Shadows (1914)
The IMP star King Baggot plays 10 different characters. Cut off from the world, with their comfortable home buried in a picturesque garden of trees and flowers, William Clark and his wife live the lonely life of a couple who has known deep sorrow. Their only servant is an Asian man. Years before, their only son, a wayward, fun-loving boy, left them. As the story opens, this boy returns like the Prodigal Son to enjoy the fatted calf, but in this case the father finds it wise to send him on his way with enough money to start life afresh. The evening following the son's second departure from his father's house, a thief breaks in. He encounters the Chinese servant and assaults and robs him of his savings. Among the coins obtained are a few Chinese coppers. The old father, hearing the scuffle, starts for the kitchen. He is intercepted by the crook, who accidentally kills him. Shortly after Mrs. Clark discovers the awful tragedy and immediately notifies the police. King Baggott, the famous detective, is put on the case. In search for a clue, King visits a tavern. He overhears a quarrel between the crook and his sweetheart; the latter throws the money he has given her in the crook's face. One of the coins rolls to where King is seated. Examination discloses it to be a Chinese coin. In the meantime the son had been arrested and accused of the crime. Circumstantial evidence points strongly to him as the perpetrator. However, King believes the boy innocent. He visits the servant who identifies the coins, but is unable to give a description of the thief. King hurries back to the tavern in time to take up the trail of the crook. He follows to a lodging house. The crook's strange actions convince King of his guilt. From a nearby telephone he calls the police station and gives instruction to have plain clothes men sent to assist in the arrest of Clark's murderer. On the arrival of the detectives. King breaks in the door. A terrific fight ensues; King pursues the crook up the stairs and onto the roof. Then follows a thrilling pistol duel. The crook is finally "winged" with a well-directed shot and falls over the roof casing to the ground, several stories below. He lives long enough to clear the son of suspicion. The story closes with the son leaving the jail in the arms of his aged mother and King showing the satisfaction of a deed well done. As a closing feature to the play, one intended to convince the spectator of the fact that Mr. Baggott enacts every role, we have various short scenes showing the artist in the make-up of each character and removing the make-up as each scene fades into another.
All Releases
Domestic
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International
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Worldwide
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| George Edwardes-Hall | Director |
| George Edwardes-Hall | Writer |
| Rial Schellinger | Cinematographer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| King Baggot | |
| Arline Pretty |
