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The Violin Maker
(1915) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Lon Chaney
Cast: Lon Chaney [Pedro, the violin maker], Gretchen Lederer [Marguerita, Pedro’s sweetheart], William Quinn [Maurice Puello]
Victor Film Company production; distributed by [?] The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated? / Produced by Lon Chaney. Scenario by Milton M. Moore. / © 1 July 1915. Released 9 July 1915. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Pedro is a violin maker. One day while his talented ward, Marguerita, is playing on a new violin that Pedro has made, Maurice Puello, director of a theater, comes in with a violin of his own to have repaired. He hears the girl play and is enraptured. He persuades her to come to his theatre and give a rehearsal. She is shy at first, but Pedro, too, urges her to accept, and she agrees. Her first appearance is a great success, and Pedro in the audience, wildly applauds her. Pedro decides to make a special violin for her and lavishes his love and experience in the work of art for his sweetheart. At last the work is completed and he goes to the theater to give it to her. Waiting at the stage door, he sees Marguerita and Maurice come out arm in arm. He is overcome with jealousy and disguises himself as a blind beggar in order to watch the girl. One night as he is playing, Maurice and Marguerita come by and are attracted by the music. The girl immediately falls in love with the violin and they try to buy it, but he tells them he has made it for his sweetheart and refuses to sell. He shows it to them and they see an inscription on the back “to my Marguerita.” Pedro, in anger, discloses his identity and furiously breaks the violin across his knees, throwing the pieces aside. One night Pedro wanders into a café in the Latin Quarter and while sitting at one of the tables, sees Marguerita come on the performers’ stage and give a rehearsal. He calls one of the waiters to him and, giving him a coin, tells him to take it to the girl and request another performance. The girl asks who sent the coin and Pedro is pointed out to her. She is surprised, but consents and renders a very touching melody. She goes to the table where Pedro sits, still playing and asks for forgiveness. He is about to turn her aside when he notices that she has the violin he had made for her and then broken. He is overcome by the evidence of the girl’s devotion to him and the two unhappy hearts are once more full of gladness.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 26 November 2022.
References: Braff-Universal n. 8709; Spehr-American p. 100; Weaver-Twenty p. 76 : Website-IMDb.
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