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  • The Temple of the Lion (1914)
  • Short | Short, Adventure
The Temple of the Lion (1914)
Short | Short, Adventure
After the daring and cunning of the American engineer blew up the Amphitheatre with his land mines, saving Kathlyn from the hungry lions, he dragged her from the wreckage to a secluded spot close by, where Ramadai and Pundita were waiting ...See moreAfter the daring and cunning of the American engineer blew up the Amphitheatre with his land mines, saving Kathlyn from the hungry lions, he dragged her from the wreckage to a secluded spot close by, where Ramadai and Pundita were waiting with elephants. So they all are elevated into the howdahs; the mahouts prod the big beasts and then follows a flight through the jungle. Finally in the dawn of the morning, they stop for water. A baboon runs close to the trail, frightening Kathlyn's elephant mount, which runs away. The mahout tries to stop the terrified beast, but he is thrown against a tree, and the elephant continues its frantic pace with Kathlyn, alone. The other members of the entourage pursue her, but the runaway gains so fast that Kathlyn is soon lost to their view in the recesses of the forest. Finally the weary elephant halts at the gates of a city, and Kathlyn again finds herself a stranger captive. She happens along about the time the funeral ceremony of a Parsee is being celebrated. The scene transfers to the Burning Gat, where a cremation is in process, after the primitive fashion of the Parsee. The widow is led to the pyre to be sacrificed with her husband for suttee. She shrieks with fear, declaring she will never give herself to the rite. The head man then shouts to them that a victim is providentially at hand to be sacrificed upon the pyre to propitiate the gods. Thereupon he leads in Kathlyn, the white captive. She is bound and place upon the smoking pile. The preparations are made for her final resignation, but she does not resign. As the fire is started, the natives start to decorously retire, their flight being accelerated by the appearance of a mad elephant. It happens to be Kathlyn's erratic mount. It recognizes its mistress and, reaching up to the top of the pyre, takes her from the flames that are now biting her garments. As the big beast rescues the fair one and rushes away, the scene dims. The day is far spent; likewise the elephant, and as night comes on, they approach the portico of a ruined temple. The animal kneels and Kathlyn descends, weary from the long journey. Across the pillared portico strolls a prowling lion. Other parts of the structure show that the carnivore are chiefly its habitants. Kathlyn alights and stands close to the sarcophagus. She observes the lion and leaps into the carved cavity. So she passes the night in terror, frequently seeking safety in the recesses of the sacred tomb as the black-maned lion passes and re-passes in search of prey. As morning comes, a priest ventures into the temple, and observing Kathlyn miraculously rising from the sarcophagus after her terrible rest, he views her as an apparition, and falls at her feet in worship. He calls his associates; they bring their food and drink and elect her to be high priestess in their temple; and henceforth she must keep alive by night and day the fire that will ward off evil spirits from that region. The unhappy young queen again finds not only a priestess, but a prisoner. One night in fleeing from the prowling lion she stumbles against an idol. It falls and is broken into a thousand pieces. The following morning the natives, discovering the destruction, are enraged beyond endurance, rushing at Kathlyn as if to slay her. She wards them off, reminding them that as high priestess her person is sacred. Then fortunately recurs to her the accomplishment of her girlhood days with clay modeling in her far away California studio. She plans to save herself from the fury of the fanatics by telling them that she has the power to recreate their idol. She orders clay and water and at once begins modeling a reproduction of the idol from memory. When the natives behold this completed work of art, they fall to the ground in abject obeisance, and she stands entrenched more strongly than ever in their reverence. Thus she again saves her life by her ready wit and her facility of accomplishment. The marauding lion has grown bolder and hungrier now makes his rounds on the portico in broad daylight. Having escaped the fury of the mob, Kathlyn now is about to become the prey of a savage beast. She flies for her life from the temple to the river. It would appear that only a miracle could save her now. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
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Director
Francis J. Grandon
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Jan 26, 1914
Release date
Jan 26, 1914 (United States)

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4 cast members
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