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Quantrell’s Son
(1914) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Robert Thornby
Cast: Robert Thornby [Quantrell’s son], Otto Lederer [William Clarke Quantrell], Evelyn Forshay [Quantrell’s son’s wife], Baby Mace [Quantrell’s son’s child]
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Scenario by Robert Thornby. / Released 19 January 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Historical.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The famous guerrilla chief, Quantrell, disowns his son five years before the opening of the Civil War, because he has married against his wishes. Five years later, Quantrell is the leader of a band of Confederate guerrillas, while his son is a private on the Union side. Continued escapes exasperate the guerrilla chief and he swears that the next time a prisoner gets away he will hold the guard responsible. The son receives word from his wife that the baby is not to live long and that she wants him to get a furlough and come home. He applies for one but it is denied him. Soon after this, he is captured by his father’s men, escapes and although he is shot, gets away to his home. Old Quantrell, not knowing who the escaped Union soldier is, goes after the prisoner himself, saying that if he succeeds in bringing back the prisoner the guard must die for his carelessness. The father traces the soldier to his home, finds out that he is his son, and after a struggle decides to make him a prisoner, even though his beautiful young wife pleads with him to spare her husband and his own son. Quantrell is turning to call in his men and tell them where the soldier is hiding, when he comes face to face with the baby in the crib, quickly placed before him by his son’s young wife. His heart warms up when he sees the little infant. After kissing the baby and caressing it tenderly, he goes slowly out of the house. Riding away with his men he tells them that he did not find the fugitive. The mother and wife rejoices and goes to her husband in the next room, taking the baby with her. The young soldier’s wound is not serious, and does not prevent him from taking part in their mutual happiness, while Old Quantrell rides away.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 31 January 1914, page ?] A war-time picture produced and written by Robert T. Thornby. Its scenes are done in a homely, pleasing way, but not all of them are powerfully convincing. The story is well told and it makes a very fair offering.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 28 November 2022.
References: Pitts-Hollywood p. 105 : Website-IMDb.
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