Marah, the Pythoness (1914)
Marah Deane is known as "The Pythoness" because a tame python is her constant companion. She has many suitors, and finally chooses wealthy John Sewell. Becoming ambitious to have a portrait painted in which Marah appears fondling her serpent pet, Sewell writes to his young artist friend Jules Lestrange, offering him the commission. Jules lives with his mother Prudence in comfortable quarters adjoining his studio, and staying with them is Marie Dalton, formerly his model but now his mother's companion and his promised wife. Sewell's letter brings great joy to the Lestrange family. Marah, the Pythoness, is deeply struck with this poetical young man and he becomes enraptured with her at once. The many sittings for the portrait get cozier and cozier between artist and model, and the artist starts to neglect his mother and his fiancee, barely coming home except to sleep. But the ladies have a firm friend in noted physician in Dr. Rowell, who during Prudence's widowhood has come every day with bouquets of flowers and proposals of marriage, which she refuses because she is still true to her husband's memory. The doctor has the entree to the house and entertainments given by the Pythoness Marah, and expresses the opinion that he can induce Jules to overcome his evident love for her, and awaken him to the fact that he has neglected his nearest and dearest. His efforts, however, are unsuccessful, and he is compelled to return to the artist's now-unhappy home and report that the poor boy has succumbed to the wiles of the temptress. The picture is finished and exhibited at a reception. The artist's success draws Marah closer to him, much to Sewell's rage and consternation. He resolves to break the up, as does Dr. Rowell, who recruits one Jeanne Druce, a butterfly in Marah's bohemian circle; she takes Jules to a remote place in the reception room and tells him that he much give up trying to win Marah because she's marrying Jack Sewell and only flirting with Jules. Marah tells Jules that she loves only him and she does not intend to marry Sewell. The jealous Sewell overhears this, and while Marah is bidding her guests farewell for the night, he meets his artist rival in Marah's den, and draws his pistol to shoot him. Jules is unarmed and it is decided to flip a coin to see who will win the loaded pistol. Jules loses the toss, Sewell deliberately aims at him and fires. Marah comes into the room, and while horrified at her lover's plight, decides that this episode must not become known. Jules, not fatally wounded, is taken at dead of night to Sewell's yacht, and Sewell, Marah, and a doctor sail away with him to save his life. He lingers between life and death for several weeks; meanwhile the mystery of his disappearance causes his mother to fall desperately ill herself. Marie and Dr. Rowell write many letters to Jules, not knowing that they are being intercepted and destroyed. When Jules finally recovers, he realizes he's much less in love with Marah and deeply ashamed of how he treated his family. One day while sunning himself on the deck of the yacht, he sees in the personal columns of a newspaper this notice: "Pythoness: Why are all letters to Artist unanswered? Tell him mother is dying." Suddenly the truth flashes upon him, and he insists upon going ashore, which he does, accompanied by Marah. who refuses to be left alone, her object being to thwart his plans. At the same time Doctor Rowell enlists the services of the police in trying to find Jules, for his suffering mother has passed away, and Jules comes ashore on the day of her funeral. Marah succeeds in convincing the police that she knows nothing of Jules' whereabouts and sends for Sewell, who repulses her and leaves her with her pet serpent and their Asian servants. Jules arrives at home just as Dr. Rowell and Marie are returning from his mother's funeral, and the awful news crushes him. After a sleepless night, he rises early, goes to a drawer in his neglected studio, takes from it his pistol, and is about to kill himself when Marie appears and convinces him that he has something to live for after all. On the same morning, Marah's faithful servant Hassan goes to awaken her and finds her dead with the fatal folds of the Python about her neck.
All Releases
Domestic
–
–
International
–
–
Worldwide
–
–
GenresDrama
Short
IMDbPro
See more details at IMDbPro
| Filmmakers | Role |
|---|---|
| Joseph W. Smiley | Director |
| Siegmund Lubin | Producer |
| Cast | Role |
|---|---|
| Lila Leslie | |
| Clarence Elmer | |
| Eleanor Blanchard | |
| Justina Huff |
