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Jean and the Waif
(1910) United States of America
B&W : One reel / 989 feet
Directed by Laurence Trimble
Cast: Jean the Vitagraph dog [Jean], William Humphrey [Mr. Brown], Adele De Garde [the waif], Leah Baird
The Vitagraph Company of America production; distributed by The Vitagraph Company of America. / Cinematography by Walter Arthur. / Released 24 December 1910. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Baird’s film debut.
Drama.
Synopsis: [The Film Index, 24 December 1910, page 18] Why do some people adopt a dog and lavish their attention upon it instead of some poor child? In some cases, it is a matter of preference; in others, a dog is easier to get than a child. Surely, as a dog, she was having her day and some very comfortable nights, too. The Browns were childless, and they took Jean to their hearts and home and made a great fuss over the dog as if it were their own child, buying delicacies for it, feeding and fondling it as if it were human, in trying to satisfy their longings and desire for an offspring of their own flesh and blood. Mrs. Brown’s mother love is touched more keenly as she looks out the window into the house next door and sees a little child being tucked in its bed by loving and parental hands. In contrast to the pampered dog we now look upon a different picture, a poor child living in environments of an entirely different nature. She is an orphan, a drudge in a working people’s boarding house of a cheap character. She is abused and overworked by the landlady, who is hard and abusive. It is Christmas Eve and poor Adele has no loving one to tuck her in her bed, none of the toys and remembrances so dear to children for which the Christmas season is most peculiarly and particularly their own. She must be content to snuggle up in a cold garret ramshackle bed with a little paper doll as her only reminder of Christmas and its joys. She is smarting under a beating from the landlady bountiful, and her little heart is aroused to rebellion and desertion; and she is moved to action, dresses herself, and leaves the “house of too much trouble.” Going out into the dark street, the snow falling and the winds blowing, she wanders, knowing not where, until, almost frozen, she reaches the unlocked basement doorway of the Brown’s home. Feeling her way through the hall, she peers into the kitchen. She sees the cook entertaining company, and steals upstairs to the bedroom where Jean is snugly sleeping in its pretty bed in little “nighties” and cap. She has been a much-petted dog, but not by any means spoiled; she sees the little girl and looks pleased, as if to say, “Come on in and go to sleep.” Adele takes off her shoes and jumps into bed with Jean, who cuddles up close to the child, and soon they are both in dreamland. Christmas morning Jean wakes first and barks out a “Merry Christmas” that brings Mr. and Mrs. Brown into the room, and, to their delight and surprise, find Adele, whom they accept as a special gift and adopt as their own daughter, lavishing their love and kindness upon her. Jean becomes just a dog once more, and a close friend to Adele. Jean sleeps in the big armchair while Adele occupies the pretty bed, and, after she is sound asleep, Jean waits a chance and jumps into the bed with Adele, gets under the covering, and goes to sleep in the arms of the little girl.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 7 January 1911, page 34] A touching story of an abused orphan forced to go out into the world alone, but who eventually reaches a house and the bed in which Jean, a pampered dog, sleeps. When the child is found with the dog the next morning, she is immediately adopted and the two become inseparable friends. This film is one of those touching little heart stories that appeals to the audience in an indescribable way. The acting of the dog is interesting, but there is such a feeling of relief shown on the faces when the child finds a home where she will be cared for. The Vitagraph people have an unusually fine dog actor, but they are wise in not overworking her. The few appearances she makes are all interesting and leave the audience wanting more.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 4 February 2025.
References: Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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