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The Cap of Fortune
(1909) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel / [?] 270, 285 or 290? feet
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
Edison Manufacturing Company production; distributed by Edison Manufacturing Company. / © 28 December 1909 by Edison Manufacturing Company [J136747, J136748, J136749, J136750]. Released 28 December 1909; in a split-reel with The Fallen Idol (1909) and Tobacco Mania (1909). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / Thompson-Star p. 228 mistakenly identifies this as a Méliès production.
Drama: Fantasy.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 31 December 1909, page ?] An old woman was walking through the woods one day, so extremely hungry she could hardly stand. A gentleman (that is, in appearance) passed by, refusing her plea for alms. Shortly afterwards, a poor man, while gathering nuts for his own starving family, found her lying in a faint by the roadside. He hastened to a pool and, filling his hat with water, carried it to where she was lying and revived her. When he heard of her hunger, he immediately gave her all of the nuts he had gathered. The old woman was a fairy who, as a reward for his kindness, gave him a cap, the wearer of which would always have in his pocket one golden crown, no more and no less. Naturally, the good man was overjoyed at his good fortune and, after testing the power of the cap until assured that its magic was unfailing, he hastened home to tell his wife. On the way, he was attacked and robbed of the cap by two robbers. They did not retain possession of it very long, however, for the old fairy changed herself into a black bear and frightened them so badly that they ran away, leaving the cap on the ground. The old fairy then changed herself to a young fairy and, finding the two little children of the man to whom she had given the cap originally, she led them to where the cap lay and hurried them home with it. The poor man had arrived at his home heartbroken at his loss, and his good wife was doing her best to console him when the children arrived with the cap. Imagine, if you can, his joy at recovery, for, of course, as long as he had this cap, he need never want for anything.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 8 January 1909, page ?] A pretty fairy story, representing a man’s reward for assisting an old woman who proved to be a fairy in disguise, and who presented him a magic cap that would always keep money in his pocket. He loses it, which affords opportunity for some clever work, and finally it is returned by the children. It is a pretty film, sufficiently interesting to hold attention, yet possessing no features of greatness.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 24 May 2024.
References: Website-AFI; Website-IMDb.
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