User reviews

The story begins by introducing two married couples - prospector Charles Gorman (as Jack Hardy) and his "Homesick for the East" wife Blanche Sweet (as Alice); and, Mexicans Charles Hill Mailes (as Jim) and wife Claire McDowell. The husbands meet at a saloon, where the Mr. Gorman makes a laughing stock out of the "good-for-nothing" Hill Mailes, then throws him out of the bar. Next, Hill Mailes joins a couple of cutthroats, and shoots "Indian" Robert Harron's father, just to watch him die. So, two of the film's characters seek revenge - Hill Mailes wants to get even with Gorman for throwing him around; and, Indian son Harron wants vengeance for his murdered father. Hill Mailes kidnaps his enemy's wife, Ms. Sweet; and, despite advice from his Chief to keep the peace, Harron rounds up some Young Braves to go after Hill Mailes.

Subtitled "A Story of the Early West", "A Temporary Truce" compares very favorably with some of Director D.W. Griffith's more well-known "little epics" from the period. The southern California location sequences are exciting; Griffith and cameraman G.W. Bitzer are, obviously, in the process of kicking up film-making a notch (or two) every year. Sweet gives a particularly fine performance as the kidnapped wife, and the other performers are, at least, interesting. Harron is noteworthy as the wronged Indian boy; he steals the film, and tilts the story toward the unexpected side of the traditional "Cowboys and Indians" western. Extras include Mary's little brother, Jack Pickford, who joins Harron's Indian gang; and, Mae Marsh is easy to spot as an murdered settler. It's strange to watch Ms. Marsh get attacked by Harron, so notable a future film partner.

***** A Temporary Truce (6/10/12) D.W. Griffith ~ Blanche Sweet, Robert Harron, Charles Hill Mailes

There is enough good action and good craftsmanship to make this short feature interesting and worth seeing. The story is relatively involved for the running time, and in general it is told with skill and solid technique. The material itself is interesting in that, though there are many moments of tension and conflict, it does not really choose sides, but instead presents almost all of the characters (in particular, the Indians) in a sympathetic light.

The story, which has a western setting, starts with two separate incidents, and then weaves them together to make for a complex situation in which some difficult decisions have to be made. The frontier setting also allows for a large and mixed group of characters, and the script allows time to show the motivations of each of them.

The cast is generally good, particularly Blanche Sweet as the prospector's wife. The photography is well-conceived so as to maximize the sense of action despite the limitations of the camera field, and for the most part the editing also increases the sense of tension and activity. While it seems to be little known today, "A Temporary Truce" would probably compare pretty well with most movies of its year and genre.

Fifteen hundred feet of Western stuff, and every foot is good. If it is different from, and superior to, the common ordinary Wild and Woolly, it is because there is a real plot. In addition to this and fortifying this there is in the interpretation and execution of the plot real class. In spite of the fact that tragedy is the predominating note of the reel and a half, there were several points where an adult Fourteenth Street audience found occasion for hearty laughter. The scenery made a fitting setting for the drama. There is the frontier town with its single street; and there are mountains and valleys the view of which lift the confined city dweller out of his brick and concrete environment. - The Moving Picture World, June 22, 1912