The Pasha's Daughter
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- January 3, 1911
| The Pasha's Daughter | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Produced by | Thanhouser Company |
| Starring | William Garwood |
| Distributed by | Motion Picture Distributors and Sales Company |
Release date |
|
Running time | 13 minutes, 30 seconds |
| Country | United States |
| Languages | Silent film English intertitles |
The Pasha's Daughter is a 1911 American silent short drama produced by the Thanhouser Company. The film based on a true story. The film focuses on an American named Jack who is traveling in Turkey. He befriends an aged Turk and is arrested as a conspirator against the government. His first attempt to flee the jail failed, but the second succeeds. Jack flees into the courtyard of the Pasha and is hidden from the guards by the Pasha's daughter. Disguised as a woman, Jack makes his escape with her aid, but she refuses his offer to flee with him. A year later, the Pasha's daughter is ushered in and announces that she wants to be his bride.
The only known cast credits are for William Garwood and William Russell and the production credits are unknown. The film was released on January 3, 1911, and was met with positive reviews. The film survives in the Museum of Modern Art and it has been released on DVD as part of the Thanhouser Collection.
The film begins with Jack Sparks, a young American, who is traveling in Turkey. He befriends an aged Turk during a carriage ride and the Turk invites Jack into his home. The man smokes from a hookah and several of other men arrive and speak with the Turk whilst Jack wanders about the house. Soon afterwards, the men are all arrested for conspiracy against the government and Jack is imprisoned as one of the conspirators. In jail, Jack tries to make his escape and throws the guard to the ground, no sooner has he left the cell is he forced back by two more guards. He struggles in vain, but is once again locked in his cell. Jack gets an idea to escape when he sees the bed sheet and the cell window. Using his pocket knife, he digs out the bar of the cell window and drops to freedom. He struggles and overpowers a guard before climbing over the wall and into the courtyard of the Pasha's palace.[1]
The Pasha's daughter, Murana, finds him hiding and orders her servant to assist in Jack's escape. Guards appear and announce that they are looking for the escaped prisoner, but they are turned away. Dressed up as a woman, Jack tries to have Murana flee with him. She says that she cannot marry him now, but she may come to his country one day. Jack trades a flower for his business card and departs. A year later, Jack and his mother have a visitor ushered and they stand in confusion at the beautiful young woman. Jack does not recognize her until she covers her face with her veil and she announces her intention to be his bride.[1]
Cast
- William Garwood[1] as Jack Sparks
- William Russell[1]
Production
The writer of the scenario is unknown, but it was most likely Lloyd Lonergan. He was an experienced newspaperman employed by The New York Evening World while writing scripts for the Thanhouser productions.[2] The film director is unknown, but it may have been Barry O'Neil or Lucius J. Henderson. Cameramen employed by the company during this era included Blair Smith, Carl Louis Gregory, and Alfred H. Moses, Jr. though none are specifically credited.[3] The role of the cameraman was uncredited in 1910 productions.[4] The other cast credits are unknown, but many Thanhouser productions are fragmentary.[3] In late 1910, the Thanhouser company released a list of the important personalities in their films. The list includes G.W. Abbe, Justus D. Barnes, Frank H. Crane, Irene Crane, Marie Eline, Violet Heming, Martin J. Faust, Thomas Fortune, George Middleton, Grace Moore, John W. Noble, Anna Rosemond, Mrs. George Walters.[5]