Un par de fotografías donde se aprecia al director y actor Romaine Fielding con su staff de la Lubin Manufacturing Company en dos locaciones: Los Ángeles y Nuevo México. Destacan varios actores y técnicos de obvia ascendencia mexicana entre el personal fotografiado.
Motography del 12 de julio de 1913 (Vol. X, No. 1, p. 4)Romain Fielding y el staff de la Lubin publicada en Motography el 23 de agosto de 1913 (Vol. X, No. 4, p. 128)
The Moving Picture World, Vol. XVI, No. 8, May 24, 1913, p. 832:
LOVE AND WAR IN MEXICO (Special, 2 parts. May 28).—James Hudson, a young civil engineer, is engaged in surveying land In Southern California, when he meets and falls in love with Pequita, the daughter of Don Jose Alvarado, a Mexican farmer. Pequita learns to love Hudson and they are eventually married. Two years pass and Hudson has become addicted to the use of liquor, and has grown tired of Pequita. One day, while in a drunken rage, he strikes her, and as she falls unconscious, and he, being unable to revive her, believes her dead. He runs from the house, and, after a long journey, falls exhausted at the door of a mission. The padre finds him and takes him inside, where he is nursed back to health and eventually becomes a monk. In the meantime, Pequita has been found by her father and taken to his home, where her little son is born.
Twenty years elapse and the son, grown to manhood, has joined the insurgent Mexican army and is selected to do duty as a spy. He enlists in the Federal forces and in the execution of his duties as a spy, he is discovered and tried by court martial. He is condemned to death, but when the commanding officer visits him in his cell, the boy overpowers him and escapes by donning the officer’s cloak and bat. A detachment of soldiers give chase and overtake him at the door of the mission. The padre protects the boy and requests that he be allowed one hour for confession, after which the padre promises to deliver the prisoner to them. The officer consents and the boy is led inside. He requests that his mother be sent for and a monk goes to bring her. When she arrives she immediately recognizes the monk as her husband, and tells him that the boy Is his son. At the expiration of the hour the officer demands his prisoner, and the men are waiting outside the mission gate to carry out the execution. As the boy and mother are kneeling in prayer, the father dons the cloak and cap in which the boy escaped and goes out. As he opens the gate and steps forth, be is met by a volley of bullets from the guns of the soldiers, who march away, believing they have done their duty. The mother and son rush from the mission and fall weeping across the body of the father who, with his life, atoned for the suffering he had caused them.
The Moving Picture World del 24 de mayo de 1913 (Vol. 16, No. 8, p. 784)
The Moving Picture World, Vol. XVI, No. 11, Jun. 14, 1913, p. 1135:
«LOVE AND WAR IN MEXICO» (Lubin), May 28 — A melodramatic picture of revolutionary times in Mexico. It is in two parts; but would have been better in one. The scenario was worthy of artistic treatment, but is very poorly acted. The scenes too, are poorly composed and, with dull photography, are more of a hindrance in that they give the mind something to be dissatisfied with, when it would prefer to think of nothing but the story. The opening is particularly dull and without the snap that it ought to have and, in these early scenes, the «degenerate husband’s» brutalities are annoying. Some people left the theater, others laughed and made fun of them. In the end, this man has become a very devout priest, thinking his wife dead. Twenty years late, his son, whom he has never seen or heard of is to be shot by the Federals and runs to the church. The priest promises the captain to bring the fugitive in an hour and sends for the boy’s mother, a woman of the village, whom he doesn’t know is his wife, until they meet.
Ficha filmográfica: Love and War in Mexico (1913) Norteamericana. B & N: dos rollos. Productor: Siegmund Lubin para la Lubin Manufacturing Company. Distribución: The General Film Company, Inc. Estrenada el 28 de mayo de 1913. Director: Wilbert Melville. Intérpretes: Henry King (James Hudson); Irene Hunt (Paquita); Carl von Schiller (Manuel, el hijo); James Fitzroy (José).
Motography del 31 de mayo de 1913 (Vol IX, No. 11, p. 6)
Motography del 31 de mayo de 1913 (Vol. IX, No. 11, p. 6):
James Hudson married to a beautiful Mexican girl in a drunken fit strikes her and leaves her for dead. He seeks refuge in a Mission and becomes a monk. Pequita is nursed back to life and has a son. Twenty years later the boy becomes a spy in the Mexican Revolution, he is discovered and sentenced to be shot. He escapes but is pursued by the soldiers to the Mission. There he pleads that they send for his mother. In the Mission, Pequita recognizes her husband. The monk takes the boy’s hat and cloak and coming out of the gate, places himself in front of the guns.
The Moving Picture World del 24 de mayo de 1913 (Vol. 16, No. 8, p. 784)
The Moving Picture World del 24 de mayo de 1913 (Vol. XVI, No. 8, p. 784):
James Hudson is married to a beautiful Mexican girl Pequita. In a maudlin condition he strikes her and leaves her for dead. He seeks refuge in a Mission and becomes a Monk. Pequita is nursed back to life and has a son. Twenty years later, the boy becomes a spy in the Mexican Revolution, is discovered and sentenced to die. He escapes, but the soldiers trace him to the Mission and capture him. He pleads that they send for his mother. She recognizes her husband and tells him it is his son. The father changes clothes with the boy and suffers the penalty.
The Moving Picture World del 24 de mayo de 1913 (Vol XVI, No. 8, p. 781)
The Moving Picture World del 24 de mayo de 1913 (Vol XVI, No. 8, p. 781)
As its title implies, a Mexican war drama of more than usual interest. Two reels, produced by LUBIN. A young American, a civil engineer, makes the fatal mistake of marrying the daughter of a Mexican farmer. They quarrel and he strikes her, leaving her for dead. Years later, he does penance for his crime, by giving his life for his son, who has been captured as a spy.
Emilio García Riera en México visto por el cine extranjero (Vol. I, p. 55) menciona:
Otras, como las de In the Days of Gold (1911) y The Fatal Black Bean (Título antológico – El frijol fatal – de 1915), se probaban aguerridas al disfrazarse de hombres, y las hubo abnegadas al sufrir en Fate’s Interception (1912) y en Love and War in Mexico (1913) los agravios de un mal marido gringo.
En el volumen II de la misma obra, García Riera nos proporciona una sinopsis:
El ingeniero James Hudson, casado con la mexicana Paquita, hija del ranchero don José Alvarado, se vuelve con los años alcohólico. Cansado de su mujer, la desmaya a golpes; la cree muerta, por lo que huye y llega después de un largo viaje a un monasterio, donde lo cuida un fraile. Hudson se hace religioso a su vez. Veinte años después, el hijo de Paquita se une a los revolucionarios mexicanos y debe cumplir una misión de espionaje entre los federales, pero es descubierto y condenado a muerte. Sin embargo, logra huir disfrazado con el uniforme del jefe federal, a quien vence cuando el segundo lo visita en la prisión. El joven llega en su fuga a un monasterio, donde un fraile pide a sus preseguidores que permitan su confesión. Llega Paquita y reconoce a Hudson en el fraile. Hudson se disfraza como su hijo para morir en su lugar.
The Moving Picture World del 28 de diciembre de 1912 (Vol. XIV, No. 13, p. 1325) publicó una sinopsis de la película y anuncia como fecha de estreno el 31 de diciembre:
The Bravery of Dora (1912)
THE BRAVERY OF DORA (Dec. 31).—Dora Miller and her father together with Juan, a young half breed, live peacefully at their ranch along the Rio Grande. Juan is in love with Dora and she is not averse to him. One morning while the little family is seated at breakfast, shots are heard outside. A party of U. S. soldiers has been attacked by Mexican troops and retreating as they fight, finally taking refuge in the Miller homestead. The doors and windows are barricaded and a sharp fight ensues. Juan, the half breed, at first to fire against the people whose blood runs in his veins, but at last infuriated by the sight of a wound received by Dora, he grabs the rifle and begins firing furiously. Ho is thus engaged as the Mexican troops break into the house and is captured by them and locked in an upstairs room.
The commanding officer of the Mexican forces promises to shoot Juan the next miming. That night, however, Dora manages to get into the room where Juan is confined and smuggles to him a rope with which he escapes. The next morning, the Mexican officer sends for Juan to carry out his threat of shooting him and much to the surprise of the guard when the room is opened, out steps Dora. Furious at the escape of his victim, the Mexican promptly arrests Dora’s father and tells her that should her half breed lover not return by afternoon, the father will take his place in, front of a firing squad.
In the meantime, Juan is hastening at breakneck speed on a horse taken from the Mexicans, to secure aid. Arriving at the camp of an American patrol, he gets the sergeant in charge to accompany him and with the entire troop cavalry rushes back to the Miller homestead, arriving just in time to prevent the execution of the old man by the Mexicans.
A thrilling story of ranch life, in which a skirmish between Mexicans and U. S. troops and the quick wit of a sweetheart play important parts. The Moving Picture World del 4 de enero de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 1, p. 20)
En el Betzwood Movie Database se consigna sobre la cinta la siguiente información:
The Bravery of Dora
An elderly father and his daughter Dora discover Juan falling down by the side of the road and bring him back home to recover. Described as a half breed in the inter-titles [for unknown reasons], we are given to understand that Juan is half Mexican. The film seems to be set during the later Mexican Revolution, specifically in American territory in the Mexican Border War, which was fought between independence fighters, federals, and the various U.S. armed forces. Soon a U.S. Army division finds refuge in Dora’s family home, and there is a shoot-out with Mexican forces, in which the Mexicans prevail. Juan refuses to shoot at the Mexican side, citing mixed loyalties. Soon he is captured by the Mexican soldiers who nonetheless brand him a traitor and sentence him to death on the morrow. Dora hatches a plot to rescue Juan, as they have become attached, and helps him to escape. Juan races off to the US forces, who race back to the scene, saving Dora and her father who has now become a replacement for the missing Juan in punishment to Dora. According to the added titles, at the end Juan saves the day and wins Dora for his own.
Lubin Manufacturing Company, 1912. Running time: 17 minutes. Produced by Siegmund Lubin. Featuring Earl Metcalfe, Edna Payne and E.J. Phillips.
Library copy: DVD transfer of library VHS copy of Betzwood Archive 16mm film print, as restored by the Museum of Modern Art. Please note that the final scene featuring the rescue is missing, as noted in the inter-title added by the Museum of Modern Art at the time of their restoration of this film.
El periódico Colonist de Nueva Zelanda en el ejemplar del 25 de octubre de 1913 (Vol. LV, No. 13842, p. 7) en su columna Permanent Pictures dedicada a los espectáculos, publicó:
… On Monday (Labour Day) a special holiday matinee will be given, commencing at 2:30, when a complete new programme will be screened, headed by the Nat Pinkerton detective story, «The Secret Cupboard.» Other items are: «The Misunderstood Boy,» A. B. drama; «Calamity Anne’s Beauty,» Flying A. comedy; «Bravery of Dora,» Lubin. drama…
El periódico neozelandés Marlborough Express del 8 de diciembre de 1913 (Vol. XLVII, No. 288, p. 5)
En La mirada circular (p. 169), Margarita de Orellana apunta que:
Una de las formas en las cuales el cine de ficción redimía a los mexicanos era cuando éstos se subordinaban a los estadounidenses, traicionando a sus paisanos. En El valor de Dora (1912), un personaje chicano se encuentra en un rancho norteamericano en medio de una batalla entre mexicanos y estadounidenses. Se niega a disparar contra los suyos, pero al ver cómo una bala hiere a Dora Miller, de quien está enamorado, dispara. Es al fin atrapado por los mexicanos y condenado a muerte por traición. Pronto lo salvan los militares norteamericanos.
Emilio García Riera en México visto por el cine extranjero (p. 54) menciona que:
Los defectos mexicanos eran naturalmente resaltados por el contraste con las virtudes anglosajonas, y si alguna virtud mexicana mereció aprecio, fue sobre todo la propiciadora de una conducta favorable y amistosa con los norteamericanos; así, por ser buenos con los gringos, algunos mexicanos se salvaron de la denigración en A Mexican’s Gratitude (1909), The Thread ofDestiny (1910), The Mexican’s Faith (1910), Tony the Greaser (1911 y 1914), The Bravery of Dora (1912), The Greaser (1915) y The Good in Him (1915).
La película fue producida por la Lubin Manufacturing Company; sin que sepamos quién la dirigió. Los intérpretes fueron Earl Metcalfe (Juan, el mestizo), Edna Payne (Dora) y E. J. Phillips (padre de Dora).
Un anuncio en el Lubin Bulletin de la cinta He Waits Forever, filmada por la Lubin en 1914 es de las pocas pruebas de su existencia, salvo las crónicas, anuncios y sinopsis que se publicaron en un par de semanarios norteamericanos.
Montgomery County Community College — Betzwood Collection
En ninguna filmografía aparece mencionada esta película y fue gracias al hallazgo del programa en el archivo digital donde está parte del legado de Siegmund Lubin y los estudios de cine que construyó en los suburbios de Philadelphia a inicios del siglo XX. El archivo Lubin digitalizado lo encuentran en Digital History from the Libraries of Montgomery County Community College, donde me topé con el documento.
Pocas películas tenían a la totalidad de sus personajes interpretados por “mexicanos” o cuyos argumentos sucedían en este lado de la frontera, pero aún persiste el estereotipo del mal y ese es encarnado por un mexicano, quien muere de manera trágica por coincidencias del destino y no por la mano de la ley.
El anónimo crítico que esbozó un párrafo para criticar la cinta fue muy duro con sus opiniones y remató sobre He Waits Forever que “la actuación, como un todo, es mediocre”.
The Lubin Bulletin, impreso que la propia empresa publicaba para anunciar sus películas y que se localiza en el Montgomery County Community College en la Betzwood Collection, tiene un fotograma de la cinta, así como una crónica de Will M. Ritchey. Termina la publicidad con el elenco y la fecha de su estreno: 27 de noviembre de 1914.
He Waits Forever (1914)
Written by Will M. Ritchey
José Suárez, a poor Mexican, loves Helena Moreno, daughter of a wealthy resident. Helena returns José’s affection, but Moreno objects to the boy’s poverty and the “jefe político” orders José out of the town. José goes up into the Sierras and drives a mine shaft. Three years and more he works without results. Helena has promised to wait for José, but finally is persuaded to marry Andrés de Romero, a fine looking and worthy young Mexican. Then José strikes a rich gold vein and soon amasses a fortune. An insurrecto commander offers him a generalship if he will arm his men and devote some of his money to the cause. José, thinking to add glory to his wealth, accepts and winning many victories finally captures his home town. There he presents himself to Moreno and demands the hand of Helena. The old man tells José that she is married and points out the happy husband and wife in the garden. José resolves on a terrible punishment for all concerned. He orders a fiesta of the townspeople and all fearing to offend the General, attend. At a table he places a bottle of wine with four glasses, into each he pours several drops of poison, intending that Helena, Andrés, Moreno and himself shall die together. His emotion at the meeting is so acute that he is seized with a fainting spell, a waiter offers him one of the glasses, which he drinks. In his agony he grips the tablecloth, upsets the remaining glasses and falls forward dead.
CAST
William E. Parsons (José Suárez); E. Mayo (Andrés de Romero); John Hayes (Felipe Moreno); Velma Whitman (Helena Moreno).
Released Friday, November 27, 1914. Length about 1,000 feet.
The Moving Picture World del 21 de noviembre de 1914 (Vol. XXII, No. 8, p. 1116) publica una sinopsis con mucho más detalle que la anterior, donde se leen varias discrepancias entre ambas.
HE WAITS FOREVER (Nov. 27).—José Suárez, a poor Mexican, loves Helena Moreno, daughter of Felipe Moreno, a wealthy resident. Helena returns José’s affection, but her father forbids her to have anything to do with a poor man. José determines to go away, make his fortune and return to claim Helena. He climbs the wall of the Moreno grounds and meets Helena to say good-by. The girl promises to wait for him. The father sees the lovers’ meeting, has José arrested for trespass and the «jefe político» orders him out of the town. José goes into the Sierras, where he drives a mine shaft. Moreno urges Helena to marry Andres de Romero. The girl declares flatly that she will marry no one but José.
Three years pass, and Jose is doggedly driving his mine shaft, but without result. Helena still holds to her troth with José. Three more years elapse. Helena, who has gradually learned to forget Jose and love Andres, finally gives in and they are married. About the same time José strikes rich ore. He is rapidly becoming wealthy, when he receives a letter from one of the insurrecto commanders offering him a generalship if he will arm his miners and devote some of his gold to the cause of Mexico’s freedom. José accepts the offer of the insurrecto leader, thinking that he will add fame to his wealth. José’s army wins many victories and takes possession of his home town. José then hurries to Moreno’s residence and tells the old man that he has come to claim Helena. Moreno tells him that Helena is married, and points out the happy husband and wife in the garden. José is stunned. He returns to his headquarters and there determines upon punishment for all concerned. He sends out a command to townspeople, including Moreno, Helena and Andrés, that they are to attend a fiesta which he will give at the inn. Fearing to displease the rebel general all accept the invitation. José has a table set with four glasses and a bottle of wine. Before the guests arrive José fills the glasses and into each pours several drops of powerful poison. His plan is that Helena, Andrés, and Moreno and himself shall drink a toast and die together. José greets Helena and Andrés as if nothing had happened, but his emotions are so acute that he is seized with a fainting spell. One of the aids calls a waiter and urges him to get a glass of wine. The waiter sees the four glasses already filled on the table. He seizes one and hurries to the side room. José returns to the main room and takes Helena, Andrés and Moreno to the table to drink the death toast. The poison seizes José before they drink and in his agony he grips the table cloth, upsetting the other glasses, and falls forward dead.
Motography (Vol. XII, No. 22, p. 12)
Motography, por su parte, en el ejemplar del 28 de noviembre de 1914 (Vol. XII, No. 22, p. 756) reseña la cinta de forma muy limitada y corta.
He Waits Forever—Lubin—November 27.—José Suárez, a Mexican, loves Helena Moreno, though the girl’s father objects. When José determines to leave to find a fortune, he is seen bidding farewell to the girl by her father, and arrested. Later, escaping, José goes into the mountains and becomes a miner. Six years elapse and Helena is forced by her father to marry Andrés de Romero. José, meanwhile, becomes wealthy and is accorded a generalship in the Mexican army, if he will fight for Mexico’s freedom. Jose’s army wins many victories and, capturing his own town, he hurries to the Moreno home to find Helena, and is stunned to find her married. José determines revenge and inviting Moreno. Helena and Andrés to a fiesta, he poisons the food and plans to kill them all. José, at the critical moment faints, and the waiter gives him a drink from one of the poisoned glasses, and he dies.
Terminan las notas sobre esta cinta con una brevísima crítica anónima aparecida en The Moving Picture World, del 12 de diciembre (Vol. XXII, No. 11, p. 1522). Para el “crítico” el final es peculiar y cuestiona los motivos del autor para darle semejante muerte al villano.
HE WAITS FOREVER (Lubin), Nov. 27.— Photographically this picture is very well done and much beautiful scenery abounds, the plot being laid in Mexico. It has to do with the petty insurrections which are continually occurring there. There is a love theme which has a peculiar ending, and just why José, the first lover, should be made by the author to meet with such a sad end, or what he has done to deserve it, is not made at all plain. There is little continuity in the whole construction and the acting taken as a whole is mediocre.
Esta cinta tuvo un publicidad exhaustiva con varios anuncios donde la Lubin Co. promovía sus películas. Pero vayamos en estricto orden cronológico.
Iniciamos con la revista Motography del 1 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. IX, No. 5, pp. 174-175) donde, caso raro, incluyen los intérpretes:
Two Reel Film of Mexican Border
A two-reel story coming at an opportune time, is the Lubin release of March 15, entitled «An Adventure on the Mexican Border.» It was written, produced and acted in, by Romaine Fielding. On the United States side of the line dividing Mexico from the United States, the United States soldiers are camped, with a view of protecting the international line and the citizens of the United States. Fifty yards on the other side, the Mexican soldiers are camped to do likewise for their country. One of the bright-eyed señoritas of the southern race captivates two officers, one a captain of her own nationality, the other a lieutenant belonging to Uncle Sam.
Motography del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. IX, No. 6, p. 10)
Both of these men, true and staunch in war and love, have a silent battle to gain the lady’s hand. The captain of the Mexican troops, being the older of the two, wins the maid by his quiet love and kindness. The irrepressible United States trooper tries to take the senorita’s heart by storm, but is repelled. On the spur of the moment, to punish his rival, the lieutenant tells a falsehood to his commanding officer, and nearly causes international complications; but after analyzing the situation, the lieutenant rises above all personal feelings and delivers the captain from jail, returns him to his fiancé across the line, and goes back to take his place and await his punishment.
The parts are taken as follows:
Romaine Fielding (a soldier of Mexico); Robyn Adair (A soldier of the United States); Mary E. Ryan (the señorita); Eleanor Mason (her friend); Richard Wangemann (her father); Lieutenant Rudd (Captain of U. S. troops); Moritz Cytror (U. S. private); Henry Alrich (Mexican lieutenant).
On the Mexican border line troops are camped. A señorita captivates two officers, one a Mexican Captain, whom she favors and the other a U. S. Lieutenant. The latter insenced by jealousy makes a false charge against the Mexican which causes national complications. His better nature however asserts itself and je vindicates his rival and gives himself up for punishment. Motography del 1 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. IX, No. 5, p. 6)
The Moving Picture World del 8 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 10, p. 1018):
An Adventure on the Mexican Border, (Mar. 15). — On the United States side of the line dividing Mexico from the United States, the U. S. soldiers camped, with a view to protecting the international line and the citizens of the United States. Fifty yards on the other side, the Mexican soldiers were camped to do likewise for their country. One of the bright-eyed senoritas of the southern race captivates two officers, one a captain of her own nationality, the other a lieutenant belonging to Uncle Sam. Both of these men, true and staunch in war and love, have a silent battle to gain the lady’s hand. The captain of the Mexican troops being the older of the two wins the maid by his quiet love and kindness. The irrepressible, impassionate United States trooper, tries to take the senorita’s heart by storm, but is repelled. On the spur of the moment, to punish his rival, the United States lieutenant tells a falsehood to his commanding officer, and nearly causes international complications, but after coolly analyzing the situation, the lieutenant raises above all petty personal feelings and delivers the captain from jail, returns him to his fianceé across the line, and goes back to take his place and await his punishment.
En un anuncio publicado en Motography del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. IX, No. 6, p. 10) apareció la siguiente información:
«An Adventure on the Mexican Border»
Lubin Drama in Two Parts. Released March 15, 1913
A timely film story, dealing with the troops encamped on both sides of the border between the United States and Mexico. A lieutenant of the United States army and a captain of the Mexican troops are silently battling for the love of a bright eyed señorita. The captain is successful. The lieutenant in a fit of passionate anger, tells his commanding officer of an alleged breach of the existing martial law by the Mexican Captain. Complications follow, but a careful analysis of the situation prompts the lieutenant to release the imprisoned captain and return to face his punishment.
Motography del 8 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. IX, No. 6, p. 10)
En otro anuncio de la Lubin publicado en The Moving Picture World del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 11, p. 1073) se aportan los datos siguientes:
“An Adventure on the Mexican Border”
A timely film story, dealing with the troops encamped on both sides of the border between the United States and Mexico. A lieutenant of the United States Army and a captain of the Mexican troops are silently battling for the love of a bright-eyed senorita. The captain is successful. The lieutenant in a fit of passionate anger tells his commanding officer of an alleged breach of the existing martial law by the Mexican captain. Complications follow, but a careful analysis of the situation prompts the lieutenant to release the imprisoned captain and return to face his punishment.
The Moving Picture World del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 11, p. 1073)
Por último una nota de The Moving Picture World del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 11, p. 1113):
AN ADVENTURE ON THE MEXICAN BORDER (Lubin).
This is a two-reel special of the Lubin Company and a dramatic photoplay showing the heroism of the American soldier. Love drives him to fault, but his manhood prevails and shows him to be «true blue.» It is a story of Romaine Fielding, who is directing the Lubin Company at Nogales, Arizona, and it is safe to say that this excellent actor is giving true atmosphere.
The Moving Picture World del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 11, p. 1113)
On the United States side of the line dividing Mexico from the United States the United States soldiers camped, with a view of protecting the international line and the citizens. Fifty yards on the other side are the Mexican soldiers. One of the bright-eyed senoritas of the southern race captivates two officers, one a captain of her own nationality, the other a lieutenant belonging to Uncle Sam. Both of these men have a silent battle to gain the girl’s hand. The captain of the Mexican troops, being the older of the two, wins the maid by his quiet love and kindness. The irrepressible trooper tries to take the senorita’s heart by storm, but is repelled. On the spur of the moment, to punish his rival, the lieutenant tells a falsehood, but after coolly analyzing the situation the lieutenant raises above all petty personal feelings and delivers the captain from jail, returns him to his fianceé across the line, and goes back to take his place and await his punishment.
A thrilling love story, showing the nerve-raching trials of a Mexican girl choosing between her Mexican lover and one of Uncle Sam’s troopers. The Moving Picture World del 15 de marzo de 1913 (Vol. XV, No. 11, p. 1074)
Emilio García Riera en su multicitada obra México visto por el cine extranjero, tomo I, apunta que:
El director y galán Romaine Fielding, al servicio de la Lubin, advirtió en An Adventure on the Mexican Border (1913) la inconveniencia para los norteamericanos de cruzar la frontera, por mucho que los “ojos brillantes” de una “señorita” (The Moving Picture World, Vol. XV, ene-mar 1913, marzo 8, 1913, p. 1018) lo provocaran, pues eso podía costar un “incidente internacional”. (p. 51)
Remata García Riera que “se admitió incluso en algunas [cintas] la preferencia legítima del amor de un mexicano al de un norteamericano, como ocurría en The MexicanSweethearts (1909), The Señorita (1909), A Knot in the Plot (1910) y An adventure on the Mexican Border (1913). (pág. 55)
Por lo que corresponde a la ficha filmográfica y sinopsis de la película, García Riera da los siguientes datos en el tomo II de su obra citada:
1306 / 15. An adventure on the Mexican Border. Producción: EU (Lubin), 1913. Dirección y argumento: Romaine Fielding. Intérpretes: Romaine Fielding, Mary Ryan, Robin Adair. 2 rollos. En el lado norteamericano de la frontera, unas tropas acampadas protegen a los ciudadanos del país. No muy lejos, en el otro lado, unos soldados mexicanos hacen algo semejante. Dos oficiales, uno mexicano y otro norteamericano, compiten por el amor de una señorita mexicana. Vence el mexicano, mayor que su rival, gracias a su discreción y a su generosidad. El norteamericano, un teniente impulsivo, es rechazado cuando trata de ganar a la mexicana por la fuerza. En venganza, el teniente cuenta una mentira que casi provoca un incidente internacional, pero acaba por recapacitar, poniendo de lado sus intereses personales: saca al mexicano (un capitán) de la cárcel, lo devuelve a su novia y atraviesa la frontera para enfrentar un justo castigo. (p. 34)
CINE SILENTE MEXICANO / MEXICAN SILENT CINEMA 