The Honor of the Mounted

Last updated

The Honor of the Mounted
The Honor of the Mounted 1914 newspaper ad.jpg
Newspaper advertisement
Directed by Allan Dwan
Written by Arthur Rosson
Starring Murdock MacQuarrie
Pauline Bush
Lon Chaney
Distributed by Universal Film Manufacturing Company
Release date
  • February 17, 1914 (1914-02-17)
Running time
30 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguagesSilent
English intertitles

The Honor of the Mounted is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. [1] The film is now considered lost. [2]

Contents

Plot

Mac, Jacques Laquox and Jacques' sister Marie all grew up together in a small town in the Rockies. Mac and Marie love each other, but Mac wants to make something of his life so he travels to the big city and decides to join the Canadian Mounties. Forrest, a fellow Mountie, is sent to Mac's old hometown to investigate a smuggling ring. There he meets Marie and attacks her lustfully. Jacques kills Forrest, and Mac is later sent there by his commanding officer to investigate the murder.

When he returns to his home town, Mac is jeered by his old friends, and even by Marie, for wearing the despised "redcoat". A "Canuck" whom Jacques once thrashed in a fistfight tells Mac all about the murder, and Mac is forced to arrest his old friend Jacques.

When the townspeople attack in a mob, Jacques fights at Mac's side and protects him. Mac refuses to take Jacques back as his prisoner, but Jacques reminds him of his duty as a Mountie. They struggle as they argue, and fall together to their deaths on a treacherous mountain called the "Devil's Slide."

Cast

Production notes

The film was shot on location in Mount Lowe, California over a two-day period in 1913. Director Allan Dwan also shot Bloodhounds of the North (which also starred Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney) the same week. [3] During filming, Lon Chaney and screenwriter Arthur Rosson got lost in a canyon and were not located by a rescue party until the end of the day. The cast and crew were also stranded in their cabins for five days due to heavy rains. Dwan had the cast rehearse for an upcoming film, Richelieu , in an effort to save time. [4]

Reception

"Universal Weekly" opined "Lon Chaney and Mr. MacQuarrie hold the center stage, acting out the great drama that strives to loosen their friendship." [5]

"The Moving Picture World" wrote "This two-reel drama of the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police has been well acted and admirably staged. The atmosphere of the Northwest woods is always interesting...The story is good." [6]

Related Research Articles

The year 1914 in film involved some significant events, including the debut of Cecil B. DeMille as a director.

<i>Back to Life</i> (1913 film) 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Back to Life is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Pauline Bush, J. Warren Kerrigan, William Worthington and Lon Chaney. This was Chaney's first film with director Allan Dwan, which was followed by a dozen more. The film is now considered lost.

<i>Red Margaret, Moonshiner</i> 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Red Margaret, Moonshiner is a 1913 American silent short romance film directed by Allan Dwan, starring Pauline Bush, Murdock MacQuarrie and Lon Chaney. This film, now considered lost, is a good example of Chaney's early attempts at creating bizarre makeups to enhance his roles, wearing a long beard and wild hair here as "Lon", the old moonshiner. The film's original working title was Warrington's Honor. Some sources say the film was later edited down to one reel and re-released in theaters as Moonshine Blood in 1916.

<i>Bloodhounds of the North</i> 1913 film by Allan Dwan

Bloodhounds of the North is a 1913 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost. Some sources state the film was edited down to one reel and re-released theatrically in 1916 as Accusing Evidence, but this is disputed.

The Lie is a 1914 American silent short western drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost. A still exists from the film showing Chaney as "Young MacGregor".

Remember Mary Magdalen is a 1914 silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Pauline Bush, Murdock MacQuarrie, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

<i>Discord and Harmony</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

Discord and Harmony is a 1914 American silent short romantic drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film's scenario, written by Arthur Rosson, was based on an event experienced by composer Ludwig van Beethoven. The film is now considered lost.

The Menace to Carlotta is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Pauline Bush, William C. Dowlan, Murdock MacQuarrie and Lon Chaney. It was banned by the censor of Quebec on March 19, 1914. The film is now considered lost. Chaney also wrote the film's scenario. The film's original working title was Carlotta, the Bead Stringer.

<i>The Embezzler</i> (1914 film) 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Embezzler is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Murdock MacQuarrie. The film is now considered lost. A still exists showing Chaney in the J. Roger Dixon role.

<i>The Lamb, the Woman, the Wolf</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Lamb, the Woman, the Wolf is a 1914 American silent Western drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

The End of the Feud is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. The film is now considered lost.

<i>The Tragedy of Whispering Creek</i> 1914 film

The Tragedy of Whispering Creek is a 1914 American silent short Western film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush, and Lon Chaney. Chaney expert Jon Mirsalis says Chaney also wrote the screenplay, based on a story by Elliott J. Clawson, but the Blake book says the film's director Allan Dwan wrote the screenplay himself. A print exists in the Deutsche Kinemathek film archive, making it Chaney's earliest surviving moving picture. A still exists which shows Chaney in his role as "The Greaser".

The Unlawful Trade is a 1914 American silent short drama film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Pauline Bush, William Lloyd, Murdock MacQuarrie, George Cooper, and Lon Chaney. Allan Dwan also wrote the screenplay, based on a story by George Cooper. The film is now considered lost.

The Forbidden Room is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. The film's working title was originally The Web of Circumstance. The film is now considered to be lost.

<i>The Hopes of Blind Alley</i> 1914 film by Allan Dwan

The Hopes of Blind Alley is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. A still exists showing Lon Chaney as the Italian statuette vendor. The film is now considered to be lost.

<i>The Higher Law</i> (1914 film) 1914 film

The Higher Law is a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Charles Giblyn and featuring Murdock MacQuarrie, Pauline Bush and Lon Chaney. It was written by Harry G. Stafford, based on a story by George Bronson Howard. This film was the second in a series of four films called The Adventures of Francois Villon. Lon Chaney was featured in this one, as well as in the first installment, The Oubliette (1914), but did not appear in the other two. The film is now considered to be lost. The film co-starred Millard K. Wilson, who became a lifelong friend of Chaney and later served as his director in films at M-G-M.

Richelieu is a 1914 American silent historical drama film written and directed by Allan Dwan, based on the play Richelieu written by Edward Bulwer-Lytton. It featured Lon Chaney, Murdock MacQuarrie and Pauline Bush. This was Allan Dwan's last film for Universal, as he moved to New York afterward to work at the Famous Players Company and married his lead actress Pauline Bush in 1915.

<i>A Small Town Girl</i> 1915 film by Allan Dwan

A Small Town Girl was a 1914 American silent drama film directed by Allan Dwan and featuring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Rupert Julian. The film is now considered to be lost.

The Stronger Mind is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Joe De Grasse and featuring Lon Chaney, Murdock MacQuarrie and Pauline Bush. Chaney did not routinely work for the United production unit at Universal, and was obviously sent over as a one-time loan-out for this production. It is now considered to be a lost film. A still exists showing MacQuarrie and Chaney as the two bank robbers.

Accusing Evidence is a 1916 American silent Western film directed by Allan Dwan and starring Lon Chaney, Pauline Bush and Murdock MacQuarrie.

References

  1. "Silent Era: The Honor of the Mounted". silentera. Retrieved June 15, 2008.
  2. Lombardi, Frederic (2013). Allan Dwan and the Rise and Decline of the Hollywood Studios. McFarland. p. 30. ISBN   978-0-786-43485-5.
  3. Blake, Michael F. (2001). The Films of Lon Chaney. Madison Books. pp. 8–9. ISBN   1-568-33237-8.
  4. Blake, Michael F. (1997). A Thousand Faces: Lon Chaney's Unique Artistry in Motion Pictures. Vestal Press. p. 27. ISBN   1-461-73076-7.
  5. Blake, Michael F. (1998). "The Films of Lon Chaney". Vestal Press Inc. Page 12. ISBN   1-879511-26-6.
  6. Mirsalis, Jon C. "The Honor of the Mounted". Lonchaney.org. Retrieved October 2, 2020.