Author Archive: Retro

Antonine, a worthless, good-for-nothing scoundrel, demands money of his cousin Galora, an energetic, provident husband and father. His demands are met with a positive rebuff, and when he becomes insistent be is forcibly ejected by Galora. As he leaves the tenement he vows to get even, and lies in wait until Galora has gone out on business. Climbing to the fifth floor, on which the Galoras live, he watches his chance, which comes when Mrs. Galora goes for an instant to visit a neighbor on the same floor. Darting into the apartment and raising the window he perceives the awful result of a drop to the ground, five stories below, and so evolves a plan that is dastardly in the extreme. Taking the infant child from the cradle, and placing it in a basket he lets it out with a short rope, the end of which he secures by letting the sash down on it, [...]

The self-centered man, ever confident of his success, wins in love over the more sensitive friend. Assurance and success come naturally. Overwhelmed by the game of chance, it is significant that he takes his defeat with less philosophy than most men. To him it is utter failure, the end of all. His incompatible nature causes him to carry his rash act to the climax, nor can others prevent.

Thieves decide to steal the money an old miser has hidden away. He refuses to open the safe for them, so they threaten to kill a girl who lives in his building.

Reliable authority states that nine million human lives were sacrificed through the zeal of fanatical reformers during the Christian epoch. Religious fanaticism was in most cases the cause, still there were many victimized to satisfy a personal grudge, and this Biograph subject shows how easily such a crime can be perpetrated. Play upon the minds of a superstitions people and you may lead them blindly to any end. In 1692 the agitation was so great in Salem, Mass., that many people lost their self-possession, some even believing themselves to be witches. On the other hand, a number of the inhabitants moved away fear of being accused of being witches. There are many relics of those days still in existence at Salem, and while conditions are such as to prevent our using the actual spots, yet many of the scenes of the picture are closely contiguous to them, our company of players making the trip there [...]

The most satisfying and pleasurable sensation experienced is “getting even,” especially where one has been held up to ridicule before a jeering mob. Such was the reguerdon of Bud, the Kid of the Mining Camp, after suffering gross humiliation at the hands of the other cowboys and miners. Miss Lucy, the belle of the camp, is introduced to the Kid, and makes an impression; the Kid becomes quite seriously inclined towards her. The boys, more in the spirit of jest than chagrin, poke fun at him; call him the baby, and end with Jim Blake spanking him. Needless to say the Kid is mortified and swears to get square. A masque ball is to be held that night, so Bud plans his revenge. All tog out in grotesque costumes, a high old time is imminent, for it is fair to assume that the society folk of the camp will be well represented. Bud, however, feigns [...]

Mary is coerced into helping with a burglary of a minister’s apartment. Later she repents and goes to the minister’s storefront mission to help.

Struggling with poverty and the declining health of a relative, a young woman struggles to find employment.

A young wife and her musician husband live in poverty in a New York City tenement. The husband’s job requires him to go away for for a number of days. On his return, he is robbed by the neighborhood gangster. Sometime later, an unrelated mob shoot-out ensues. The husband happens upon the melee, recognizing the crook who robbed him. Can the husband retrieve his money?

The story of the massacre of an Indian village, and the ensuing retaliation.