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The Moving Picture Cowboy
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Tom Mix
Cast: Tom Mix [Luke Barns], W.L. Lewis [Hawkins], Eleanor Blevins [Mary], Lester Cuneo [the director], Charles Wheelock [the cameraman], Bobby Murdock (Robert Murdock) [the property man], Old Blue the horse
The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by William N. Selig. From a screen story by Tom Mix. Presented by The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated. / Released 5 October 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Comedy: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Luke Barns obtains employment with a moving picture concern as a cowboy and declares himself capable of performing any or all feats such as cowboys are supposed to perform. In the first picture he writes a letter to his uncle stating that the arduous duties in connection with picture making, have caused him to desire to take a vacation, which he will spend on his uncle’s ranch. In his letter he indicates that he is the “real stuff” as a cowboy, which causes much amusement to the uncle and arrangements are made for a reception which will quickly prove out the pretensions of his boastful nephew. Luke arrives at the ranch dressed in gorgeous paraphernalia such as only stage cowboys can discover in the metropolitan shops. He is girded with brass studded belts, fluffy “chaps” and struts like a turkey cock into the ranch where he is immediately introduced to the working cowboys, who suspend all operations in order to feast their eyes upon the gorgeous splendor of the new arrival. Luke is not bashful in the least decree. He finds an audience to his liking and proceeds to entertain them immediately with the story of his thrilling “stunts.” First, he describes the thrilling manner in which he pursued and tied a steer in record time. He describes this so vividly, that the hearers think that he is telling the truth. They can see in their minds’ eye exactly how he did it. Next, he describes his adventures in sticking like a bur to the back of a fractious broncho. This they believe also. Then he describes in a thrilling way how he rode down a run-away steer and bull-dogged it by springing from the saddle, grabbing the steer, and throwing it to the ground. Then follows his narrative of a perilous pursuit of a tram on horseback, and catching the rear car by leaping from the saddle to the steps of the freight car. He relates his rescue of the leading motion picture lady from a band of blood-thirsty stage Indians. He relates vividly a thrilling pursuit by “bad” men on horseback, and boastfully relates how quickly they turned “tail” and rode back to the mountains as soon as they discovered whom they were pursuing. He exhibits with pride a medal of doubtful antecedents, which he states was presented to him by his admiring co-workers in the motion picture studio. In fact, there is no work that day at the ranch, because the harrowing and exciting incidents related by the boastful Luke, have rendered everybody hors du combat. After leaving the hero, Luke Barns, surrounded by an admiring audience, the pictures in the second reel, proceed to explain just what the boastful hero really did. But luckily for his peace of mind, the boys on the ranch are not supposed to know about this. All of the scenes shown in the first reel are reproduced, only the climax of each scene is entirely different. The boastful Luke has a most comical mishap at the conclusion of each attempted “stunt.”
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Motion pictures
Listing updated: 13 December 2024.
References: Robinson-Palace p. 98.16 : Website-IMDb.
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