|
Sangerindens Diamanter
(The Singer’s Diamonds)
Also known as Sherlock Holmes Oplevelser IV in Denmark; The Theft of the Diamonds in the United Kingdom and in the USA
(1909) Denmark
B&W : 590 feet
Directed by Viggo Larsen
Cast: Viggo Larsen [Sherlock Holmes], Ellen Diedrich, Rigmor Jerichau, Lauritz Olsen, [?] Alwin Neuss?
Nordisk Films Kompagni production; distributed by Nordisk Films Kompagni. / Produced by Ole Olsen. Scenario by Viggo Larsen, from the Sherlock Holmes stories by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Cinematography by Axel Sørensen (Axel Graatkjær). / Released 20 January 1909. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film was released in the United Kingdom as The Theft of the Diamonds on 29 January 1910. The film was released in the USA as The Theft of the Diamonds (at 564 feet) by Great Northern Film Company on 19 March 1910; in a split-reel with En Bryllupsrejse [A Quiet Honeymoon] (1909).
Drama: Crime.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? The first scene portrays a room in Mr. Allan’s house. He is admiring a necklace of diamonds, when his nephew, Alfred Farley, a disreputable young man, having reached the end of his resources, applies to his uncle for the loan of some money, but he is refused. Spying the necklace, Farley tries to persuade his uncle to give it to him and, being refused again, he becomes angry and springs at his uncle in an endeavor to strangle him to gain possession of the coveted necklace. The effort is in vain, as Allan eludes him and angrily orders him from the house. We next see Mr. Allan at the theater dressing room of Margaret Hayes, a prima donna singer, where he presents her with the necklace just as she is leaving for the stage. Not wishing to leave it in the room, she twists it around her arm, and is followed out by Mr. Allan and her maid. In her absence Farley enters her dressing room and. after searching around finally discovers the empty box that had contained the necklace. Realizing that further search would be futile, he leaves and decides to go to her apartments and arriving there he lets himself down from the roof on a rope. Masked, he searches around the room and, being unsuccessful, hides behind a heavy curtain at the balcony door and awaits Miss Hayes’ arrival from the theater. As she enters the room she notices the confusion, and detecting him she grasps the telephone and calls for Sherlock Holmes, the great detective, but before she can say anything he rushes from his hiding place and forces the telephone away from her. Sherlock Holmes, on the other end of the wire, hears only a scream, and immediately locating the number, rushes to her home. Farley in the meantime has escaped to the roof and when Holmes arrives and sees Miss Hayes unconscious. he notices the rope and quickly clambers up after the scoundrel. Farley from above notices this and loosens the rope, hut Holmes luckily saves himself by clinging to the balcony which leads to the apartment of a gentleman and his servant. He explains his presence there and, with the aid of the men rushes to the roof in pursuit of the fugitive. Farley, from behind a chimney, shoots at the approaching men and after his revolver is emptied runs, but in jumping from one roof to another he falls and is captured and bound. He is then taken to the apartment of the singer, who has no difficulty in recognizing him as the thief and Farley is forced to give up the necklace and is turned over into the hands of the detective’s assistants.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: (unknown) [Denmark]; Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Authors: Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) - Characters: Sherlock Holmes - Law: Enforcement: Police: Detectives
Listing updated: 27 December 2024.
References: Mottram-Danish p. 47, 77; Pohle-Holmes pp. 34-35 : Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
|
