The Dream Girl (1914)
Seward, an artist, not for bread and butter alone, but for the love of the art, has visions of a beautiful face which haunts his dreams. His mind so dwells upon this beautiful creation of his imagination, that he becomes firmly convinced that the girl of his dreams is an actual being of flesh and blood. The portrait impressed upon his memory is so distinct that he spends his leisure hours in reproducing the lovely features on canvas. One day, Captain Sparks, an old-time friend of Seward, whose business is that of a contraband smuggler, arrives from one of his filibustering expeditions and calls to see Seward. They make the occasion one for renewing old friendships and discussing their adventures. After dinner Seward takes the Captain to his studio and unveils the portrait of the girl of his dreams. The Captain is all excitement. He declares that he knows the girl; that instead of being a dream girl, she is an actual person, and he proceeds to tell with vivid description, of how he had seen the girl kidnapped by a party of ruffians and taken out to sea in a boat. The very sword that he has brought to his friend, Seward, as a souvenir, was one left behind by the party of kidnappers when the Captain bravely tried to save the girl from them. The Captain's description is so vivid, that Seward makes up his mind to accompany the Captain on his return trip into the tropics with the hope of finding some trace of this most mysterious and most attractive girl. The trip is undertaken. They sail for the port of Saint Marc, in Haiti, and after a few days of fruitless search. Captain Sparks suddenly espies one of the men whom he identifies readily as one of the kidnappers with whom he had struggled when they took the girl away. Seward tells the Captain that he will keep an eye on this fellow and follow him. He promises to return as soon as he has located the hiding place of the ruffian. Seward trails him to the palatial residence of the Costillos, reputed to be one of the wealthiest families on the island. Through the window, Seward observes the transfer of money from Costillo to the ruffian, the scene indicating that some desperate project is afoot and that great interests are at stake. The ruffian, upon leaving the house, makes his way to the seashore where he clambers aboard a sloop, which he prepares to get underway. Seward throws off his coat, plunges into the water and catching hold of a ring-bolt in the stern of the craft, permits himself to be towed by the little vessel out to sea. He has been most careful to conceal himself from the bearded, piratical looking fellow, who would, from appearances, kill him without the slightest compunction should the occasion or necessity arise. Seward is dragged through the water behind the boat, until the shores of a small, jungle-covered island are reached. Just before the sloop runs aground, Seward lets go his hold and swims into the shelter of a cluster of projecting cliffs from which he observes the ruffian make fast an anchor line ashore and start for the interior of the island. Cautiously following, they quickly approach a small log cabin hidden amid the trees, and the ruffian, apparently at home, takes a key from his pocket, opens the door and enters. Seward investigates and notes a small barred window through which he can see the interior. One glance suffices to show him that the girl of his dreams is a prisoner in the lonely cabin. He can overhear enough of their conversation to know that the girl is wildly demanding her liberty, while the villain scoffingly jeers at her distress. The ruffian enters an adjoining room and closes the door. Whereupon, Seward quickly makes his presence known to the prisoner, who welcomes him as a possible deliverer. It does not take him long to convince her that she can rely upon him implicitly. During their subdued conversation, the sharp ears of the bearded man overhear voices and he surprises them at the window. Dashing outside, he enters into a hand-to-hand struggle with Seward and is getting the best of the battle, when Dolores, the prisoner, finding the door open, runs outside carrying in her hand the revolver which Seward had accidentally dropped through the window when discovered by the bearded man. A moment's cessation of the violent struggle between the two men when the bearded man raises his arm to plunge his knife into the prostrate foe, furnishes the opportunity for Dolores to save the life of her deliverer. One shot from the revolver, and the huge, burly form of the ruffian crumples over and he lies fatally wounded. Believing himself to be fatally wounded, the ruffian confesses that the Costillos had bribed him to kill Dolores, so that they could obtain her fortune, but that he had saved her life and made her a prisoner after accepting $10,000 from the Costillos for committing the supposed murder. The return to the mainland is quickly accomplished in the dead ruffian's boat. Dolores goes aboard Captain Sparks' schooner where explanations are made. A report of the matter is made to the local officials and Seward and Sparks accompany Dolores with the police officers to the Costillo home. The guilty ones cannot deny their crime. Handcuffs are clasped upon the wrists of Costillo and his wife and the officers drag them away. Dolores happily receives he two new friends in her own home. Seward exhibits the picture of his "dream girl," and tells the story to Dolores. He is already her hero, and her heart is already won. At last he has found the girl of his dreams.
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Domestic
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GenresCrime
Drama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Tom Santschi | Director |
| James Oliver Curwood | Writer |
| James Oliver Curwood | Writer |
| William Nicholas Selig | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Tom Santschi | |
| Bessie Eyton | |
| Harry Lonsdale | |
| Charles Wheelock |
