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The Tardy Cannon Ball
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by John G. Adolfi
Cast: Eugene Pallette [Dink], Sam de Grasse [Floss], Francelia Billington [Jess], Florence Crawford, Beulah Burns, Thelma Burns
Reliance Motion Picture Corporation production; distributed by Mutual Film Corporation. / Released 10 October 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
[?] Comedy-Drama?
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The agent on duty at the railway station in Dodd City is out of humor. He has just received a message that the Cannon Ball Express is two hours late, which necessitates his remaining on duty until the train leaves. A stranger enters, purchases a ticket and while waiting for the train, tries to strike up an acquaintance with the agent. The latter at first holds aloof, but when the stranger produces a flask and they have a drink, the agent thaws considerably, and the two are soon engaged in a game of casino. The agent is a trifle excited over the late arrival of the train, but the stranger advises him not to become restless. The stranger then tells a story about two friends, Dink Gober and Floss Campbell, who started as sheep herders near Roswell, New Mexico. Dink and Floss were the best of friends. When they started in business they were very poor, but, by hard word and the practice of economy, they began to prosper. When the price of mutton went soaring, they became fairly well-to-do. The partners lived together, asking no other comradeship. If the partners ever did any cheating, they combined their efforts to cheat someone else and were always fair in their dealings to each other. As a memento of their friendship Floss gave Dink a plugged quarter as a keepsake and Dink presented his partner with a plugged nickel. As fortune smiled on the partners, Dink became somewhat fastidious. He meets Jess, the pretty daughter of a neighboring rancher, who has recently moved into the district, and falls in love with her. He makes several visits to Jess’ home, during which time he tells his partner that he is away on important business. Dink finally confides to his partner in regard to his love affair and Floss exerts himself to help Dink. Dink and Jess are married and, upon returning to the ranch, they find that the house had been carefully cleaned by Floss. The couple live at the ranch house and Floss moves to a nearby cabin, but takes his meals with Dink and his bride. Jess at first is happy, but later becomes restless. Dink spends his time in drinking and attending his sheep. Dink becomes irritable, and one day returns home to find his wife missing. Floss is also missing. The plugged nickel that Dink had given Floss is lying on the table with a note from Jess stating that she had left him. He destroys his supply of whiskey, sells his property and starts to hunt for his wife and bring her back. His funds are exhausted in his search and he works at various odd jobs to earn a living, but he determines to shoot Floss at sight. Dink meets a widow at a church where he drops in casually, because he has no other place to go. He becomes very friendly with the widow and soon begins to feel his enmity against Floss leaving him. She laughs at him when she sees his six-shooter and Dink feels foolish. He decides to follow one more clue in search for his former partner, however. The stranger at this point tells the nervous appearing agent that Dink had found Jessie and learned that she had secured a divorce from Dink, married Floss and appeared to be very happy with her two children. The Cannon Ball Express is heard coming and the agent prepares to go outside the station. The stranger drops some coins on the floor of the station and, in picking them up, he fails to see a plugged quarter lying in one of the floor cracks. The agent returns it to him, however. The stranger gets on the Cannon Ball and, as it pulls out, he takes a plugged nickel from his pocket and hands it to the agent with the statement: “Here is your nickel, Floss.”
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 24 October 1914, page ?] An excellent two reel story that keeps you in suspense from start to finish and winds up in an entirely novel and pleasing way. The “cannon ball” is an express train that is late and so gives the station agent the opportunity to play seven up with a waiting passenger who turns out to be not only his old pal but his enemy also. The surprise at the end is quite equal to an O. Henry story.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 15 November 2022.
References: Website-IMDb.
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