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The Prisoner’s Escape
(1907) [?] France or England?
B&W : Short film
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
[?] Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont or L. Gaumont and Company [British]? production; distributed by [?] Société des Etablissements L. Gaumont or L. Gaumont and Company [British]? / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film was released in the USA by Kleine Optical Company in 1907.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? A man is seen to obtain his liberty by leaping from one of the windows of a prison and running across the plain. He is observed by a sentry, who fires at his and raises an alarm, causing instant pursuit of the convict, who, in his race to elude his pursuers, suddenly appears before an old lady who is playing with a little girl, her grandchild. He begs her assistance, saying that he has escaped from jail and pleading with her to help him; the child joins in the plea, and the old lady hides him behind a bush, throws her cloak over it, and commences to play with the child. When the prison guards come up they ask her if this has seen an escaped convict. Pointing in another direction, she sends the soldiers off on the wrong track, and when the coast is clear, she calls the man out. He blesses and thanks the old lady and goes on his way to freedom. Returning to his old haunts, he is welcomed by his boon companions, who rejoice with him at his escape. But he is persuaded, after being plied with liquor, to join in an attempt at burglary. Very reluctantly he commences this work, but tries to get out of it. On the threat that he will be held up to justice if he does not do his pal’s will, he is compelled to go with him. In getting through a window they disturb the slumbers of a little child, whom the burglar recognizes as the child which accompanied the lady who helped him to escape. Taking the child in his arms, he consoles it and calms it to sleep, while his companion ransacks the house. Gently he replaces the child in its crib, where, nestled in comfort, it goes to sleep, holding the finger of the man. He tries to release it, but fears to awaken the child, and as his heart softens, he is unable to use force, and the tight hold of the sleeping child defies his weak efforts. The lady of the house discovers the other burglar and calls the police, who capture the man and take him off to jail. The lady, with fear and trembling, goes to the bedroom of the little child and to her astonishment discovers the burglar held by a little hand and recognizes the one whom she had helped before. He explains the predicament in which he was placed. He again asks for her charity, sympathy and her help, and for the sake of the little child who has kept him a prisoner all the while, she listens to he plea, and pointing out through a window down to a church, which is seen in the distance, she begs of the man to go to the church and commence a better life. He agrees to this, and is seen at the church making his vows before the altar, and standing up with a resolve, he goes out to secure work, which he obtains. We next see him as an honest workman, respected by his companions, working at the bench and receiving the wages due to him for his weekly work, fully carrying out the text: “A little child shall lead them.”
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: (unknown) [France]; Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 28 March 2020.
References: Sloan-Loud pp. 41, 150 : Website-IMDb.
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