The Cowardly Way (1915)
Drama | 15 November 1915
The 7 Aug 1915 Moving Picture World announced that director John Ince was expected the following week in Flushing, Queens, NY, to begin work on the film, his first for Equitable Motion Pictures Corp. Ince had recently ended his tenure with Lubin Manufacturing Corp. The 21 Aug 1915 Motion Picture News noted that Ince arrived at the studio with his personal crew, including technical director Ed Hopkins, cameraman William Black, and assistant director Joe Boyle. Isadore Bernstein, the studio’s general director, was to be replaced by Ince following his transfer to Equitable’s West Coast facility.
The 13 Aug 1915 Var included Ben Hendrix, William Cahill, and Orlox Lea among the cast. An article in the 29 Apr 1916 Moving Picture World noted that the film marked co-star Maud Hill’s screen debut. The 25 Sep 1915 issue stated that principal photography was nearly completed, and erroneously credited Webster Cullison as director. The close of production was announced in the 1 Oct 1915 Var.
The Cowardly Way opened 15 Nov 1915, although the 30 Oct 1915 Moving Picture World listed a 25 Oct 1915 release date. While reviews were generally positive, several critics focused on the film’s mystical aspects, which they assumed would be difficult for some members of the public to comprehend.
According to the 11 Dec 1915 Motion Picture News, the Ohio censorship board removed a sequence in which a man is “bound, gagged and threatened” with a gun, and another in which an insane man is thrown down a flight of ...
The 7 Aug 1915 Moving Picture World announced that director John Ince was expected the following week in Flushing, Queens, NY, to begin work on the film, his first for Equitable Motion Pictures Corp. Ince had recently ended his tenure with Lubin Manufacturing Corp. The 21 Aug 1915 Motion Picture News noted that Ince arrived at the studio with his personal crew, including technical director Ed Hopkins, cameraman William Black, and assistant director Joe Boyle. Isadore Bernstein, the studio’s general director, was to be replaced by Ince following his transfer to Equitable’s West Coast facility.
The 13 Aug 1915 Var included Ben Hendrix, William Cahill, and Orlox Lea among the cast. An article in the 29 Apr 1916 Moving Picture World noted that the film marked co-star Maud Hill’s screen debut. The 25 Sep 1915 issue stated that principal photography was nearly completed, and erroneously credited Webster Cullison as director. The close of production was announced in the 1 Oct 1915 Var.
The Cowardly Way opened 15 Nov 1915, although the 30 Oct 1915 Moving Picture World listed a 25 Oct 1915 release date. While reviews were generally positive, several critics focused on the film’s mystical aspects, which they assumed would be difficult for some members of the public to comprehend.
According to the 11 Dec 1915 Motion Picture News, the Ohio censorship board removed a sequence in which a man is “bound, gagged and threatened” with a gun, and another in which an insane man is thrown down a flight of stairs.
Poor but hardworking Hack Harcourt disregards warnings from friends and relatives, and marries wealthy, pampered Eunice Fielding. Shortly thereafter, financial pressures create tensions between them, exacerbated by Eunice’s resentment of Hack's younger sister, Marjorie. Faced with pregnancy and a crippling gambling debt, Eunice commits suicide. She meets Death personified, who explains that she is earthbound until she can achieve salvation. Hack, driven insane by the loss of his wife, becomes clairvoyant and communicates with Eunice. Death offers to restore Hack's sanity, but warns that Eunice would lose the ability to communicate with him. After Marjorie marries, Death reveals that her first born will bear the soul of the child intended for Eunice. The message reaches Hack, who attempts to kill the newborn infant. Eunice stops him by pleading with Death to restore her husband’s sanity, resulting in her own salvation. ...
Poor but hardworking Hack Harcourt disregards warnings from friends and relatives, and marries wealthy, pampered Eunice Fielding. Shortly thereafter, financial pressures create tensions between them, exacerbated by Eunice’s resentment of Hack's younger sister, Marjorie. Faced with pregnancy and a crippling gambling debt, Eunice commits suicide. She meets Death personified, who explains that she is earthbound until she can achieve salvation. Hack, driven insane by the loss of his wife, becomes clairvoyant and communicates with Eunice. Death offers to restore Hack's sanity, but warns that Eunice would lose the ability to communicate with him. After Marjorie marries, Death reveals that her first born will bear the soul of the child intended for Eunice. The message reaches Hack, who attempts to kill the newborn infant. Eunice stops him by pleading with Death to restore her husband’s sanity, resulting in her own salvation.
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