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Through the Centuries
(1914) United States of America
B&W : One reel
Directed by Fred Huntley
Cast: Harold Lockwood [Raymond Truxton], Mabel Van Buren [Princess Merza], Henry W. Otto (Henry Otto) [Amos Willing], Rosemary Theby
The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The General Film Company, Incorporated. / Produced by William N. Selig. From a story by L.J. Withers. / Released 17 February 1914. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Raymond Truxton and Amos Willing, two young American archaeologists, are on a scientific expedition in Egypt. On excavating an ancient tomb, they find sitting therein, in a state of suspended animation, a beautiful young woman, seemingly an Egyptian princess. They find a parchment lying by her side, confirming this fact and indicating that she has been buried 2,000 years. The manuscript recites, that in a former life, the girl was beloved of two priests, one she loved and one she hated, and it had as a prophetic codicil that after twenty centuries she would be unearthed by the reincarnated souls of her two lover priests. This princess was buried alive concealed in the tomb at the instigation of Meloid, the vengeful priest, whom she hated, after he had accomplished the murder of Shumek, his rival. Meloid managed to secure the consent of King Sestoris on the basis that the woman had allowed herself to love a priest, which under the ancient Egyptian law meant death or burial under a hypnotic spell, which resulted in suspended animation. Then through their modern, scientific running, the Americans restore her to consciousness. While pursuing this strange and solemn story, Truxton and Willing, erstwhile friends, now realize that they are the reincarnated suitors, and the latter, obsessed by the spirit of the vengeful Meloid, feels a most powerful desire to slay Truxton and seize the prize, but through the passage of the centuries, this troubled and scarified soul has been purified and strengthened for better things. He controls himself, gives up the girl and vanishes.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 7 October 2023.
References: Lahue-Selig p. 168 : Website-IMDb.
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