Counterfeit (1919 film)

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Counterfeit
Elsie Ferguson Counterfeit Film Daily 1919.png
Directed by George Fitzmaurice
Written byRobert M. Baker (story)
Ouida Bergère (scenario)
Produced by Adolph Zukor
Jesse L. Lasky
Starring Elsie Ferguson
David Powell
Cinematography Arthur C. Miller
Production
company
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date
  • November 30, 1919 (1919-11-30)
Running time
50+ minutes
CountryUnited States
Language Silent (English intertitles)
Lobby card Counterfeit lobby card.jpg
Lobby card
Lobby card Counterfeit lobby card 2.jpg
Lobby card

Counterfeit is a 1919 American silent detective drama film [1] [2] [3] directed by George Fitzmaurice and starring Elsie Ferguson. The assistant director was C. Van Arsdale.

Contents

The picture was the fourth film Fitzmaurice and Ferguson worked on and is now considered to be a lost film. [4]

Plot

As described in a film magazine, [5] Virginia Griswold (Ferguson), whose family is in financial straits, resolves to remedy the situation by finding the source of widely distributed counterfeit bills, as a large reward is offered for the capture of the maker of the fake bills. A clue takes her to Newport where she poses as one of the idle rich and falls in love with Stuart Kent (Powell), a man of means, who returns her affection. Vincent Cortez (Gerard), about whom little is known, also becomes enamored of Virginia and she accepts his affections, much to the consternation of Stuart. She offers no acceptable explanation to Stuart for this. Carefully and craftily she leads Vincent to the point of sharing confidences, although this course greatly enrages Stuart and for a time threatens to bring open rupture of their relationship. After Vincent admits he is the counterfeiter, however, Virginia brings Stuart to an understanding of the situation and a happy conclusion.

Cast

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References

  1. American Film Institute Catalogue, Feature Films 1911-1920
  2. The AFI Catalog of Feature Films:Counterfeit(Wayback)
  3. Progressive Silent Film List: Counterfeit at silentera.com
  4. The Library of Congress American Silent Feature Film Survival Catalog: Counterfeit
  5. "Reviews: Counterfeit". Exhibitors Herald. New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company. 9 (24): 82. December 6, 1919.