The Dazzling Miss Davison (1917)
Mystery | 18 June 1917
On 5 May 1917, Motion Picture News announced that actress Marjorie Rambeau had started work on her fifth film for the Mutual Film Corp. at the Frank Powell Studios, The Dazzling Miss Davison, which was based on a 1908 novel of the same name by English author Florence Warden. The news item added Aline Bartlett and Fraser Tarbutt to the cast, though their names were not included in credits published in other sources. By 19 May 1917, The Dazzling Miss Davison was listed in an article about Mutual films that were nearing completion in the Moving Picture World published that day. Filming took place at “a large department store in an eastern city,” according to the 19 May 1917 [Mansfield, OH] News-Journal, which added that the employees returned to the shop after hours to perform as background actors. Production was finished as of 26 May 1917, as stated in a Motion Picture News item printed on that date. The 2 June 1917 Moving Picture World added that the “Powell Producing corporation” was located in College Point, NY.
The actress Agnes Eyre was also known as Agnes Ayres.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
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On 5 May 1917, Motion Picture News announced that actress Marjorie Rambeau had started work on her fifth film for the Mutual Film Corp. at the Frank Powell Studios, The Dazzling Miss Davison, which was based on a 1908 novel of the same name by English author Florence Warden. The news item added Aline Bartlett and Fraser Tarbutt to the cast, though their names were not included in credits published in other sources. By 19 May 1917, The Dazzling Miss Davison was listed in an article about Mutual films that were nearing completion in the Moving Picture World published that day. Filming took place at “a large department store in an eastern city,” according to the 19 May 1917 [Mansfield, OH] News-Journal, which added that the employees returned to the shop after hours to perform as background actors. Production was finished as of 26 May 1917, as stated in a Motion Picture News item printed on that date. The 2 June 1917 Moving Picture World added that the “Powell Producing corporation” was located in College Point, NY.
The actress Agnes Eyre was also known as Agnes Ayres.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
Gerard Buckland, a young society man, sees a pretty girl on the street. While speculating on her family connections, he sees a shady-looking man hand the girl a diamond necklace, which she conceals before vanishing into the crowd. Later, at the home of a friend, he is amazed to meet the girl, who is as charming in conversation as she is in appearance and manner. To entertain her friends, she picks their pockets with professional skill, later returning the property with laughter. Miss Davison claims to be employed as a designer, but Buckland becomes convinced that she is either a kleptomaniac or an accomplice of the elderly man he often sees her meet. Miss Davison is neither of these, however, but is instead the best woman detective in New York. The mysterious old man is, in fact, her chief. The truth comes out at the Van Santen party when Miss Davison reveals herself as a detective and exposes the Van Santens as international crooks who have been preying on the rich. They are brought to justice through evidence gleaned by Miss Davison; and Buckland, radically revising his opinion of her, begins an ardent ...
Gerard Buckland, a young society man, sees a pretty girl on the street. While speculating on her family connections, he sees a shady-looking man hand the girl a diamond necklace, which she conceals before vanishing into the crowd. Later, at the home of a friend, he is amazed to meet the girl, who is as charming in conversation as she is in appearance and manner. To entertain her friends, she picks their pockets with professional skill, later returning the property with laughter. Miss Davison claims to be employed as a designer, but Buckland becomes convinced that she is either a kleptomaniac or an accomplice of the elderly man he often sees her meet. Miss Davison is neither of these, however, but is instead the best woman detective in New York. The mysterious old man is, in fact, her chief. The truth comes out at the Van Santen party when Miss Davison reveals herself as a detective and exposes the Van Santens as international crooks who have been preying on the rich. They are brought to justice through evidence gleaned by Miss Davison; and Buckland, radically revising his opinion of her, begins an ardent courtship.
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