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The Fall of Blackhawk
Also known as {The Fall of Black Hawk}
(1912) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by William Lee
Cast: Harry Lonsdale [Abraham Lincoln], David Fischer [Jefferson Davis], Chester Gould [General Winfield Scott], George Cole [Zachary Taylor], Zelma Barber [Sarah Taylor], Nell Morgan [Elizabeth Taylor], Seymour Rose, Ogalalla Fire [an Indian], Little Bear [an Indian]
American Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, production; distributed on State Rights basis by Film Supply Company of America. / Scenario by Omer F. Doud. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Historical: Civil War.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? You see the incidents that led to the Blackhawk War — the signing of the treaty of 1830, the first assault on settlers in 1831 — how the news reached Springfield, where you see Abraham Lincoln, axe on shoulder, hearing the news, his volunteer company and what happened and when they reported to General Scott; how Blackhawk, after his peace messengers were shot, decided to fight. Also a glimpse of Mrs. Zachary Taylor and her two daughters, their determination to visit their father at Ft. Crawford, how Blackhawk captured Sarah Taylor and how Jefferson Davis recaptured her and fell in love with her, the famous attack on Ft. Crawford with burning fagots, battering rams, and finally the successful attack with flaming arrows. We see the suffering inside the fort and the marriage of Davis and Sarah, finally the ultimate capture of Blackhawk, after a blood-stirring battle.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 17 August 1912, page ?] Special release. A historical subject in three reels, giving a romantic story of the settlement of the Mississippi Valley and of the Blackhawk war. It is of special interest because it has, though rather freely sketched in, a truly historical background. Among its characters are figures like Abe Lincoln, a gawky young backwoodsman; Gen. Scott, in command of the forces against Blackhawk; Jefferson Davis, a young officer under Scott, who meets the soldier, Abe Lincoln, by the way; and Zachary Taylor, also an officer in the regular army. Jeff Davis is the hero of the love story and Taylor’s daughter is the heroine. She is captured by Blackhawk’s redskins, but escapes. The story ends with the Indians’ repulse at Fort Crawford and with Blackhawk’s capture by the soldiers. One feels that the producer has relied on his basis in history too much; he has not made some of his incidents, which no doubt are historical, convincing; yet he has kept his narrative clear. He has failed also to get atmosphere in many of his scenes, which from a pictorial viewpoint seem crude and suggest that a story was wanted rather than a picture of life. The picture, however, is full of good things from first to last. It gets across as entertainment and also as instruction. It will probably please a large number of photoplay patrons.
Survival status: Prints exist in the Library of Congress film archive [16mm acetate duplicate reduction negative].
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 29 November 2022.
References: Robinson-Palace p. 167 : Website-IMDb : with additional information provided by Andrew Van Gorp.
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