Back in 1914, short one-reel dramas and comedies (about 10-15 minutes in length) were the norm, and AT DAWN is an excellent example of some of the dramas of that time. This 'short' features popular silent film star, Wallace Reid, in an early role quite different from the good-guy heroes he later played. Here he plays a good-for-nothing type who is only after a woman's money, but when her rich aunt realizes his true intentions, she forces her niece to end their relationship. Reid then goes off to The Philippines during which time the rich aunt dies and, still unaware of his true nature, the wealthy niece follows her old lover overseas. His scheming ways take a turn for the worse, however, and I thought Wallace Reid played 'the bad guy' superbly. It's a good little story packed into just under 15 minutes of great drama, and is directed by Donald Crisp, who also became a successful actor in later years. For a good example of short silent films before feature-length films became popular, or a look at Wallace Reid's fine acting talents, AT DAWN is an excellent choice.
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