The Embarrassment of Riches (1913)
Pat Clancy was perfectly contented with his life until a singular occurrence took place at the quarry where he worked: Just after a blast was set off, a strange, white-bearded little man arose from the smoke and dust. He told Pat that he had been imprisoned in the rock for a million years, and offered to grant any wish he might make, as a reward for having released him. Pat, stunned with joy, wished to be a millionaire. The strange figure waved its arms and vanished. At the beginning of the glorious period of prosperity, Pat rolled down to a mahogany-lined office in a princely limousine to his friends' and neighbors' utter amazement. At the office he found that a rich man's labors, though different, are no less arduous than those of a day laborer. Importunate stenographers, anxious clerks, and a constantly-ringing telephone served to throw Pat into a state bordering on nervous prostration. At last he seized a fire extinguisher as the only solution, and drove the entire force out of the office. Nor was his experience at dinner with his wife and her new fashionable friends any more restful; he was unversed in the devious ways of salad and oyster forks, and his shoes were far too tight. He removed his shoes to relieve that anguish, but the inevitable discovery of his action did not make matters more comfortable for him or his wife. His new friends' attempt to initiate him in the mysteries of the ancient game of golf proved the final straw. Pat's shoes still hurt him, and, "Begorra, he could not hit the little white pill wid th' funny lookin' stick at all." Utterly tired and disillusioned, he went down to the seashore intending to end his troubles forever. Just as he was about to throw himself in the water, the Earth Gnome appeared and restrained him. Pat prayed that he and his family might be restored to their former blissful state of poverty. The gnome consented, and Pat happily returned to his old surroundings to contentedly devour an appetizing mess of corned beef and cabbage.
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| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Charles M. Seay | Director |
| Gordon Kaemmerling | Writer |
| Charles M. Seay | Writer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Edward O'Connor | |
| Gladys Hulette | |
| Mrs. William Bechtel | |
| Yale Boss |
