The Eyes of Mystery

1918 film by Tod Browning

January 21, 1918 (1918-01-21)

Running time

5 reels; (1,500 meters)CountryUnited StatesLanguageSilent (English intertitles)

The Eyes of Mystery is a lost^[1] 1918 American silent mystery film directed by Tod Browning starring Edith Storey.^[2]

Plot

As described in a film magazine,^[3] Carma Carmichael (Storey), who lives with her uncle Quincy Carmichael (Andrews), is kidnapped by her father and held for ransom. In order to trap the criminals and secure Jack Carrington (Barker) as Carma's husband, Quincy fakes his death and makes Jack his heir. Carma is angered by her uncle's action is determined to take her rightful place. By going through some of her uncle's papers, she discovers that the man she believes to be her father is an impostor and that her father is dead. Carma's supposed father and a group of moonshiners attack the Carmichael home and are fought off by Carma, Jack, and a friend. Quincy, believing it is time to return to life, does so in time to get the sheriff's posse on the house grounds, drive off the moonshiners, and capture the crooks.

Cast

Edith Storey as Carma Carmichael
Bradley Barker as Jack Carrington
Harry Northrup as Roger Carmichael (credited as Harry S. Northrup)
Frank Andrews as Quincy Carmichael
Kempton Greene as Steve Graham
Frank Bennett as Seth Megget (credited as Frank Fisher Bennett)
Louis Wolheim as Brad Tilton (credited as Louis R. Wolheim)
Anthony Byrd as Uncle George
Pauline Dempsey as Aunt Liza
Monte Blue *uncredited role

Reception

Like many American films of the time, The Eyes of Mystery was subject to cuts by city and state film censorship boards. For example, the Chicago Board of Censors required a cut, in Reel 1, of slugging a man, Reel 4, the vision of shooting Carma's father, Reel 5, five views of moonshiners shooting at house, Carma shooting man in white and shooting man out of tree, throwing man over porch, two scenes of breaking door with ax, closeup of shooting where Carma is used as a shield, overseer shooting Carma's father and he shooting overseer.^[4]

References

^ "Eyes Of Mystery". Memory.loc.gov. November 14, 2017. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
^ "Progressive Silent Film List: The Eyes of Mystery". Silentera.com. Retrieved May 4, 2008.
^ "Reviews: The Eyes of Mystery". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (6). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 26. February 2, 1918.
^ "Official Cut-Outs by the Chicago Board of Censors". Exhibitors Herald. 6 (8). New York City: Exhibitors Herald Company: 29. February 16, 1918.