By Radium Rays
Moving Picture World, June 1914
Medical science fiction was very popular back in the early part of the 1900s. Many films delved into "scientific" methods of rejuvenating the aged, bringing back the dead and the like.
Here's a Moving Picture World synopsis of one such early example:
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"The story is of twin brothers. Jim, honest and steadfast, and Tom, a n'er-do-well. Both are in love with Sarah, daughter of an old miner. She is "cold" to the suit of the worthy brother, while she loves Tom and promises to become his wife. The brothers own a claim known as the "Twin Brothers' Mine." Believing it to be worthless, they give it to Sarah and her father. As he has lost the girl the loves, Jim leaves. Sarah's father works the mine.""During the early part of his married life, Tom goes from bad to worse. Finally he steals a shipment of gold en route to the U. S. Mint. After hiding it in the "Twin Brothers' Mine" he is captured. He refuses to divulge the hiding place of the stolen gold and is sentenced to fifteen years in state's prison. In addition to this trouble, Sarah's baby dies. These multiplied sorrows cause her to lose her reason. She is removed to an insane asylum. At this time there is a great popular interest in the new radium process of a celebrated pathologist, who claims he can cure seventy-five per cent of all insanity cases treated by his method."
"Jim and Sarah's father visit the insane girl. The father shows her some new samples of ore from the claim. The insane girl is so struck with it that they allow her to retain it. The pathologist tells Jim that her reason can be restored by the radium process, but that the cure will be expensive. Jim then visits Tom, the convict, and explains the situation. Tom cannot direct his brother to the hiding place of the stolen money, and as a consequence Jim offers to change places with him. The exchange is effected and Tom goes for the money. By a strange trick of fate Sarah's case is chosen for demonstration treatment. The pathologist discovers that the ore left with Sarah by her father is rich in radium. They go to the mine to make further investigation. A blast is set off. Tom is inside looking for the stolen money. He is fatally wounded by the blast, but before he dies he confesses concerning the prison episode. All hurry to the prison to secure Jim's liberty."
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No less than two articles about the film are in this very same issue of The Moving Picture World. One touts the "…news respecting the rare substance, Radium, and the many uses it can be put to in a curable way." and goes on to call the film "striking and original". The other is not so kind and states: "…some of the scenes are interesting, but as a whole the production is not strong."
written: 2/22/2004