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The Call of the Waves
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Francis Ford
Cast: Francis Ford [Frank], Grace Cunard [Grace], [?] ? [a society woman], [?] Jack Ford (John Ford)? [her effeminate son], [?] ? [Grace’s father]
The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated [Gold Seal]. / Scenario by Grace Cunard, from a screen story by Grace Cunard. / Released 22 December 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Grace, a fisher girl, lives with her old father in a fishing village. She is an athletic care-free child of Nature, caring little for the conventions and foibles of society. Her greatest friend and companion is the sea, on the shores of which she has played from early childhood. Frank, a young man of wealth and excellent parentage, stops at the village on one of his outing excursions and meets the charming child of Nature. The result is a mutual love affair. Frank well knows that he will meet with opposition from his testy old father when he informs him of his intentions of marrying the girl of his choice but nevertheless, he returns to the city to try to secure the old man’s consent to a match. Despite Frank’s protestations of love, Grace feels she is not the equal of the man who would make her his wife. Shortly after Frank left the village, a society woman and her effeminate son arrive. While out in a boat they have an accident and are upset. Grace, the child of the sea, saves their lives, and in gratitude they offer to take her back to the city. Grace decides to grasp her chance of gaining an education, and of becoming worthy of her lover. She accepts the lady’s offer and goes to the city. Frank, meanwhile, is much bored by the society life of his class and especially with the woman his father has chosen to be his wife. Grace attends a reception with her benefactress and is exceedingly awkward, without realizing the fact herself. Frank, his father and the woman of his parent’s choice, attend the function, but Frank fails to recognize his little sweetheart of the sea in her new surroundings, and even smiles covertly at her awkward mistake. Grace sees the sneer and is broken-hearted. She begs the kind lady whose life she saved, to give her an education, determined to elevate herself in the eyes of her sweetheart until he cannot fail to recognize her as his equal. The lady sends her to Europe and she becomes a very accomplished young woman. Upon finishing her education, she makes an extended tour of Europe, ending her journey up at Monte Carlo, where she falls victim to the lure of the gambling table. Meanwhile, Frank’s father, thinking to cure his son of his mad infatuation, sends the young man to Europe. Frank takes to drink in his hopelessness and he, too, winds up in the gambling house of Monte Carlo. The two meet and recognize each other. Each of them feels unworthy of the other and seeks the comfort of solitude. The girl goes back to the sea, and as she sits on the rocks in the moonlight with the waves dashing about her, she is seen by her old sweetheart of the long ago. Again they meet and all doubts and fears are overcome in a true lover’s embrace.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 6 April 2020.
References: ClasIm-224 p. 43 : Website-IMDb.
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