Nell Shipman promises something new, and she delivers, bringing audiences an action-packed western thriller starring a heroic little Maxwell automobile. The movie opens with a woman suffering from writer's block. But inspiration hits, as she observes the juxtaposition of a man on a horse (the old) and a man in a car (the new). From there she spins a tale of desert adventure south of the border, and casts the modern motorcar in the role of the faithful steed, mercilessly sending the car across wild and rugged terrain normally reserved for men on horseback.
The story is simple enough: bandits kidnap a young lady, and the hero who must rescue her has only his newfangled automobile to carry him across the rocky and untamed desert. (Is his ride up to the task?) The driving stunts are the novelty, and it is rather fascinating to see the old car doing things cars weren't meant to do, in places cars weren't meant to be.
Co-writers, co-directors, and co-stars Nell Shipman and Bert Van Tuyle were apparently a wife and husband action team, and both share driving duties in this film (though it is mostly Van Tuyle behind the wheel).
Watching the film, there's a sense that Shipman and Van Tuyle are testing the limits of their Maxwell. Sometimes the car will spin its wheels in the sand, sometimes it'll get stuck at an awkward angle, with a wheel or two off the ground. And the driver will struggle to navigate the obstacles and get the car moving again (without flipping over!). It seems real, like they are experimenting right on camera, unsure of how things will work out. And that works with the plot, creating some suspense.
Shipman has a nice screen presence, and, despite being the kidnappee in the story, she's nobody's damsel in distress. She shoots back, and even saves the hero once or twice.
As promised, the story offers an intriguing new spin on a familiar scenario, and the intertitles are written in a folksy idiom that lends the quick flick personality. It's a cut above more pedestrian silent fare, with a special spark to it. An enjoyable (if bumpy) ride.
The story is simple enough: bandits kidnap a young lady, and the hero who must rescue her has only his newfangled automobile to carry him across the rocky and untamed desert. (Is his ride up to the task?) The driving stunts are the novelty, and it is rather fascinating to see the old car doing things cars weren't meant to do, in places cars weren't meant to be.
Co-writers, co-directors, and co-stars Nell Shipman and Bert Van Tuyle were apparently a wife and husband action team, and both share driving duties in this film (though it is mostly Van Tuyle behind the wheel).
Watching the film, there's a sense that Shipman and Van Tuyle are testing the limits of their Maxwell. Sometimes the car will spin its wheels in the sand, sometimes it'll get stuck at an awkward angle, with a wheel or two off the ground. And the driver will struggle to navigate the obstacles and get the car moving again (without flipping over!). It seems real, like they are experimenting right on camera, unsure of how things will work out. And that works with the plot, creating some suspense.
Shipman has a nice screen presence, and, despite being the kidnappee in the story, she's nobody's damsel in distress. She shoots back, and even saves the hero once or twice.
As promised, the story offers an intriguing new spin on a familiar scenario, and the intertitles are written in a folksy idiom that lends the quick flick personality. It's a cut above more pedestrian silent fare, with a special spark to it. An enjoyable (if bumpy) ride.