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Gratitude
(1915) United States of America
B&W : Short film
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: Ivan Christy [Laughing Jim], Walter Coyle (Walter V. Coyle) [Shakespeare George], Joseph McDermott [Phil Mahoney]
Biograph Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Scenario by Roy Norton. / Released 25 May 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Laughing Jim, a “square” gambler, arrives in camp, wearing a pair of toothpick shoes. Of all the characters who gather round his layout, the hardest loser is one Phil Mahoney. Jim ridicules Mahoney’s play, and the bad man, in revenge, arouses public opinion against the gambler by accusing him of crooked dealing. Shakespeare George and his two partners, leaders of public opinion, urge Jim to cut out gambling, as it is his only chance to escape lynching, and he promises that he will play no more in that camp. During the night a thief makes off with the sacks of gold dust which Shakespeare George and his two partners have brought from their mine. Near the cabin are tracks of toothpick shoes and the friends believe Jim a black-hearted ingrate. Going in search of him, Shakespeare George reaches an Indian encampment, where he finds Laughing Jim lying, fatally wounded, in a tepee, and beside him the dead body of Phil Mahoney. Before he expires, Jim tells how he missed his toothpick shoes, followed the thief, and saw Mahoney sneaking away from the mine shack. He followed and saved the gold after a running fight with Mahoney. “You saved me; that squares our account; good-bye,” and Shakespeare George was left pondering on the true meaning of gratitude.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 8 January 2025.
References: Spehr-American p. 2 : Website-IMDb.
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