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The Cricket on the Hearth
(1914) United States of America
B&W : Two reels
Directed by Lorimer Johnston
Cast: Sydney Ayres [Caleb Plummer], Vivian Rich [Dot], Jack Richardson [Old Tackleton], Caroline Cooke (Caroline Frances Cooke) [Bertha], Harry Van Meter (Harry von Meter) [John Perrybingle], Louise Lester [Tilly Slowboy], Harris L. Forbes [Edward Plummer, Caleb’s son], Charlotte Burton [May Fielding], Charles Morrison (Chick Morrison) [Dot’s father], Violet Neitz (Violet Knights) [Vinnie], Edith Borella [Mrs. Fielding], Julius Frankenburg [Porter], William Tedmarsh [the old gardener], Anna English [Dot’s mother]
American Film Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Mutual Film Corporation [Flying A]. / Scenario by Lorimer Johnston, from the novella “The Cricket on the Hearth” by Charles Dickens. / Released 16 February 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama: Historical.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Caleb and Blind Bertha are seen at work. John Perrybingle and his sweetheart, Dot, are seen at the May Pole dance. John takes Dot to see their future home. Old Tackleton, who wants Edward’s sweetheart for his wife, is insulting in his action to May and is knocked down by Edward, who really fears he has killed him. This compels Edward to escape and we see Tackleton on his recovery avenging on the poor father the son’s action. Caleb is rendered poorer and poorer, but through it all he maintains a stout heart in order to conceal the real situation of their poverty from his blind daughter. Dot and John are married and oh, what a wonderful baby Tilly Slowboy has to take care of, and my, how the cricket chirps in their happy home. May, to save her father, consents to marry old Tackleton, and we see them on the way to the church. Edward comes back, though, and old Tackleton turns out better than we thought. Edward and May are married and then what a homecoming they all have. And how happy old Caleb is to find his son has come home to him. And the cricket never stops his chirping. You know Dickens says, “To have a cricket on the hearth is the luckiest thing in all the world.”
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 21 February 1914, page ?] Dickens is a favorite with motion picture fans and there is much in this two-part offering to please. The backgrounds and characters are pleasing and, although the story has obscure passages for those who have not read the book, it has enough humanity to get over in spite of this. Its highest merit is an illustration to such spectators as remember the novel. We think it will be favorably received by average audiences.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Authors: Charles Dickens
Listing updated: 1 December 2022.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 204 : Website-IMDb.
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