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The Forgotten Prayer
(1916) United States of America
B&W : Short film
Directed by Frank Borzage
Cast: Perry Banks [Mojava Matt], Frank Borzage [Dan Page], Anna Little (Ann Little) [Alice Page], Jack Richardson [Arthur Sanford], [?] Neva Gerber?
American Film Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by Mutual Film Corporation. / From a screen story by K.B. Clarke (Kenneth B. Clarke). / Released 31 August 1916. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Mojava Matt realizes that he is slipping away from God, when one Sunday morning he cannot even remember the Lord’s prayer. He goes as far as “give us this day our daily bread,” and stopped there in self-abasement. Packing his burro, he deserts his camp and starts back toward civilization, to find somebody who can tell him the next words. In the distant camp Dan Page and Alice, his wife, are celebrating the fourth anniversary of their happy union. To the little camp town comes Arthur Sanford, auditor of the development company, who has known Alice before. Seeing Alice, he speaks slightingly of her in the presence of Dan, whose first impulse is to kill him on the spot. Regaining his control, however, Dan gets Alice to confront the slanderer. To his consternation, she is confused, and begs Dan to save her from Sanford. Dan is greatly astonished. Having made up his mind, he takes Sanford out into the desert, hands him a gun and turns him loose. Then he returns to his wife, drives her home and goes about his work in silence. In the desert old Mojava Matt meets Sanford, exhausted and dying. Matt asks him what follows after “daily bread.” “Forgive us our trespasses” breathes Sanford, as he expires. After asking many others to teach him further, and failing to learn the words, Mojava Matt at length comes to the home of Dan and Alice, still peaceful, but silent with the great silencing of unpardonable sin between them. They entertain the desert rat; they give him food. He tells the story of his pitiful search for the words that have grown to mean so much to him now. He begs Dan to tell him what comes after “trespasses.” “As forgive those who trespass against us,” Dan repeats. The desert rat thanks him and departs. The words have struck inward to Dan’s soul. He turns to Alice, in tears beside him, and takes her to his heart, forgiven and restored.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 20 December 2024.
References: ClasIm-220 p. 40 : Website-IMDb.
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