This early Kalem piece suffers from a story that doesn't make much sense. Sidney Olcott -- the director as well as the star -- is forced by poverty to leave Ireland and Gene Gauntier -- the scenarist as well as the ingénue -- for New York, where he makes his mark as a politician in only seven years. Meanwhile, back on the Old Sod (as they used to say) poverty continues and the ladies are about to be thrown out of their house, but Olcott shows up in the nick of time with the cash. Apparently it never occurred to anyone to wire the money.
When confronted with these poorly written early movies -- and there are a lot of them -- one searches for good things, and they are here in the camera work of George K. Hollister, who shoots everything beautifully and who managed to get in one trick shot and one long pan shot into the proceedings: quite a triumph considering the inert camera that Olcott preferred. Even Hollister's still camera is quite beautiful.
The three -- Olcott, Gauntier and Hollister -- would reteam frequently, most notably for 1912's smash hit FROM THE MANGER TO THE CROSS.
When confronted with these poorly written early movies -- and there are a lot of them -- one searches for good things, and they are here in the camera work of George K. Hollister, who shoots everything beautifully and who managed to get in one trick shot and one long pan shot into the proceedings: quite a triumph considering the inert camera that Olcott preferred. Even Hollister's still camera is quite beautiful.
The three -- Olcott, Gauntier and Hollister -- would reteam frequently, most notably for 1912's smash hit FROM THE MANGER TO THE CROSS.
