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The Mysterious Hand
(1913) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Bertram Bracken
Cast: Henry King, Dolly Larkin [Elsie], Henry Nevius, Bertram Bracken, Joseph Holland, Barret Nevius
Lubin Manufacturing Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Siegmund Lubin. / Released 7 July 1913. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Bob Winters, a cowboy on the Bar Z ranch, is in love with and loved by Elsie, the daughter of John Marston. the owner of the ranch. When Bob goes to ask Marston for Elsie’s hand, he refuses and a quarrel ensues. Later Marston is seen rescuing a little Indian boy from Dick Thomas, a drunken cowboy, who is beating the little Indian. One night as Bob is eating supper in his cabin a hand appears through the window and takes the knife from his belt. The next morning Marston is found murdered and the knife with which the deed was done is recognized as the one belonging to Bob. A posse is quickly formed and they search for Bob. He is found and charged with the crime, but denies it. The men refuse to listen to his denial and urged on by some of the hot-headed members of the party they decide to lynch Bob. The Indian boy. who has been loitering in the vicinity, goes to the ranch house and tells Elsie that Bob is about to be lynched. She determines to go to the men and plead with them to give Bob a chance to prove his innocence. She arrives at the scene as the rope is about to be pulled, and in an unexpected manner the real murderer is discovered.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 19 July 1913, page ?] This Western film tells a story that has been handled in many different ways, but which is entertaining nonetheless. Elsie’s father saves the boy from a beating by the greaser. The latter, knowing the father’s objection to Bob, in love with Elsie, takes the latter’s knife and stabs the old man, throwing the suspicion upon Bob. The girl saves her lover at the last moment, when the noose is already about his neck. This situation has been done so often that it now has a tendency to provoke smiles, but escaped that fate in this instance.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 June 2024.
References: Website-IMDb.
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