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The Golden Secret
(1910) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 950 feet
Directed by William F. Haddock
Cast: Francis Ford [Will Brown], Edith Storey [Kate Brown], William Clifford [Nat Perry]
Méliès Star-Film [American] production; distributed by Méliès Star-Film [American]. / Produced by Gaston Méliès. Cinematography by William Paley. / Released 14 July 1910. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Western.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 9 July 1910, page ?] A Navajo Indian has crossed the great desert, and his water bottle has been emptied. He is in a frenzy from thirst and sees mirages of water everywhere. He comes upon Nat Perry, a young settler, who is conveying his household goods across the burning sands. Perry has just taken a drink from his precious canteen when the Indian falls at his feet and implores a little water. The young pioneer heartlessly turns him over with his foot and leaves him to die. Kate and Will Brown are passing in a prairie “schooner.” They see the Indian’s plight and revive him, load him into their vehicle, and proceed on their journey. Two years later the Indian is a valued friend and servant, when he has an altercation with Perry over the latter’s conduct in the desert and is fatally wounded. He crawls to his employer’s home and dies, but before he passes to the great beyond he tells the young settlers the secret of a lost gold mine and gives them a rude map which will help them to find it. Perry has overheard this conversation, and, while he has not seen the map, he resolves to follow Kate and Will when they start on their search. The Indian is decently buried, and the search begins. By rude drawings and familiar landmarks the mine is finally discovered. Brown immediately sees its great value, and in his haste to communicate their good fortune to his wife, he turns his ankle on a stone and sinks to the ground under the pain. While Kate is binding up the injured member, Perry, who has followed them closely, appears and commands them to throw up their hands. They are taken completely by surprise, relieved of their revolvers, their horses driven down the side of the mountain, and Perry writes a location claim and rides away to file it at the nearest land office for himself. Kate is in despair at the sudden change in their fortune, but conceives a plan intended to outwit the villainous Perry. She knows that he must ride a long way around the mountain in his descent, while if she can succeed in climbing down the side of a steep cliff she can be ahead of him. The difficulty is to find a horse, but she suddenly sees, far below her, a rider. His attention is attracted by means of huge stones, which she throws down. He sees her and stops, and is astonished when the plucky girl swings far out from the top of the cliff on a stout lariat and climbs hand over hand down the mountain. Her story is quickly told, and the gallant cowboy leads his horse. Then begins a race for the land office, in which the plucky girl is the victor. Perry arrives shortly after her, and is arrested by the sheriff, who happens to be there. The richness of her nugget excites the interest of an eastern capitalist, and an option is sold on the mine, which insures the young couple a handsome competence and luxury for life.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 30 July 1910, page ?] Even an Indian may communicate valuable information, and if one falls at your feet in the desert, imploring you to give him water, don't kick him. He may repay the kindness with telling you where to find a gold mine. The interesting feature of this film, the race of the young wife for the land office, is exciting. To see her go down the mountainside, swinging far out on a lariat, is startling enough to arouse the most jaded consciousness. It is a good picture, and one feels like extending personal congratulations when the sheriff arrests the villain and the wealth belongs to the young couple.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Native Americans: Navajo tribe
Listing updated: 7 August 2023.
References: Thompson-Star pp. 107-108, 228 : ClasIm-226 p. 54 : Website-AFI.
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