Chest of Fortune

The Kalem Company produced over 1,700 silent films between 1907 and 1917, most of them around 10-15 minutes in length. We are fortunate that many of these films are still extant and can be enjoyed today. Copies of "Chest of Fortune" still exist, although the one I saw had title cards in Dutch.

The film tells the story of a family during the Civil War who, fearful of the approaching Morgan's Raiders, sends their servants and their very young son away in a boat with a chest full of the family's fortune. The boat sinks, and the treasure is lost for many decades although the young boy Jack is saved by strangers. Years later Jack Wellington (Guy Coombs) is the manager of a dredging operation that happens to find the chest, whereupon Jack opens it and finds his photo among his parents' prized possessions. He shows the objects to his friend Harry Manning (Harry F. Millarde). Jack starts spending much time with his girlfriend Kate Ward (Marguerite Courtort), which enrages Harry with jealousy. When Kate chooses Jack, Harry knocks Jack unconscious, throws him in the dredge bucket, and tries to kill him by submerging him in deep water. Jack's co-workers arrive just in time, apprehend Harry, and Kate and Jack can be married and spend their lives together.

This short movie is very well made, with good (for the time) cinematography and acting. In particular, Harry's jealousy is well demonstrated by Millarde and the scenes of Harry's detainment are very good. The film is worth watching to see Millarde and actress Courtot during their silent film days with Kalem.

Millarde later became a prominent director at Fox Studios, married actress June Caprice (who he directed in several films) and died at just 45 of heart problems in New York City, only 17 years after making this film. (Millarde's widow Caprice died just five years later at age 40.) More happily the beautiful Courtot retired in 1924, married fellow silent actor Raymond McKee, and lived many years until her death in 1986 at age 88. It's interesting to see these old-time actors at the beginning of their careers, in a very watchable film.

A two-reel story of the south in war time and later. It is fresh and, with the exception of the over-drawn melodrama at the end of the second reel, is reasonable and human. We can call it a good production, for many of its scenes, those showing war and peaceful occupations, are well handled and full of good atmosphere. But the audience was critical this morning and laughed at its series of casualties from the bullets of Morgan's men who want the treasure chest which is thrown overboard and saved to identify the hero later, when grown up. These deaths do become a bit amusing, for they are many and not convincing. The photography is good and there's good entertainment, in the picture. - The Moving Picture World, March 14, 1914