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Silver Blaze
Also known as Flamme d’argent in France
(1912) England/France
B&W : Two reels / 1300 feet
Directed by [?] Georges Tréville and/or Adrien Caillard?
Cast: Georges Tréville [Sherlock Holmes], Mr. Moyse [Doctor Watson]
Société Française des Filmes et Cinématographes Éclair and Franco-British Film Company production. / From the short story “Silver Blaze” by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The production was shot in Bexhill-on-Sea, England. [?] The film is thought possibly to have been directed by Adrien Caillard. / The film was released in the USA by Union Features in 1912; and the film was © 29 November 1912 by Union Features in the USA.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Silver Blaze was the favorite. And a beautiful piece of horseflesh she was. Colonel Ross was expecting a lot from this wonderful animal on Derby Day. And then came despair. Early in the morning the stable-boy is aroused from a deep sleep caused by a drug, to find Silver Blaze gone, and the jockey, Shraker, dead, with a crushed skull, in the open field nearby. Sherlock Holmes had first-hand information of this case since he was at the home of his old friend Ross, when the Colonel’s beautiful horse disappeared. An investigation by the great detective gives him a sure clue to the whereabouts of the animal and he acts promptly. Colonel Ross insists that he must withdraw the favorite from the race program, but Holmes says, “No!” and his command is emphatic. Rather bewildered but trusting the wisdom of his old friend, Colonel Ross goes to the track on Derby Day, but is dismayed when he can find no trace of good old “Silver Blaze.” But Holmes bids him wait and insists that his horse will come through a sure winner, despite his apparent mysterious absence. The race is finished and the winner comes to the Stables, and here to the nervous and astonished Colonel Ross, a little water and a soft cloth remove from the forehead of the winner a dark stain which had covered up the great blazing white mark which had given the beautiful animal the name of “Silver Blaze.” Holmes’ investigation had trailed the Derby favorite to the home of trainer Brown and he forced Brown to admit having the horse. The jockey, Shraker, had attempted to steal the animal and had drugged the stable boy, but he was thrown and kicked by the racer and so his villainous plans were suddenly halted. Brown found “Silver Blaze” in the open field and thought to make him unrecognizable by painting over the great white “blaze,” but he had not calculated on the genius of Sherlock Holmes.
Survival status: The film is presumed lost.
Current rights holder: (unknown) [France]; (unknown) [United Kingdom]; Public domain [USA].
Keywords: Authors: Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930) - Characters: Sherlock Holmes - Law: Enforcement: Police: Detectives
Listing updated: 27 January 2025.
References: Everson-Detective p. 7; Tarbox-Lost p. 103 : Website-IMDb.
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