In this scenario by J.G. Hawks, William S. Hart plays the title character, Jack O'Diamonds, a saloon owner and professional gambler who decides to reform when Preaching Dan (Milton Ross), who is happy to accept donations from dance-hall girls, refuses his contribution and that of his side-kick, Two Spot (J.J. Dowling). After a handsome win from Colonel Ransome (J. Frank Burke), Jack, Two Spot and the orphaned child, Blossom (Mary Jane Irving) take a job helping out the colonel's daughter, Virginia Ransome (Mary McIvor). Virginia is being threatened by her Mexican foreman, Pedro (Darrell Foss) and his pal, Anastacio (Thomas Kurihara).
Interesting characters and a few neat twists keep our attention at a high level in this William S. Hart entry, despite the poor condition in which the movie survives. Originally, the screenplay came to a fine action climax – but unfortunately most of this is now missing.
Never mind, we still have the fascinating characters. One of the saloon regulars, for example, is an educated four-flusher, Broadway Hammersley (ingratiatingly enacted by Charles O. Rush), who is in much demand because he can actually translate legalese into plain English.
Director, Lambert Hillyer, adopts a pleasantly realistic, steady-as-she-goes style. The photography by Joseph August was no doubt up to his usual high standard (hard to tell in the present, washed-out print). Art direction is credited to Robert Brunton. Thomas Ince supervised. Original release date: 25 May 1917.
The movie was never copyrighted, however, and has always been in the Public Domain. Despite this latitude, the film survives in only two prints, one of which has lost the entire last half of the movie, and the other (this one!) missing around 10 minutes from the action climax.
Interesting characters and a few neat twists keep our attention at a high level in this William S. Hart entry, despite the poor condition in which the movie survives. Originally, the screenplay came to a fine action climax – but unfortunately most of this is now missing.
Never mind, we still have the fascinating characters. One of the saloon regulars, for example, is an educated four-flusher, Broadway Hammersley (ingratiatingly enacted by Charles O. Rush), who is in much demand because he can actually translate legalese into plain English.
Director, Lambert Hillyer, adopts a pleasantly realistic, steady-as-she-goes style. The photography by Joseph August was no doubt up to his usual high standard (hard to tell in the present, washed-out print). Art direction is credited to Robert Brunton. Thomas Ince supervised. Original release date: 25 May 1917.
The movie was never copyrighted, however, and has always been in the Public Domain. Despite this latitude, the film survives in only two prints, one of which has lost the entire last half of the movie, and the other (this one!) missing around 10 minutes from the action climax.
