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The High Cost of Living
(1912) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Étienne Arnaud
Cast: Alec Frank (Alexander F. Frank) [Uncle Sam], Lamar Johnstone [Mr. Consumer], Barbara Tennant [Mrs. Consumer], Guy Oliver [Mr. Blacksmith], William Dunne (William R. Dunn) [Mr. Mailman], John G. Adolfi [King Sugar], John Troyano [Mr. Bricklayer], Miss Stewart (Julia Stuart) [the widow]
Eclair Film Company of America production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. / Released 10 June 1912. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Mr. and Mrs. Consumer find that they have no food in the house. It is salary day, so they depart for the market which is a monopoly and presided over by a syndicate representing the goods they controlled. Their motto is “Our prices, all we can get.” This syndicate is composed of kings, thus divided: Milk, butter and eggs, coal, bread, sugar, meat, clothing and tobacco. At this market there is a great gathering which finally thins out to the few who have enough money to satisfy the grasping kings. The various types of consumers buy or try to buy their necessities at exorbitant prices. The kings are greedy and cruel. Finally unable to bear these impositions, the people become impatient and resolve to do something to repair their wrongs. The kings have a reunion and make a mound of their bags of gold, which they worship. It is transformed into the God of Greed, around which they group and command the people to cease their complaints. A meeting of the discontented people is in progress when the painting of Justice comes to life and joining them, asks them to tell their complaints, and she, thoroughly aroused, issues an indictment for trial against the wicked Trust Kings. Uncle Sam executes the warrant much to the joy of the consumers. He repairs to the market where the Kings are having a Jubilee, arraigns them, calls upon the people to carry out the orders of Justice points to a sign which has changed to “Justice Triumphs at Last.” The mob seizes the kings and hustles them off to the bar of Justice. The kings, handcuffed, are now arraigned before Justice Uncle Sam enters as the people’s lawyer, and in a short time (with the overwhelming evidence of their rapacity), has the jury pronounce them guilty and sentenced to hard labor for life. The people destroy the God of Greed and now that prosperity returns a few weeks later give a jollification feast at Mr. Consumer’s house. In the meantime, the guards lead the kings, in convict garb, to their labors which they do very lightly. They overcome their guards and escape. While the feast is at its height the kings repair to Consumer’s house and like a lot of vultures attack Justice, drag her from the house and make her a prisoner. The noise disturbs the merry-makers; they go out to ascertain the cause, are horrified to find Justice gone. In the meantime the statue of the God of Greed has been reconstructed. The kings drag Justice before it and completely suffocate and obliterate her under bags of gold. The kings return to their thrones. The angry people rush on to see the old order of things re-established and can only show their sorrow and misery. Justice is seen behind the bars, handcuffed, awaiting deliverance. Mr. and Mrs. Consumer are at their table again hungry, all food gone. Uncle Sam appears they appeal to him, he leads them forth and pointing up, shows them the promise of the future. Old glory is seen waving and then Uncle Sam indicates that they may remedy matters by choosing from one of the presidential candidates of the different parties whose pictures are thrown upon the screen.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 29 June 1912, page ?] A two reel feature picture which is, by intention, a political argument and deals with a pertinent topic of the day, abnormally high prices. As a picture, it has much to commend it; but the reviewer finds it the most difficult subject to review that he has yet met. It is not a reviewer’s business to discuss political questions or social questions; but it is his duty to tell the exhibitor just what he is getting, so far as he can, and to tell it plainly enough so that the exhibitor will be able to judge for himself. This picture is partisan. It is no cold picture of present day conditions; but an exaggerated and one-sided view of them, let the wrongs that it shows be what they may. Again, without any intention on the producer’s part, it has, none the less, a thread of anarchy or at least revolution running through it. In the first place, its showing of conditions is carried beyond the border line of true sanity into pessimism. Again, it is, at times, violent and full of disregard for law and just procedure. It is so, merely because it is violent. It favors Democrats more than Republicans; for while at the end, it shows photographs of Wilson, Harmon, Roosevelt and Taft, it shows a cartoon each with Roosevelt and Taft. We believe the hot- heads will like it; we fear the cold-heads of both parties will not. It is a very effective production. It makes use of the most daring expedients, but gets them over in fine shape. It was made by men who had imagination in marked degree.
Survival status: Print exists.
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 20 February 2024.
References: Website-IMDb.
Home video: Blu-ray Disc, DVD.
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