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Early Days in the West
(1912) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: Wallace Reid [Dan, a young pioneer], Dolly Larkin [Eunice], George Field [Mahomena, an Indian scout], W.G. Rice [Eunice’s father], Paul Machette [the colonel], Ray Francis
New York Motion Picture Company production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated [101-Bison]. / Cinematography by Charles Rosher. / Released 19 October 1912. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The period is 1876; trains of settlers are moving westward. It is the time of pioneers and prairie schooners. Dan is leading one wagon train and his party fall in with another led by a stalwart Indian, Mahomena. They proceed together. Amongst the latter party is a young girl, Eunice, and she and Dan are immediately attracted to each other, a proceeding viewed with disfavor by Mahomena. Eunice is independent and fearless and Dan sees her go off alone on her horse. He sees the Indian follow, and being suspicious he follows. Mahomena overtakes Eunice and tells her that she must be his squaw, and when she cuts him across the face with her whip, he binds her and is leading her horse off, when Dan steals up, cuts the leading lines and drives the Indian into camp at gunpoint. Mahomena is bound and thrown near a camp fire. He manages to release himself by holding the thongs over burning embers. He escapes and his absence is discovered, but though they follow him, he is not caught. He joins the Sioux. The immigrant trains arrive at a military post and depart. Soon after a scout brings news to the Fort that the Indians are on the warpath. Mahomena watches the immigrant from points of vantage and keeps the Sioux acquainted with their movements. Dan, on scout duty, discovers signs of Indians, and finding one of Mahomena’s feathers, warns the immigrants to move with caution. The wagon trains are attacked and the situation is critical when Dan rides through the Indian lines. He is followed, but climbs a tree until the Indians pass, when he resumes his ride to the Fort, secures help and rides back with the troop in time to save Eunice from Mahomena and the pioneers from the Indians.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 26 October 1912, page ?] A two reel picture of action. Its story is presented so clearly that subtitles are not needed. This is partly because the action is along familiar lines and the spectator already knows all that is needed about the characters. There is a good Indian portrayal in it. The redskin himself is far from good; he is very much alive and is the real hero of the story. Other very attractive things will be found in the picture that will help in its popular appeal. In a wide country, a large immigrant train is attacked by as numerous a band of Indians. One of the white men breaks through and warns the soldiers at the fort, who effect a rescue at the critical moment. This messenger puts the Indians who are following him on the wrong trail by one of the cleverest ruses in pictures. It is absolutely convincing as shown, and in it his well trained horse has a prominent part. Where pictures of the early West are popular, this offering will rank high.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Crime: Kidnapping - Native Americans - Wagon trains
Listing updated: 16 November 2022.
References: Bohn-Light p. 112 : Website-IMDb.
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