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When the Clock Stopped
(1913) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Bertram Bracken
Cast: Henry King [George Bennett], Dolly Larkin [Mrs. Bennett, George’s wife], Henry Stanley [John A. Mann], Velma Whitman [Helen Hunter, the stenographer]
Lubin Manufacturing Company production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by Siegmund Lubin. / Released 14 November 1913. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? George Bennett, a young real estate operator, opens negotiations for the sale of a factory site to John A. Mann, head of a glass factory. Mann writes Bennett that he will talk about the proposition. Percy Morley, Mann’s secretary, forces attentions on Helen Hunter, a stenographer in the office. On the way to see Mann, Bennett sees Morley annoying Helen and protects the girl, finally knocking Morley down. Helen lives near the factory site Bennett is promoting, but she does not know the real estate operator. At Mann’s office, Bennett finds the manufacturer willing to buy the site if the property is as represented. Bennett goes home and plans with his wife to buy the property on option, sell it to Mann and thus reap the profit. He secures a ten-day option, using Mrs. Bennett’s bonds as security. Mann orders Morley to inspect the property. The latter goes and there recognizes Bennett as the man who knocked him down. To get even Morley, without making himself known to Bennett, returns to Mann and reports that the site is worthless. Mann telephones Bennett that he will not purchase the property. Bennett is stunned. He makes several fruitless attempts to negotiate further. Finally, on the day the option is to expire, he goes to Mann's office. He is denied audience, but not before Helen has recognized him as her defender. Helen has heard Morley’s report on the site and was surprised. Her recognition of Bennett decides her to take a hand. She goes to Mann and tells him the truth about the site. Mann fires Morley and the manufacturer and Helen go to view the property. Meanwhile, Bennett sees ruin when the option expires at 6 o’clock that night. He determines to commit suicide so that his insurance policy of $50,000 will provide for his wife against the loss of her home and bonds. He writes a note to Mrs. Bennett, telling her that at 5 o’clock he will be dead, and gives the note to a boy with instructions to deliver at 5 o’clock. He then locks himself in his office and starts to write a farewell letter. Mann and Helen find the site satisfactory and go to Bennett’s office to close the deal. Finding the door locked, they hurry to Bennett’s home, where they arrive at 5 o’clock to find Mrs. Bennett reading her husband’s suicide note. All rush back to the office. The large clock has stopped at 4:50. Bennett still busy writing does not note for a time that the clock has stopped. Then he looks at his watch to find it is 5:15. Hearing determined knocking on his door, Bennett seizes and raises his revolver to end it all. Mann breaks the glass in the door, opens the lock and disarms Bennett after a short struggle. Before Bennett has recovered from his daze, the manufacturer starts to write a check for the purchase of the new site.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 October 2023.
References: Website-IMDb.
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