Movie Serials or Chapter Plays
includes a few TV serials in the style of classic cliffhanger theatricals as well as some retro-serials
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- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsPierre BressolWith a US pulp magazine hero and episodes improvised outdoors in Paris's suburbs, Eclair director Jasset began the crime series cycle.The export success of the installments would bring the main star letters from admirers around the world.
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsPierre BressolNick Carter, King of Detectives: Episode 3
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsPierre BressolNick Carter, King of Detectives: Episode 4
- DirectorViggo LarsenStarsOtto DetlefsenHolger-MadsenViggo LarsenSherlock Holmes I
- DirectorViggo LarsenStarsViggo LarsenHolger-MadsenRaffles is serving his time. He manages to send a word to his friends and they help him to escape. Once free, Raffles' first thought is to revenge himself on Sherlock Holmes, and for this he enlists the services of a pretty but depraved girl, to decoy the great detective to an old house, where he is met by Raffles under the disguise of an old woman. Sherlock Holmes, taken by surprise, is thrown through a masked opening in the wall, into an old sewer. When Raffles and his associates discover that Sherlock Holmes has been rescued, they plan a second attempt on his life. Raffles takes lodgings opposite the detective's home and watches for a good chance to fire his gun at Sherlock Holmes. Young Billy, the alert office boy, discovers the strange new tenant and notifies his master. Sherlock Holmes, guessing the intentions of the criminal, pulls down the window blinds and arranges a dummy at the window. At a given moment, Billy pulls up the blinds and Raffles, who had been watching for a good opportunity, takes up his gun and shoots. He hits the dummy, but great is his surprise when leaving the window, to find himself face to face with Sherlock Holmes in flesh. As Raffles turns to run away, he is caught by two officers.
- DirectorViggo LarsenStarsAugust BlomViggo LarsenGustav Lund
- DirectorViggo LarsenStarsHolger-MadsenViggo LarsenGustav Lund
- DirectorJ. Stuart BlacktonStarsPat HartiganJulia ArthurWilliam HumphreyThe persecution of the children of Israel by the Egyptians. Now there arose up a new king in Egypt. And he said unto his people. Behold, the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier than we. Let us set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens. (Exodus, chapter I.) The first scenes show the Egyptian court and King Pharaoh commanding the slave drivers to beat the Hebrew toilers who show signs of rebellion. Pharaoh notices this and, calling his scribes, orders that a decree be published that every man-child born to the Hebrews be killed. The parchment is prepared and is read in Pharaohs court in the presence of Pharaohs daughter, who hears and pleads in vain for his clemency. Pharaohs Decree: Every male child that is born to the Hebrews shall be cast into the river. The Egyptians ruthlessly proceed to carry out the decree and seize the male children from the arms of the Hebrew mothers. Here we are shown the interior of a Hebrew dwelling. The child Moses is in a cradle and his mother is bending over him, utterly unconscious of the cruel edict of King Pharaoh. The sister of Moses is shown attending to household duties and she takes a pitcher and goes to the well to draw water. There she learns of the slaughter of the innocents and hastens back and tells the mother of the cruel scenes she has witnessed. They decide to hide the child Moses by the river, and the cradle or ark is covered and carried between them to a marsh, where they plaster the outside with soft mud to keep out the water, and placing the child therein, his sister remains nearby to watch what will become of him. And the daughter of Pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river; and her maidens walked along by the rivers edge; and when she saw the ark among the flags she sent her maid to fetch it. And when she had opened it she saw the child; and, behold, the babe wept, and she had compassion on him. Pharaohs daughter fondles and pets the crying child and decides that she will keep him for her own. The sister of Moses approaches and suggests that she call a nurse of the Hebrew women and she, of course, called the childs mother. And Pharaohs daughter said unto her, Take this child away and nurse it for me and I will give thee thy wages. And the woman took the child and nursed it. Pharaoh is informed of his daughters caprice and demands to see the child. He orders it away, but his daughter embraces him and pleads so hard for the life of the child that he consents and gives it his protection and blessing. A fitting ending is a picture of the mother and sister of Moses again fondling their own and giving thanks to God for their unexpected good fortune. The first reel of this series ended with the child Moses being adopted by Pharaohs daughter. The Hebrews are still under bondage, and we see them laboring in the brick fields, beaten by the taskmasters, as they build those gigantic specimens of Egyptian architecture, many of which stand to this day. Moses has been reared and educated in the Egyptian court, and is now in the prime of life, but he does not forget that he is of Hebrew blood, and, as he watches his brethren in their slavery, his blood boils at the outrages and he looks toward Heaven and cries, How long, oh Lord, how long? A number of Hebrews are digging clay, which is filled into baskets. The load is too heavy for one of the laborers, and the taskmaster beats him unmercifully. Moses sees this and kills the taskmaster. T The other Hebrew slaves, horrified at the enormity of the act, run away, and Moses, afraid of the consequences, hastily buries the body in the clay pit. Two days after this, Moses seeks to separate two of his brethren who are quarreling, and one of them says: Wilt thou kill me as thou didst the Egyptian? Moses is terrified when he knows that his crime is known, and decides to flee from the country. He seeks refuge in the home of a Hebrew laborer and bargains for a suit of the laborers garments, with which he disguises himself; he also purchases provisions and a water bottle, and departs. Moses is seen crossing the desert. Tired and dusty, he rests and drinks from his water flask. Still toiling on through the arid desert, he reaches an eminence and looks hack to see if he is being followed, and, seeing no one, he gives thanks for his deliverance. Moses has at last reached the land of Midian. He discovers a well and refreshes and rests himself. While he is resting seven daughters of Jethro, a Midianite, come to the well to draw water for their sheep and cattle. Other herdsmen also come to the well and ungallantly drive away the maidens, but Moses comes to their aid, and draws the water for them. The home of Jethro, the priest of Midian, father of the seven maidens. They enter and tell of the encounter at the well, and how they were aided by a Hebrew traveler. He says the man must be his guest, and hastens to the well and greets Moses and invites him to the shelter of his house, which offer is accepted. Moses enters the home of the priest of Midian, where he is effusively greeted by the whole household, and we see him seated and enjoying a meal with the family. (And Moses was content to dwell with the manand he gave Moses his daughter, Zipporah, to wife.) (Forty years later). Moses is now a shepherd, and, while tending his flocks in the land of Midian. The voice of God speaks to him out of a burning bush and commands him to return to Egypt and deliver his brethren out of the bondage of the Egyptians. Moses bids farewell to Jethro, his father-in-law, and, with his family, journeys to Egypt. On the way he meets Aaron, who had been, commanded by the Lord to meet Moses, and together they arrive at the Egyptian court. The court of Pharaoh, a young man, the elder Pharaoh having died while Moses was in Midian. The officials announce the new arrivals, and Moses and Aaron are ushered in and demand, in the name of the Lord, that the Children of Israel be set free. The Egyptian king refuses, and Moses tells him that if he does not consent the wrath of God will come on all the Egyptians. Moses prays to the Lord for advice, and is commanded to work a miracle before the Egyptian monarch to convince him that it is the Lord, the God of the Israelites, who demands the deliverance of His people. Moses and Aaron appear before Pharaoh again. Aaron casts his rod upon the ground and it becomes a serpent. Pharaoh is amazed, but he still refuses to free the Children of Israel. Pharaohs continued refusal brings upon Egypt the ten plagues. Moses finds Pharaoh near the rivers edge and again asks that his people be allowed to go free. When Pharaoh denies again. Aaron smites the water of the river with his rod and the waters are turned into blood. Again Moses appears before Pharaoh and again Pharaoh refuses his request. As God had commanded, Moses stretches his hand toward heaven and immediately a great storm of hail and lightning, such as they had never seen, descends on Egypt, killing man and beast and striking terror to the heart of Pharaoh. Pharaohs heart was again hardened and he still refuses to free the Hebrew children. Again Moses stretches his hand toward heaven, and a thick darkness, a darkness that might be felt, covered the land for three days, so that no one was able to rise from his place. The last and most terrible plague visited on Egypt for Pharaohs continued refusal is the death of all the Egyptian first born. The Feast of the Passover is instituted at this time. Moses directing all the Hebrew people to observe the Feast by killing and preparing a lamb. Moses commands the Children of Israel to sprinkle the door posts on both sides and on top with the blood of the lamb and on every house where they are to eat the Feast of the Passover, and to prepare the Feast. The Feast of the Passover is observed, according to the instructions of Moses, by every Jewish family in Egypt, the Feast consisting of roast lamb with unleavened bread and herbs. The same night that the Feast of the Passover is being observed by the Israelites, the Angel of Death passes over the land of Egypt in the last plague, the death of the first born. The Angel of Death enters every Egyptian home where there is no blood on the doorposts, and the first born of every Egyptian family is slain, from the first born in Pharaohs household to the first born of the captive in the dungeons. The Angel of Death, however, passes by every Jewish home, as God had promised to Moses that where He saw the blood on the doorposts He would pass them over and the plague should not be upon them. In Pharaohs palace Pharaoh and his court are feasting, when the Angel of Death enters and Pharaohs own first born is slain. Pharaoh is overcome with grief at this terrible visitation and sends for Moses and Aaron immediately. The death of his first born softens the heart of Pharaoh and when Moses and Aaron now appear before him he commands them to take the Children of Israel and to depart out of the land of Egypt. Moses and Aaron give the command to the Hebrew people, who immediately gather together their possessions and prepare to leave the land of their bondage with reverent and thankful hearts. With Moses and Aaron as leaders, the Israelites begin their exodus from Egypt, the land of the Pharaohs, where they had been slaves for so many years.
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsPierre BressolBahierMaryse DauvrayNew Exploits of Nick Carter: Episode 2
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsPierre BressolNew Exploits of Nick Carter: Episode 3 (presumed)
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsPierre BressolNew Exploits of Nick Carter: Episode 4 (presumed)
- DirectorEdwin S. PorterJean Valjean, hardened and embittered but newly released from prison is transformed by his interaction with the Bishop of Digne.Les Miserables I
- Dramatized from Victor Hugo's "Les Miserables." This film deals with the second chapter in the reformed life of Victor Hugo's hero, Jean Valjean, whom we first met in "The Price of a Soul." It deals with the arrival of the convict, Valjean, at the factory which in later years he comes to own. After the prologue where this is shown the action proceeds after an interval of twenty years, showing the unfortunate Fantine and her child, Cosette, their arrival at the inn of the Thenardiers and her leaving Cosette in their keeping. Next comes her application for work in the factory which is now owned by the Mayor, the man whom we know as Jean Valjean, the convict. Of course his past record is unknown in the town where he has risen from the humble position of a workman to that of chief magistrate. We see Fantine discharged later from the mill for some petty offense and, receiving a letter from the custodians of her child demanding money for a doctor for the little one, driven by desperation into the street. We see her attacking a citizen, who mistreats her, and then, in the Police Station, brought face to face with the Mayor. Believing that he is responsible for her discharge from the mill and her subsequent downfall, she thinks that he jests when he bids the officers release her, and, flying into a rage, she insults him. But his great heart is proof against such treatment and he makes her understand that she has misjudged him, and that henceforth she will be cared for. Here another interesting figure enters the story, that of Javert, the inexorable Inspector of Police. He has a suspicion that the Mayor much resembles a certain convict, Jean Valjean, whom he saw in former years. Inquiry confirming the belief, he sends a letter of denunciation to the State authorities; but the arrest of a peasant for stealing apples and the testimony of three galley-slaves to the fact that he is Jean Valjean, lead Javert to apologize to the Mayor and acknowledge that the real Jean Valjean has been found. Then follows the terrible struggle which Jean Valjean has with himself. Shall he let an innocent man suffer for his old convict record or shall he announce his own identity and thus sacrifice all his years of happiness and all of his present power and position? His promise to Fantine to bring her child to her makes his decision all the harder, but, remembering the good bishop who had taught him the better way and had bought his soul for good, he makes the sacrifice. In a powerfully dramatic scene he appears in the court room just as sentence is about to be pronounced on the other man, announces his own identity, and later, at the bedside of Fantine, submits to arrest at the hands of the relentless Javert.Les Miserables II
- As in the two previous films this story, though complete in itself, is really another incident in the life of Victor Hugo's hero, Jean Valjean. It begins with his heroic rescue of an unfortunate sailor who has fallen and hangs suspended between sea and sky from the yardarm of a man-of-war. Jean Valjean, the convict, gets permission from the officer and, climbing the rigging, rescues the man. His feet having been set free to perform this office, he takes advantage of the fact and pretends to accidentally fall from the yardarm into the sea. Once there, he disappears from view, and the careful search of the officers and sailors results in the decision that the man has drowned. But we see him reappear in the forest where he has before his arrest secreted clothing and funds, and we see him find the unfortunate Fantine's little daughter, Cosette. She has been sent by the brutal Thenardiers to bring water from the spring, and when the giant convict reaches down and takes the heavy pail from her hands a new chapter is opened in both her life and his own Jean returns with her to the inn, and, after saving her from a whipping at the hands of Madam Thenardier, he offers to take the child from them. They drive a hard bargain, making him pay expenses far in advance of what has been actually incurred for the child, but he takes her with him. Regretting that they have not driven a still more advantageous bargain, the Thenardiers decide to attempt to secure more money for her release, and Thenardier himself pursues Jean and Cosette, overtaking them in the woods. Jean refuses to take back the money and relinquish the child, and, when Thenardier grows insistent, he produces the deathbed order from her mother, proving his right to the child. He does this with full knowledge of the risk he runs of being traced by the authorities, but sees no other way out of it. The result is that Thenardier and his wife make the case known to Inspector Javert, the inexorable officer who has pursued our hero throughout the story. Javert follows him to Paris, where he and Cosette have taken humble lodgings, and, after satisfying himself that Jean is really the convict he is searching for, he secures gendarmes and follows him. In attempting to escape, Jean and Cosette find themselves in a close alleyway almost surrounded by high walls, the only entrance being that through which the soldiers are coming. Jean takes advantage of the dexterity learned as a convict and succeeds in climbing an angle of the stone wall, and pulling Cosette up after him, drops over into the convent yard just in time to baffle his pursuers. Javert and the soldiers linger in this part of the town and the danger is by no means past. Jean finds, in the gardener of the convict, an old employee, whose devotion prompts him to secrete Jean from the nuns until an opportunity occurs to get him safely away. This opportunity comes through the desire of the nuns to bury one of their number beneath the altar, which is in direct disobedience of a city ordinance. To seem to comply with the ordinance they must send a coffin supposed to contain the nun to the cemetery. The faithful old employee is entrusted with this task and as a reward for its successful carrying out, is promised a position in the convent employ for his brother and his brother's little daughter. Jean Valjean is thus secure of a future for himself and Cosette. In the coffin Jean Valjean travels safely past Javert and his soldiers to the graveyard, where Cosette, who has been carried out in the old employee's basket, meets him. But the grave-digger at the cemetery insists on carrying out the duties of his office and burying the casket, and it is only through a clever ruse on the part of the faithful old servitor that the grave-digger is gotten out of the way and Jean finally released. This film contains more dramatic incidents than either of its predecessors, and the touching story of the young child's loving influence in the life of the great-hearted Jean Valjean will make a direct and moving appeal to everyone.Les Miserables III
- DirectorViggo LarsenStarsPaul OttoViggo Larsen
- DirectorViggo LarsenStarsViggo LarsenPaul Otto
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsCharles KraussAlexandre ArquillièreAndré LiabelA sensational detective story, founded on the romance of Leon Sazie. The noted criminal who terrorized all Europe is shown in these three Zigomar reels in a dramatic and intense struggle for supremacy with Paulin Broquet, the celebrated detective, who takes the two in the most varied and finest resorts. It is literally a chase through the entire continent, with Broquet now having the upper hand and again Zigomar in its possession. Zigomar is the leader of a band of men who persist in plundering rich and poor. They know Broquet is on their trail and set a trap for him. However, he escapes, and in the melee which follows, when he nearly captures Zigomar, the latter also flees. A wonderful feature of this production is the "Will o' the Wisp" dance which the noted dancer, Esmée, performs at a ball in the Moulin Rouge in Paris. The festival begins by a magnificent procession, in which the dancer is carried in a litter, bedecked with jewels. In the succeeding darkness, tiny flames light up and Esmée appears clad in white veils. She appears in the semi-darkness as a white apparition. Then the dance becomes gayer, the dancer turns faster, like a flower with changing colors, and finally sinks exhausted to the floor. There are effects of colored light in this picture that never have been seen before. Immediately following there is a scene of great contrast when Zigomar sets fire to the place and the scene ends in wild disorder.Zigomar Vs. Nick Carter: Episode 1 (presumed)
- DirectorVictorin-Hippolyte JassetStarsAlexandre ArquillièreCharles KraussAndré LiabelNick Carter, the famous detective, is ordered to prosecute the gang of Zigomar. Carter gets into various thorny situations but manages to escape every time, helped by Olga, a former girlfriend of Zigomar.