THE TREY O' HEARTS

Released 8/4/14 by Universal/Gold Seal;Director: Wilfred Lucas, Henry McRae; Screenplay: Allan Dwan, from a story by Louis Joseph Vance (some sources credit Bess Meredyth with the screenplay); 15-chapter serial (31 reel)

CAST: Cleo Madison (Rose/Judith), George Larkin (The Hero), Edward Sloman (The Father), Roy Hanford (The Villain), Tom Walsh, Lon Chaney (unbilled?)

SYNOPSIS: Judith is an evil young woman, while her twin sister Rose is good.. Rose is in love with the Hero, but Judith and her father are constant plotting his destruction because the Father hated the Hero's father for years, and has now redirected his hatred at the son. Many attempts are made to kill the Hero, and he escapes each time. Eventually both Judith and Rose fall in love with him, and at the end Judith reforms. At the wedding of Rose and the Hero, a lightning bolt strikes the Chapel and Rose is killed. While the Hero is unconscious, Judith takes Rose's place. She nurses him back to health and cares for him for the rest of his life.

NOTES: This was a 15-chapter serial from Universal with a 3-reel first chapter and the remainder running 2 reels each. Thanks to artist Robert Semler for providing this photo which looks very much like Chaney. For a lengthy serial it may not have been unusual for other Universal stars to be pulled in for brief shots, and Chaney could have been grabbed for a few short scenes.

"The staging, backgrounds and photography included are excellent. There is villainy personified in the vindictive old paralytic, and many of the characters stand out clearly...Most spectators will probably count it worth while seeing this first installment." -Moving Picture World


© 2013 Jon C. Mirsalis


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