The Family Secret (1924 film)
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| The Family Secret | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | William A. Seiter |
| Written by | Fr. H. Burnett (novel) Aug. E. Thomas (play) Lois Zellner (scenario) Dwinelle Benthall (titles) |
| Starring | Baby Peggy Gladys Hulette Frank Currier Edward Earle |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures |
| Release date(s) | September 28, 1924 |
| Running time | 70 min. (contemporary edit) |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
| IMDb profile | |
The Family Secret is a 1924 silent film featuring child star Baby Peggy. It is based on Editha's Burglar, a story by Frances Hodgson Burnett first published in 1881 by St. Nicholas Magazine [1] and adapted for the stage by Augustus E. Thomas.
[edit] Synopsis
Margaret Selfridge (Hulette) lives with her affluent father, Simon (Currier) and her Aunt Abigail (Lucy Beamont) in a mansion in New York City. She is involved in a romantic relationship with Garry Homes (Earle), an honest man from a modest background.
Simon actively opposes the relationship, believing Garry to be a gold-digger. Seeking to defuse the situation, he sends Margaret away to the countryside. She returns months later with an infant in tow, and reveals that she has been married to Garry all along. Even when Simon learns of the marriage and meets his grandchild, he refuses to accept the situation and bars Garry from the premises.
Garry sneaks into the Selfridge house in the middle of the night; he and Margaret plan to run away together with their baby. However, before Garry can leave the house, Simon summons a police officer and has him arrested as a burglar.
Three and a half years later, Simon's household is in turmoil. Margaret does not know of Garry's prison term and believes he has simply vanished. This belief leaves her so severely depressed that she is constantly ill in bed. She deeply resents her father for driving Garry away.
Margaret's daughter, Peggy (Baby Peggy) is now four years old. She is pampered with material possessions and a nanny, but is estranged from her grandfather. Peggy's mother loves her, but due to her fragile mental state, is not permitted to spend much time with her. Seeking adventure, Peggy frequently escapes from her nursery and runs away.
Garry is released from prison after serving his burglary sentence. Friendless and down on his luck, he lives in a flophouse with a dog he rescues from a dog catcher's truck.
While walking through the city one day, Garry discovers Peggy crying outside a fruit stand, lost and alone. He quickly becomes fond of her, but he does not recognize her as his daughter, and takes her to the police station. The police call the Selfridges, but Garry leaves before they arrive to claim Peggy. He does however leave his dog behind to watch over Peggy; she becomes immediately attached to him and insists on adopting him.
Another ex-convict engages Garry to help him commit a burglary. He is reluctant to participate, but finally decides that the money will help him get back on his feet.
The Selfridge family decamps to their mansion in Westchester for the summer. One evening, Peggy asks if she can borrow her mother's most cherished possession: her wedding ring, which she wears on a chain around her neck. Margaret agrees, and Peggy happily wears the necklace to bed.
That night, Peggy is woken by noise in the house. She investigates and discovers Garry in the study as he is in the process of robbing the safe. She tells him he cannot steal her grandfather's jewels, and offers him Margaret's necklace in exchange. Garry immediately recognizes the ring on the necklace, and realizes that Peggy must be his daughter. Before he has a chance to explain the situation, Simon Selfridge returns home. He does not recognize Garry and shoots him, believing him to be an intruder.
Simon calls a doctor, and Garry eventually recovers from his injury. Simon finally reconciles with his daughter and welcomes Garry to their home. The film concludes with the entire Selfridge clan, Garry included, living as a happy family.
[edit] Preservation
The Family Secret is one of only five of Baby Peggy's full-length feature films to have survived to the present day. The film has been preserved, restored and made available to the public by an independent film dealer.
