Original music score by Wedgwood Nowell. / © 21 November 1915 by Triangle Film Corporation [LP10584]. Released 21 November 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot from 27 May through 2 July 1915. Production cost $8356.12. The film was rereleased in the USA by S.A. Lynch Enterprises, Incorporated. The film was reedited, with new intertitles, and rereleased in the USA by Tri-Stone Pictures, Incorporated, in mid-1924.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Jim Houston, the “Shootin’ Iron” Parson, comes to Barren Gulch to reform the morals of the frontier community. He receives the support of “Birdshot” Bivens, the sheriff of the county. Jim’s wife, Mary, however, is a weak character. She falls a prey to the seduction of Dr. Hardy, the village gambler and saloon keeper, and elopes with him. Jim Houston, forsaking the ministry, goes to the mountains and cares for his child in a log cabin home. Later the child falls very ill. Mary, in a mountain storm, comes unwittingly to their door. Dr. Hardy is sent for as the only physician in the district. He ministers to the child and confronts Houston, who intends to kill him. Mary is asked to make her choice between Houston and Dr. Hardy. She points towards the child and goes to its bedside. Houston forgives his wife and instead of killing Hardy permits him to go unharmed. // Additional synopsis available in Koszarski-Hart p. 34.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Library of Congress film archive [35mm nitrate positive, 35mm acetate duplicate negative]; in the George Eastman Museum film archive [28mm reduction positive]; in the Academy Film Archive film archive [16mm reduction positive]; and in the UCLA Film and Television Archive film archive.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Law: Enforcement: Police: Sheriffs
Listing updated: 10 February 2024.
References: Film credits, film viewing : AFI-F2 n. F2.1353; Koszarski-Hart pp. xviii, xix, 34-36; Lahue-Triangle pp. 18, 137, 141; Limbacher-Feature p. 63; Slide-Aspects p. 25; Spehr-American p. 273; Tarbox-Lost p. 252 : Website-AFI; Website-ASFFDb; Website-IMDb.
Home video: DVD.
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