The Adventure of the Hasty Elopement
About The Adventure of the Hasty Elopement
Octavius, the amateur detective played by Barry O’Moore, loses his automobile to Ruth, who is set on eloping. Her parents, a minister, police, and other drivers join a chase that ties the detective’s car to the couple’s flight. Viola Dana is Ruth. Yale Benner is the lover. Julian Reed is the butler. Harry Linson is the minister.
Cast & crew
More about The Adventure of the Hasty Elopement
Charles M. Seay directed the ninth one-reel entry in Edison’s Octavius, Amateur Detective series. Frederic Arnold Kummer wrote the story. General Film released it. IMDb dates the release 21 September 1914. It runs about 15 minutes. O’Moore is the stage name of Herbert Yost. Frank A. Lyon plays Ruth’s father, Mrs. William Bechtel her mother, and Edward O’Connor a man polishing a car in a dealer’s showroom. A 35mm positive is at the Museum of Modern Art.
Themes
Making
Seay drops the series detective into someone else’s elopement. The stolen car is the join. Kummer’s story supplies the couple; the Edison series supplies Octavius.
Music
Silent.
Preservation
The Museum of Modern Art holds a 35mm positive. The film is in the public domain in the United States.
Notes
- The series title on some prints is Octavius, the Amateur Detective #9: The Adventure of the Hasty Elopement.
- The short is in Edison: The Invention of the Movies (2005).
- Dana, still a teenager in 1914, is the eloping Ruth, not a bit player.
- The chase is several vehicles, not one stolen car and a cut to the wedding.
Scenes
- Ruth takes Octavius’s car to reach her elopement.
- Parents, police, and the detective pile into the chase.
Also available
- Wikimedia Commons (The Adventure of the Hasty Elopement 1914 Octavius Amateur Detective Thomas Edison.webm)
- Museum of Modern Art
- Edison: The Invention of the Movies (Kino, 2005)
