On the Fifth Day of Lionel...

...my true love gave to me a short review of one of the lesser-known of Mr. B's many uniformed parts, The Strong Man's Burden. It is available through the EYE institute online in the Netherlands. The Strong Man's Burden (Dutch titles) or find my English titles at The Strong Man's Burden (English titles)

The Strong Man’s Burden (Released Sept 6, 1913) is a rather didactic and “preachy” silent, redeemed by some good acting and some very nice cinematography, especially in outdoor sunlit scenes. Mr. B is “John”, who has a ne’er do well brother Bob played by Harry Carey. The older brother fills out a suit and is much stronger and of course nobler than his kin, who really is feckless (though Harry Carey was about the same height if not a touch taller than Mr. B). Kate Bruce plays their long-suffering (for a short film) mother. As I mention in my blog review of this, some of Mr B's acting habits/tics, especially physical ones, are present here already. He also finally looks his age here, mid-thirties.

John, the "Strong Man"

Harry Carey as the "Burden", Bob

"Get out of this bar!"

When the feckless Bob comes to their mother's sickbed, John orders him out (below)

After he is ordered out by John, little brother sneaks back into a house to steal, and is found by his brother when the police are summoned. John gets there first and is appalled!

The image on the ad card above.

"What are you doing here?"

At this point, realizing his mother will be sent to her grave if one of her sons is revealed as a thief, John takes drastic action to distract the other police officers descending on the house.

This act buys Bob time to get away, and back to their mother's deathbed. Little brother is becoming remorseful...

Back at the mother's house, John finds his mother has died, and he has just achieved what she wanted--to bring her little boy back to her.

While John initially moves to smack his brother upside the head at their mother's deathbed, he instead joins him in prayer for their recently departed mother. It's a good measure of sensitive acting by both men here.

There is a bit of rather dramatic action, but more so emotional trauma and some rather interesting interplay between the siblings, as John tries to help his brother out while feeling morally bound to do his duty as a police officer. An enjoyable Anthony O’Sullivan bit.

Happy Fifth of Lionel!