The Valley of Lost Hope (1915)
Western | 11 October 1915
Director:
Romaine FieldingWriter:
Shannon FifeProduction Company:
Lubin Mfg Co.; A Lubin Liberty Bell FeatureThe 26 Sep 1914 Moving Picture World covered the train wreck sequence, which was filmed on the Pittsburgh & Susquehanna Railroad on 9 Sep 1914 near the lower Pennsylvania town of Easton, across the Delaware River from Phillipsburgh, NJ. Pennsylvania miners were used in the film. The event inspired a three-day celebration, which drew between 6,000 and 7,000 spectators. During the filming, an engine carrying three passenger coaches slammed into an engine with seven freight cars, each running at a speed of thirty-five miles an hour. "Considerable delay was caused by the difficulty in getting the engines both speeded so that they would meet at the desired point, and it was 5 o'clock before both engines were started for the last time," according to the article. "The crash came at the point designated, and the engines met in a might roar, reared in the air and then for a minute escaping steam enveloped the wreck. Both engines were a tangle of twisted iron and splintered wood. One passenger coach was squeezed up like a closed accordion, the car seats being thrown to the east side of the track." Also in 1914, Vitagraph made two films in which trains collided: a two-reeler called The Wreck and a five-reel feature called Juggernaut (see entry).
Release charts indicate that this film was to be released first in Dec 1914 as a General Film Co. Special, later on 5 Jul 1915, and finally on 11 Oct 1915 by V-L-S-E. It appears that though the film may have been released in Dec 1914, it was pulled from V-L-S-E's 5 Jul 1915 spot, replaced by The District Attorney ...
The 26 Sep 1914 Moving Picture World covered the train wreck sequence, which was filmed on the Pittsburgh & Susquehanna Railroad on 9 Sep 1914 near the lower Pennsylvania town of Easton, across the Delaware River from Phillipsburgh, NJ. Pennsylvania miners were used in the film. The event inspired a three-day celebration, which drew between 6,000 and 7,000 spectators. During the filming, an engine carrying three passenger coaches slammed into an engine with seven freight cars, each running at a speed of thirty-five miles an hour. "Considerable delay was caused by the difficulty in getting the engines both speeded so that they would meet at the desired point, and it was 5 o'clock before both engines were started for the last time," according to the article. "The crash came at the point designated, and the engines met in a might roar, reared in the air and then for a minute escaping steam enveloped the wreck. Both engines were a tangle of twisted iron and splintered wood. One passenger coach was squeezed up like a closed accordion, the car seats being thrown to the east side of the track." Also in 1914, Vitagraph made two films in which trains collided: a two-reeler called The Wreck and a five-reel feature called Juggernaut (see entry).
Release charts indicate that this film was to be released first in Dec 1914 as a General Film Co. Special, later on 5 Jul 1915, and finally on 11 Oct 1915 by V-L-S-E. It appears that though the film may have been released in Dec 1914, it was pulled from V-L-S-E's 5 Jul 1915 spot, replaced by The District Attorney, and released later on 11 Oct 1915. The copyright entry indicates that the film was four reels, while all the reviews state that it was five reels. Reviews for the film were published in Dec 1914 and Jan 1915, Jun 1915 and Oct 1915. According to Motog, the character played by Romaine Fielding was named "John Dean," that played by Mildred Gregory was "Helen Dean," that played by Robin Williamson was "'Snake' Richards," and that played by Nannie Pearson was "Granny Royce."
After James Ewing and two promoters salt the quartz in a barren Western valley, they collect large profits selling land to unsuspecting gold miners and plan to go East. Ewing's son Bob, just out of college, falls in love with Dora Royce, the sister of an evangelist, without knowing that she has left her brutal husband, Dick Flint. Bob discovers the scheme and promises Royce that he will return the miner's money. After the miners learn about the scheme, they converge on Ewing's private train. Meanwhile, Flint, who earlier was attacked by the miners, robs the safe in town's gambling hall with two highwaymen. After Ewing's train pulls away from the mob, it crashes into an oncoming train and the schemers die. The miners kill the highwaymen, but Flint escapes and ignites dynamite to cause a mountain top to fall onto the town. Royce kills Flint in self-defense, and Bob returns the money to the surviving miners; Dora agrees to marry Bob and they leave with Royce and Granny Dean, Bob's adopted "ma," for the ...
After James Ewing and two promoters salt the quartz in a barren Western valley, they collect large profits selling land to unsuspecting gold miners and plan to go East. Ewing's son Bob, just out of college, falls in love with Dora Royce, the sister of an evangelist, without knowing that she has left her brutal husband, Dick Flint. Bob discovers the scheme and promises Royce that he will return the miner's money. After the miners learn about the scheme, they converge on Ewing's private train. Meanwhile, Flint, who earlier was attacked by the miners, robs the safe in town's gambling hall with two highwaymen. After Ewing's train pulls away from the mob, it crashes into an oncoming train and the schemers die. The miners kill the highwaymen, but Flint escapes and ignites dynamite to cause a mountain top to fall onto the town. Royce kills Flint in self-defense, and Bob returns the money to the surviving miners; Dora agrees to marry Bob and they leave with Royce and Granny Dean, Bob's adopted "ma," for the city.
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