-
Watch Online / The Road to Yesterday (1914)
Desc: The Road to Yesterday: Directed by Lawrence Marston. With Walter Miller, Mrs. A.C. Marston. Kensington. England, 1903. Will Leveson, an artist, meets his chum, Jack Creatorex and takes him home. Jack meets Malena, Will's wife and his sister Eleanor. Jack consents to pose as a model for Will. Eleanor receives a message from her sweetheart, Kenelm Paulton, stating that he is leaving for Vienna and will stop to see her. Jack enters studio in yeoman's costume of the Elizabethan period and Malena exclaims that he appears as one from the "road to yesterday." Aunt Harriet and her niece, Elspeth, visit the Levesons and Elspeth and a friend attend an Art Museum. Elspeth is inspired by a medieval painting and wishes they all lived in those romantic, days. Norah, the maid, exclaims that it is midsummer eve and "whatever is wished between dusk and twelve comes true." Elspeth repeats her wish. Kenelm Paulton tells Eleanor of his love. Elspeth sees Jack enter in costume and cries out what she has seen. Fearing she is tired. Aunt Harriet, upon returning home, persuades her to lie down and she falls asleep and dreams. THE DREAM. A June morning, 1603. Lady Elizabeth (Elspeth) awakens, puzzled by her surroundings. Lord Strangavon (Kenelm Paulton) demands that she marry him and repudiates his lawful wife, Elinor Tylney (Eleanor Leveson). Mother Gillaw (Norah), the witch, implores the witch's help. They make a rope of bed clothing and Lady Elizabeth escapes. Disguised, Lady Elizabeth takes refuge in the Red Swan Inn. Tompkins, the Tapster (Adrian), and Lady Elizabeth are scolded by Goody Phelps (Aunt Harriet), the inn-keeper. Reformado Jack (Jack Creatorex) arrives to meet his friend Will Wi' the Feather (Will Leveson). Will arrives and meets the Gypsy (Malena Leveson) and falls in love with her. Goody Phelps, enraged at the Gypsy, orders her from the inn and Lady Elizabeth wins the Gypsy's gratitude by befriending her. Lady Elizabeth discovers Lord Strangavon's servants approaching and begs the Gypsy to help her. Will is wounded protecting Lady Elizabeth who escapes and disguises herself as a boy. Dressed as a boy, Lady Elizabeth meets Jack and tells him he is the hero of her dreams. Lord Strangavon arrives in search of Lady Elizabeth, recognizes her despite her disguise and carries her back to the castle. The Gypsy, endeavoring to deliver a note to Lady Elizabeth from Jack, is seized by Lord Strangavon's servants. Lord Strangavon agrees to pardon her if she will read his palm. She tells him that he will wed the girl he seeks. The Gypsy hands the letter to Lady Elizabeth saying that Jack will aid her. As directed, Lady Elizabeth puts a lighted candle in her window as a signal. Lord Strangavon informs Lady Elizabeth that they will be wed immediately. Lady Elizabeth drops Jack's letter and Lord Strangavon, finding it hurries out and gives orders to search for Jack. Jack enters through a secret panel and Lady Elizabeth wants to leave at once, but he urges her to wait for the Gypsy's signal. Lord Strangavon bursts in the door and his men seize Jack. Lord Strangavon agrees to spare Jack's life if Lady Elizabeth will marry him. She consents, but he secretly orders Jack whipped. The marriage takes place and Elinor denounces Lord Strangavon. The Gypsy finds Jack in the courtyard and tells him that Lady Elizabeth and Lord Strangavon are coming. She gives him her knife and he lays as if dead. Lady Elizabeth accuses Lord Strangavon of having killed him. In an ensuing fight Jack stabs Lord Strangavon. END OF DREAM. Jack finishes posing and discovers Elspeth asleep. She awakens, and still under the influence of her dream, throws her arms around Jack. Malena enters and Elspeth explains that she has been dreaming. Eleanor and Ken become engaged and Jack and Elspeth having been "engaged for three hundred years" announce their betrothal.