The Indian Runner's Romance (1909)

Western | 23 August 1909

Full page view
HISTORY

The Indian Runner's Romance was filmed in Cuddebackville, NY.
       The 4 Sep 1909 Moving Picture World ran the following review: "A Biograph picture having as its scenario the Black Hills in 1867, just about the time of the discovery of gold there. The principal actors are a couple of Sioux Indians, a man and a woman, the man wooing the maiden with the blanket, signifying protection, and securing the consent of her father by presenting him with a quantity of valuable blankets and wampum. A dying miner tells him of the location of a rich claim. Three cowboys undertake to secure the secret from the Indian, but fail. Alter the wedding they attempt to extort it from the squaw, but failing in that they abduct her, treating her with extreme brutality to force her to divulge the location of the mine. She is carried away, thrown across the saddle like a bundle. The Indian, returning home and finding her gone, divines the reason and sets out in pursuit. The fight between the Indian and the renegade cowboy on the back of a galloping horse is vivid and exciting. The cowboy finally falls dead from a knife thrust. The Indian and his bride return home together. The beauty of this picture cannot be described. The reproduction of outdoor scenery is so good that it seems as though one were actually in the woods and fields. There is a convincing quality about the acting which appeals very strongly, and as the climaxes are reached, the attention is riveted closer and closer. There is plenty of action in the picture, while the staging and the accessories are made ...

More Less

The Indian Runner's Romance was filmed in Cuddebackville, NY.
       The 4 Sep 1909 Moving Picture World ran the following review: "A Biograph picture having as its scenario the Black Hills in 1867, just about the time of the discovery of gold there. The principal actors are a couple of Sioux Indians, a man and a woman, the man wooing the maiden with the blanket, signifying protection, and securing the consent of her father by presenting him with a quantity of valuable blankets and wampum. A dying miner tells him of the location of a rich claim. Three cowboys undertake to secure the secret from the Indian, but fail. Alter the wedding they attempt to extort it from the squaw, but failing in that they abduct her, treating her with extreme brutality to force her to divulge the location of the mine. She is carried away, thrown across the saddle like a bundle. The Indian, returning home and finding her gone, divines the reason and sets out in pursuit. The fight between the Indian and the renegade cowboy on the back of a galloping horse is vivid and exciting. The cowboy finally falls dead from a knife thrust. The Indian and his bride return home together. The beauty of this picture cannot be described. The reproduction of outdoor scenery is so good that it seems as though one were actually in the woods and fields. There is a convincing quality about the acting which appeals very strongly, and as the climaxes are reached, the attention is riveted closer and closer. There is plenty of action in the picture, while the staging and the accessories are made as true as it is possible to determine them. The costumes of the Indians are perfect reproductions of those actually worn by the Sioux. The effect is artistic and so attractive that one wants to see the picture more than once."

Less

GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS
SOURCE CITATIONS
SOURCE
DATE
PAGE
LCMP
p. 29, column 1
LCPP
p. 195
EMP
p. 158
BIOB2
p. 118
BPL
pp. 118-119
The Daily Worker
p. 57
Moving Picture World
28 Aug 1909
p. 287ts, 294ta, 298tl
Moving Picture World
4 Sep 1909
pp. 315-316r
NYDM
28 Aug 1909
p. 16ta
NYDM
4 Sep 1909
p. 16r
Variety
28 Aug 1909
tr
DETAILS
Release Date:
23 August 1909
Production Date:

Copyright Info
Claimant
Date
Copyright Number
Biograph Co.
24 August 1909
J130843
Physical Properties:
Silent
Black and White
Length(in feet):
994
Country:
United States
SYNOPSIS

"A thrilling episode in the Black Hills, it was about the year of 1867 when gold was discovered in the Black Hills, and the Sioux Indians were at the time possessors of that territory, and most of the land was unknown to the white man. At the time of our story, an old miner, more venturesome than others, secretly worked a claim, and found it rich with deposits. His age, however, conspired against his being able to withstand the hardships he was necessarily subjected to, and Blue Cloud, the Indian Runner, discovers him dying in the rocks. Grateful for the kindness of the brave, the miner tells him of the location of his hidden mine as he dies. Three cowboys come up and want to know the mine's location, but the Indian refuses to tell. Blue Cloud loves the little squaw, and in consequence of his newly acquired wealth, presses his suit in that quaint Indian fashion, wooing with the blanket, symbolizing protection. He is accepted and approved by her father after leaving his offerings outside the parental tepee. Married, they proceed to Blue Cloud's wigwam, and while he is away hunting, three cowboys come up and try to get from her the mine's location. She is obdurate, however, so they abduct her to force her to divulge its whereabouts. Finding her still adamant in determination, the renegades gamble as to who shall take care of her, the holder of the high card to have her. Meanwhile, the Indian has returned, and finding his squaw gone, realizes the true nature of the situation at finding the sombrero of one of the cowboys in the tepee. Starting in pursuit, he ...

More Less

"A thrilling episode in the Black Hills, it was about the year of 1867 when gold was discovered in the Black Hills, and the Sioux Indians were at the time possessors of that territory, and most of the land was unknown to the white man. At the time of our story, an old miner, more venturesome than others, secretly worked a claim, and found it rich with deposits. His age, however, conspired against his being able to withstand the hardships he was necessarily subjected to, and Blue Cloud, the Indian Runner, discovers him dying in the rocks. Grateful for the kindness of the brave, the miner tells him of the location of his hidden mine as he dies. Three cowboys come up and want to know the mine's location, but the Indian refuses to tell. Blue Cloud loves the little squaw, and in consequence of his newly acquired wealth, presses his suit in that quaint Indian fashion, wooing with the blanket, symbolizing protection. He is accepted and approved by her father after leaving his offerings outside the parental tepee. Married, they proceed to Blue Cloud's wigwam, and while he is away hunting, three cowboys come up and try to get from her the mine's location. She is obdurate, however, so they abduct her to force her to divulge its whereabouts. Finding her still adamant in determination, the renegades gamble as to who shall take care of her, the holder of the high card to have her. Meanwhile, the Indian has returned, and finding his squaw gone, realizes the true nature of the situation at finding the sombrero of one of the cowboys in the tepee. Starting in pursuit, he tries to borrow a horse, but is refused, so resorts to running capability to overtake the hounds. The one whose lot it is to take charge of the girl has brutally bound and thrown her across his horse, and mounting in the saddle starts for his shack at breakneck speed. Blue Cloud, however, with his knowledge of the trails, by a short cut, and a thrilling dash through the dangerous rapids of the mountain stream, manages to overtake him. Leaping up on the fast galloping horse behind the cowboy, a most exciting combat ensues, a bowie-knife conflict on the back of the horse, with the prostrate form of the squaw flung across its neck. On they gallop, the Indian fighting furiously until at length the cowboy drops lifeless from the saddle. Drawing the horse up, the Indian dismounts and releases the terror-stricken squaw, whom he takes tenderly back to his wigwam.”—28 Aug 1909 Moving Picture World

Less

Legend
Viewed by AFI
Partially Viewed
Offscreen Credit
Name Occurs Before Title
AFI Life Achievement Award

TOP SEARCHES

Mr. Smith Goes to Washington

According to HR news items, "The Gentleman from Montana" (an unpublished story by Lewis R. Foster, alternately called "The Gentleman from Wyoming" by both contemporary and modern ... >>

Psycho

Actor Vaughn Taylor's surname is misspelled "Tayler" in the onscreen credits. Several Jun and Jul 1959 HR news items erroneously refer to the film as Psyche. ... >>

Fame

       The last name of principal dancer Ranko Yokoyama is misspelled "Yokoyana."
       The film is divided into five acts indicated by title cards stating: “The Auditions,” “Freshman Year,” “Sophomore ... >>

Batman Returns

According to a 14 Jun 1992 LAT article, Warner Bros. was very eager for Tim Burton to direct the sequel to his 1989 film Batman ... >>

The Grapes of Wrath

According to materials contained in the Twentieth Century-Fox Records of the Legal Department at the UCLA Theater Arts Library, Fox paid John Steinbeck $70,000 for the rights to his ... >>

The American Film Institute is grateful to Sir Paul Getty KBE and the Sir Paul Getty KBE Estate for their dedication to the art of the moving image and their support for the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and without whose support AFI would not have been able to achieve this historical landmark in this epic scholarly endeavor.