The Hindoo Charm (1913)
Advised by his friends to seek a second wife so that his children, Helen and Dolores, can know a mother's care, Sir Edward Tilbury marries Phyllis, the daughter of Lady Olivia Gower, a leading social light in Calcutta. One day, after they are married, Nattoo, an Indian fakir and "devil priest," enters the compound of Sir Edward's house and greatly frightens Phyllis and her mother with the snakes that he carries. Phyllis beats him and thrusts him off the grounds, warning him never to return again. Nattoo swears to have revenge and watches for the first opportunity to do her harm. Phyllis, who is not fond of children, does not take much notice of Helen and Dolores, who are greatly disappointed in their new mother, of whom they had hoped so much. One day, hurt because Phyllis has ordered them to run off and play by themselves, they go out of the compound and wander about the streets of the city, where they meet Nattoo. The fakir, who sees that something is wrong, hears that the reason for their crying is that their new mother does not love them. He gives Helen a poisonous charm, telling her to put it in her mother's tea when she is not looking, and saying that it will make her love them. Helen rushes home as fast as she can and finds Phyllis taking afternoon tea in the garden. While she is reading the paper, Helen drops the charm into her tea and sits down to await results. Dolores, who suspects that something is wrong, meets her father on the street in his automobile. She tells him of the fakir and they at once rush home, arriving just in time to save Phyllis from taking the poison. The "charm" proves to be an effectual instrument in bringing the family together, for Phyllis realizes how much the children wish to love her and gives them her love in return.
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Maurice Costello | Director |
| Eugene Mullin | Writer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Maurice Costello | |
| Clara Kimball Young | |
| James Young | |
| William V. Ranous |
