User reviews

I only got to see a very small clip from this film. I must say i am fascinated by Hollywood stories such as the William Desmond Taylor case. I have read a awful lot about the case and have seen several photos of him. However seeing him in motion in this clip i finally saw what a devastating handsome man he was. The film itself seems very melodramatic like most silent films are. But i found it so intriguing to see WDT in motion for first time. I can't really judge the film that well because i only saw a brief 2 minute clip where Taylor and Margaret Gibson sit in a restaurant and he is about to kiss her. But she pushes him away saying 'No, No! thats where SHE kissed me, because she loved YOU!. she points in the other direction looking sad and walks off leaving Taylor alone at the table with his head slumped. From that alone it sounds a little weird. i don't even know what the film is really about. But god what a hunk Taylor was. No wonder Mary Miles Minter was so insanely in love with him. If your a Hollywood history buff like me this will certainly appeal to you, even if you don't get it. However if not than it will just come off as weird.

The film itself is nothing special. a standard one reel melodrama of its time, running around 10- minutes in length.

The fascinating part of this motion picture however is the fact that its the only film in which I have been able to find a performance by the famous director William Desmond Taylor. I have been fascinated by the Taylor murder for many years and understood that all of his on screen films were considered lost. When this film showed up on You Tube however I was more than thrilled.

Taylor was indeed a charming and handsome man judging by his performance in this film.tall, suave and able to move well and use his face to show his charm.

Over all its a fascinating piece of history that should really be remastered just for the sake of it being the only known live action footage of Taylor.

As another reviewer said, the film is a standard one reeler, and though charming, it is really only worth watching because it contains the only known surviving footage of William Desmond Taylor's brief acting career. The film is made more interesting by it's lead Margaret Gibson, who confessed to killing Taylor on her deathbed in 1964. Although I do not believe Gibson pulled the trigger, there is strong evidence suggesting she was involved in the case. Watching them play together long before scandal ever hit is absolutely fascinating.

The only known copy (available on YouTube) is in poor quality, but definitely worth viewing if you have interest in the Taylor murder, or old Hollywood in general.

This number, featuring Margaret Gibson and George Holt, tells an entertaining story of the hopes and aspirations of a girl clerk in a department store. The settings and photography are excellent and the plot is true to life. All of the incidents follow in a convincing manner. A good release. - The Moving Picture World, May 2, 1914