User Reviews

A picture that as an offering is only fair. As it approaches its climax an old gypsy hag takes a man's fiancée to the grave of a gypsy girl whom he had abandoned and persuades her not to marry him. It is perfectly clear and intelligently acted, but without fire. There are also some pretty scenes, but the photography, while good, hasn't reached the point of perfection. - The Moving Picture World, February 22, 1913

A rather run-of-the-mill melodrama on a familiar theme but interesting because it is an example of the work of Georges Méliès' brother Gaston.

Gaston Méliès having been sent by brother Georges to the US in 1902 to safeguard his interests had by 1910 become a film producer in his own right (causing a permanent breach between the two brothers). Employing Francis Ford (elder brother and mentor of John), he moved to California, establishing the "Star Ranch" in San Antonio, Texas and later in Santa Paula, California, where he shot mainly westerns either as Star-Film, the US branch of his brother's French film company as here or as "American Wild West Film Company". Surviving films are rare (Billy and his Pal 1911, filmed in Texas and watchable at http://www.filmpreservation.org/, is the only other I know of.

There is a 2015 film about Gaston Méliés which I have not yet seen - Gaston Méliès and his Wandering Star Film Company.