THE IDEAL FILM PLOT.
[The brisk demand by Cinema companies for new picture-play stories has led many writers of talent to turn their attention to this fascinating branch of literature. Unfortunately they often fail not only to acquire a proper knowledge of the technique of the art, but to take steps to ascertain what the public really wants. With the object of helping authors in both directions we publish below a scenario which has been described by an authority as "the ideal film plot.">[
THE FIREBRAND'S REDEMPTION.
Persons:
Ferdinand, a Cowboy.
General Devereux.
Phyllis Devereux, his daughter.
Joe, a soldier.
Cowboys, miners, soldiers, Indians,
etc.
Part I.
Ferdinand's headlong career to the Devil is arrested by the beautiful Phyllis Devereux.
First Scene.—A drinking saloon in the Wild West. Cowboys, miners and Western demi-mondaines playing cards at top speed and drinking heavily. Enter Ferdinand, drunk and carrying a huge revolver in each hand and a tomahawk between his teeth. He forces the bar-tender to "hands up" and begins shooting down the bottles ranged along the counter. Enter Phyllis. As soon as Ferdinand sees her he drops the pistols and trembles violently. Phyllis regards him searchingly and leaves the saloon. Ferdinand follows unsteadily. Projection on screen:—
Gee, boys! Ferd's hit, sure!
Second Scene.—Outside the saloon. Phyllis is seen entering a sumptuous motor. Ferdinand falls to his knees, but she disregards him. As the motor moves away he prepares to strike himself on the back of the neck with his tomahawk, but when the fatal blow is about to fall Phyllis leans over the back of the car and blows him a kiss. Enlargement of Ferdinand's face working with emotion and finally settling into an expression of immense determination. Projection on screen:—
I swear never to drink again!
Part II.
Ferdinand is called upon to show himself worthy, but the old Adam conquers.
First Scene.—Outside General Devereux's tent. Soldiers, Staff Officers, etc. General sits in full uniform at a table. Enter Joe, a very fat soldier. He trips over his rifle, turns a somersault and salutes. The General points to the left and Joe goes off. Enter Phyllis, who talks and gesticulates with feeling. Projection on screen:—
Pop, I love him!
Enter Ferdinand. Much talk and discussion. Projection on screen:—
You must prove yourself worthy of her!
The General points dramatically to the left and writes at great speed. Projection on screen, in angular/handwriting:—
Send help at once! We are surrounded
and in sore straits!—Devereux.
He hands paper to Ferdinand. Both point dramatically to the left. Phyllis leans over her lover's shoulder and reads. All three point dramatically to the left.
Second Scene.—A wood. Enter Joe, walking cautiously. Suddenly a Red Indian in full war paint rushes towards him. Joe turns tail and flies.
Third Scene.—More wood. Joe is seen running at about thirty-five miles an hour, pursued by seven Indians.
Fourth Scene.—A tract of rocky country. Joe is seen running at about fifty-two miles an hour, pursued by fifteen Indians.
Fifth Scene.—The bank of a river. Joe is seen running at about seventy-eight miles an hour, pursued by twenty-three Indians. He trips over a stone and falls into the water. Enter Ferdinand on horseback. He dismounts and fires a revolver. Four Indians bite the dust. He fires again. Four more Indians bite the dust and the rest fly. Ferdinand shades his right eye, peers into the river, dives in and presently reappears with Joe. The latter feels anxiously in his pockets and produces a flask. He hands it to Ferdinand, who drinks. Enlargement of Ferdinand drinking.
Part III.
Phyllis again to the rescue.
First Scene.—The same. Ferdinand and Joe lie on the ground drunk. Enter Phyllis disguised as a soldier. Expressive despair. She searches Ferdinand's pockets and finds despatch, which is again projected on the screen. She points dramatically to the left and looks doubtfully at Ferdinand. Then she takes out a revolver, averts her eyes and shoots him in the shoulder. Projection on screen:—
They will think he has been wounded
by the enemy and will suspect
nothing!
Second Scene.—A wood. Phyllis on horseback riding at a great pace and waving the despatch in her right hand.
Part IV.
All's well that ends well.
First Scene.—A hospital. Ferdinand and Joe lying in cots and attended by nurses. Ferdinand signals to Joe and they leap out of bed, gag the nurses and tie them up with towels. Then they make a rope of bedclothes and climb out of the window.
Second Scene.—Outside the hospital. Ferdinand, in pyjamas, is seen sliding rapidly down the rope. Joe follows. The rope breaks and he falls with a crash to the ground.
Third Scene.—A field, with an aeroplane attended by mechanics standing in it. Enter Ferdinand and Joe running. They climb into the machine, the motor is started and they shoot out of the picture.
Fourth Scene.—The sky. An aeroplane flying very high and very fast.
Fifth Scene.—A forest. Phyllis is tied to a tree and three Red Indians are about to run her through with spears. Suddenly they look upwards as if disturbed by some noise. At this moment Ferdinand drops to the ground from the top of the picture. He at once shoots the Indians and releases Phyllis. The latter points dramatically to the right and produces a paper. Projection on screen:—
30,000 men will relieve you
to-morrow!—Conolly.
Ferdinand and Phyllis both point dramatically to the right.
Sixth Scene.—Outside the General's tent. Soldiers and Staff Officers as before. Enter Ferdinand and Phyllis. Ferdinand hands the despatch to the General. Despatch is again projected on the screen. The General rises and salutes with much emotion. All present salute, Ferdinand clasps Phyllis in his arms to kiss her.
Seventh Scene.—The Kiss—about twenty-five times life-size.
Mistress (discussing housemaid who has given notice). "Well, of course, if she wants to go she must. But it seems foolish of her if her only reason is that she wants a change. She won't get a better place than this."
Cook. "That's just what i tell the silly girl, Ma'am. 'Depend upon it,' I says to her, 'you'll only be going out of the frying-pan into the fire.'"
"Mr. G. Dyson, who succeeded Mr. W. S. Bambridge as organist at the college a little over two years ago, is leaving to go to Rugby, as organist there. Since he has been at Marlborough Mr. Dyson has given a large number of much-appreciated recitals in the college chapel. The organ is still undergoing repair."—The Standard.
We make no comment. This is Rugby's affair, not ours.
