Old and New Tahiti
(1913) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel
Directed by [?] Bertram Bracken?
Cast: Mildred Bracken [the island queen]
Méliès Star Films [American] production; distributed by [?] The Vitagraph Company of America through The General Film Company, Incorporated? / Produced by Gaston Méliès. / Released 23 October 1913; in a split-reel with Grand Opening of the Shicijio Bridge, Kyoto, Japan (1913). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot on-location in Tahiti in 1912.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The thrilling story told by an old native of Tahiti, of how, in years gone by, he saved the island’s present great chief, Tati Kakao. Tati was dedicated to the Teva clan by his mother, the queen. Knekud, the old native, then young, spied enemies approaching the island and warned the queen. A rival clan, led by two Swedish beachcombers, armed with muskets, landed and demanded that the infant chief be surrendered or there would be war. The young and faithful native seeing that his tribesmen were weakening to the enemies’ demands, to avert a great war, took the infant from his mother and carried him to a place of safety. And then there was a conflict in which the odds were even, until the young native, finding the Swedish sailors in need of water, helps them to a liquid poisoned with the deadly leaves of Kava. The Tevas were victorious and the clan’s honor is sustained. Knekud is honored.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Tahiti
Listing updated: 11 August 2023.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 142; Thompson-Star p. 233 : Website-IMDb.
|