THE SCARLET CAR
Starring Franklyn Farnum, Lon Chaney and Edith Johnson
VARIETY
November 30, 1917
Richard Harding Davis is credited with the authorship of the
story of "The Scarlet Car," a Bluebird which stars Franklyn
Farnum in type much larger than the piece. It was directed by
Joseph DeGrasse. As a scenario, it is an awful conglomeration
of claptrap melodrama. Hero is first revealed as a wild young
man who spends his time playing pool. "The Girl" is
the daughter of the cashier of the bank, whose name is Paul Revere
Forbes, a lineal descendant of the historical Paul Revere of Revolutionary
fame. The bank president and his son have speculated with the
bank's funds. Cashier finds it out, threatens to tell the directors,
is struck on the head, supposed to be dead and placed in an automobile
by the two men whit the aid of the broker handling the stolen
funds. Broker is told to take the body down the road and leave
it there. The embezzlement is laid at the cashier's door. Broker's
car is wrecked and he is killed. Forbes is nowhere to be found.
Girl is given a home with the bank president's family and her
engagement is announced to the son. Meantime the hero, whose father
runs a small newspaper in the town, learning his father's affairs
are in a critical condition, buckles down to work. When the bank
president calls at the newspaper office and requests a notice
of the engagement party the hero for no sensible reason, tears
the list of those present into shreds and throws it into the president's
features. Pure horseplay that doesn't belong. The wrecked auto
is old at auction and hero's father buys it. Chauffeur engaged
by the father finds in the car the broker's wallet. The coroner
or police never thought to look in the car for any clues as to
the identity of the victim. In the cars is also found the missing
cashiers hat with this named on the sweatband. Hero has the "clue,
goes to the president's home night of the engagement party and
tells girl he believes president and son are the embezzlers.
She agrees to elope with him. Son overhears and gets into car
instead, driving girl to a roadhouse in storm, gets minister and
tries to make her marry him. Hero rescues her, beats up son.
In adjoining cabin girls sees "ghost" of her father
with long whiskers. This is played by a very poor character actor.
There are no programs at the Broadway by which he can be identified,
which is a merciful provision. Sure enough, it is her father who
has lost his mind and believes himself the original Paul Revere,
the midnight rider. Father ha torn out of the bank's ledger the
page on which was recorded the deficit of $35,000 used for the
speculation. He had hidden it, but doesn't remember where he
hid it. A Paul Revere "midnight" ride is staged for
him; he is asked for "the papers" and rushes into the
house to bring it from its hiding place and the villains are thereby
"confronted." Does the hero get the girl? Guess. A
tiresome feature, made especially so through the ravings of the
demented cashier.