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Bomben
Also known as The Shell: or, “A Madman’s Revenge” in the USA
(1909) Denmark
B&W : Split-reel
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
Nordisk Films Kompagni production; distributed by Nordisk Films Kompagni. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film was released in the USA as The Shell: or, “A Madman’s Revenge” (at 567 feet) by Great Northern Film Company on 28 August 1909; in a split-reel with Cowboys in Argentina (1909).
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? A working man, Charles Simonsen, is instructed to remove some heavy timber, but being tired, he sits down a few minutes to rest himself. For this, the foreman rebukes him for laziness, and S. gets angry and gives a sharp reply. Soon after, the two men quarrel hotly with the result that S. is discharged and by aid of the police turned away from the working place. Raging over the unjust treatment, and fearing that his family shall now suffer want, drives the sensitive man mad. When he comes home and as usual embraces his children, he suddenly begins to unravel a secret plan in a wild, uncanny way with strange manners and words. His poor sick brain has invented a scheme to blow up the new ship, which is being built at the wharf. Under pretense of getting a box for the necessary dynamite, his wife runs out to fetch a doctor. But when they come back, S. is gone. The madman has in the meantime sneaked into the wharf, burst open the door to the dynamite room, taken out a loading with conductor and clockwork, and placed it all under the big ship’s hull. As he now at full speed runs away from the place the foreman happens to see him, becomes suspicious and runs after him. S. jumps into a boat, the foreman takes another and quickly pursues and reaches the fugitive. It comes to a violent fight in S.’s boat, they both fall into the water, but when S. again reaches the surface, he is more dead than alive. The foreman carries him ashore, and assisted by some policemen, he gets him so far restored that they can question him as to his doings. The doctor and his wife arrive also, and he tells them where he has placed the shell. The foreman rushes away to find it, and thus in the nick of time prevents a catastrophe. When he returns, S. pulls all his strength together, asking, “Did you find the shell?” and when he hears the good news, a smile of relief brightens his face, and he closes his eyes and dies in the arms of his faithful wife.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: (unknown) [Denmark]; Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Foremen - Labor-management relations - Weapons: Bombs
Listing updated: 29 December 2024.
References: Mottram-Danish pp. 53-54 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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