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Johanna, the Barbarian
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Ulysses Davis
Cast: Anne Schaefer [Johanna Weston, a mountain woman], Paul Willis [George Weston, Johanna’s son], Alfred Vosburgh (Gayne Whitman) [Randolph, an engineer], Daisy Smith (Daisy Eloise Smith) [Mrs. Randolph], Jane Novak [Juliet, a dancer], Duane Wager [the mine superintendent], Logan Paul
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / From a story by Marie A. Wing. / Released 19 May 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Action.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? After her husband’s death, rough mountain woman Johanna Weston continues single-handed hauling ore from her mine to the mill, over her private right of way. The Yellow Rose, a competing mine, meets with difficulties when a landslide blocks the roadway. The owners want to use Johanna’s, the only other road, but she asks a prohibitive price for its use, and the foreman, fearing he will lose his contracts, writes to Crane, the owner, asking that young mining engineer George Randolph be sent to make terms with the “Barbarian.” Randolph, whose wife is an invalid, is glad of the opportunity to go, as an excuse to escape Juliet, a pretty dancer, with whom he has been infatuated. He accordingly moves with his wife to Randsburg. George, Johanna’s lazy son, is treated kindly by Mrs. Randolph and her good influence has its effect. Johanna loves the boy in her coarse way and demonstrates it; at the same time she displays her strength and courage by thrashing the camp bully for abusing George. From this, Randolph gets an idea of the sturdy type of woman with whom he must deal. The “little sick lady,” as George calls Mrs. Randolph, wins Johanna’s heart through her kindness to the boy. Randolph determines to run his automobile truck over Johanna’s road without her consent. Johanna, in revenge, “plants” several sticks of dynamite in the road. Shortly after she sees a pair of shoes Mrs. Randolph has given George and they remind her of the good woman’s influence over her boy. Johanna becomes remorseful at the thought of her deadly plan and the sorrow it will cause. George points to the new truck moving along the road, and, taking her gun, she shoots into the dynamite, exploding it before the truck reaches the spot. Randolph and the foreman are about to give up in despair when Johanna has George write a note, selling out to Randolph on his own terms. Later Randolph’s wife gets well and is able to walk again. Through Johanna, Randolph gets rid of Juliet forever. In gratitude, Johanna determines nothing shall cloud the happiness of the woman who has added so much to her own.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 21 October 2022.
References: ClasIm-220 p. 41 : Website-IMDb.
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