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The Mysterious Hand
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Three reels
Directed by Francis Ford
Cast: Grace Cunard [Lady Raffles], Francis Ford [Detective Phil Kelly], [?] Arthur Munns or Arthur Moon?, Duke Worne, Victor Goss, [?] Jack Ford (John Ford)?
New York Motion Picture Company production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated [101-Bison]. / Scenario by Grace Cunard. / Released 24 October 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The fifth film in the “My Lady Raffles” series.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? There is a little slavey working in an English boarding house. She accidentally discovers the “swag” of a couple of crooks one day, but dismisses the event from her mind, owing to the kindness which the men have shown her. Kelly, the detective, locates the two crooks at the boarding house and, to watch them, he secures a room next to theirs in the same house. In making up the detective’s bed one morning, the slavey comes across his revolver and handcuffs. She divines that he is there to cause trouble to her friends in the next room. Later, the detective corners the crooks. The little slavey, however, facilitates their escape. Five years later we find the slavey in a magnificent suite of rooms occupied by herself and the two crooks, whom she befriended. Under their direction she has gained the sobriquet of “My Lady Raffles.” Reading of a fashionable wedding to take place and of the many beautiful wedding presents, “My Lady Raffles” decides to turn them to her own account. She and her friends visit an antique shop, where they select a handsome cedar chest. The proprietor returns from the rear of the shop to find the two men alone. They order the chest sent to the address where the wedding is to take place. Detective Kelly is invited to the wedding as a guest, but incidentally to guard the many valuable gifts. After the party is over, he alone occupies the room, which is in semi-darkness. He has a premonition that all is not right. All at once the lid of the cedar chest, which is among the gifts, begins to rise slowly. Kelly watches and sees a white hand emerge. This mysterious hand travels about among the gifts selecting the most valuable. Overcoming his surprise, Detective Kelly seizes the hand, which is all he can see in the gloomy room. He draws his revolver. It is accidentally discharged. His captive escapes in the confusion. Kelly, however, has had time to observe that the hand bears a peculiar birthmark between the thumb and first finger. Cudgeling his brain he recalls that the little slavey in the boarding house of five years before had just such a mark. Outside the house, “My Lady Raffles” makes good her escape in the automobile. Detective Kelly pursues in his machine. As previously arranged, the crooks are met by a car coming in the opposite direction. The girl leaps into the other machine and speeds back toward the scene of the crime, thus eluding the detective, who follows the machine containing the two men. Kelly locates the house occupied by the crooks and by a ruse, admits himself. “My Lady Raffles,” meanwhile, had returned. Detective Kelly proceeds to place her under arrest. She asks permission to put on a skirt, as she is only clad in a little black velvet suit with bloomers. This is granted by Kelly. She steps behind a curtain. A moment later the detective hears a sound of a panel sliding to. He hears a machine outside and rushes to the window. From the speeding car “My Lady Raffles” throws back a kiss to the outwitted detective.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 31 October 1914, page ?] Another three-reel number of the “My Lady Raffles” series, complete in itself. Grace Cunard and Francis Ford again demonstrate their ability to get up an atmosphere of mystery. They present a crook story which carries the observer from one improbable situation to another, yet it is all done in so entertaining a manner that it proves very pleasing. Grace Cunard appears in the first reel as a slavey. She saves the crooks from the detective and later joins the gang. Her subsequent activities are startling and enjoyable. Her escape from the detective was ingeniously presented. An entertaining combination of sensation and legerdemain, all well photographed.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 June 2024.
References: ClasIm-224 p. 43 : Website-IMDb.
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