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Photograph: Silent Era image collection.
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The Great Heart
of the West
(1911) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by [?] William F. Haddock and/or Gaston Méliès?
Cast: [?] Francis Ford or William Clifford? [Jack], [?] ? [Mary Gray], [?] ? [Jack’s mother]
Méliès Star-Film [American] production. / Produced by Gaston Méliès. / Released 5 July 1911. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Jack’s lungs were badly affected and his doctor ordered him west, but Jack knew the sacrifice it would be to his mother to send him there and demurred. His mother was firm, however, and gave her small hoard to send him to California. On the day that Jack arrived at Santa Paula he was so weak that he attracted the attention of a kindly-disposed stranger, who passed the hat among the crowd and collected quite a sum, which he pressed into the hand of the reluctant boy. He also directed him to a ranch where he found employment and immediately began to mend. It was not many weeks before he was strong and well and the feeling of the west had entered his blood. He wrote his mother an encouraging letter and returned the money she had advanced him. One day, while riding to herd his cattle Jack came upon Mary Gray, who lived with her brother at a neighboring ranch. Mary’s horse had run away and she was in despair as to how to reach home before dark. Jack offered his own mount and accompanied her home and soon they were fast friends. Mary would come to ride with him while he was watching his herd, and love began to spring as the buds do after the snow has passed. It was not many months before Jack sent for his mother to join him in his new home, and great was the good lady’s surprise to be introduced to her son’s fiancée and invited to the wedding, which was to occur the next day. Having found the great heart of the west and his heart’s happiness, Jack resolved to stay there where he could continue healthy and strong.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: USA: California: Santa Paula
Listing updated: 14 October 2022.
References: Thompson-Star pp. 64-65, 75, 230 : ClasIm-226 p. 55 : Website-IMDb.
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