The Essential Watchlist that Capture the Essence of Price of Treachery; Or, The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter: Cult Guide

The Price of Treachery; Or, The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter Phenomenon

The legacy of Price of Treachery; Or, The Lighthouse Keeper's Daughter is built upon its ability to blend thematic complexity with stunning visual execution.

This picture tells the story of the life of two brothers, Henry and Robert Williams. Henry's early life has not been beyond reproach, he even stopping to forge a check to raise money and, as the picture opens, he is in receipt of a letter advising him that unless his forged check is paid the matter will be put into the hands of the police. Driven to desperation Henry breaks into his father's safe and takes out the banknotes, the quarter's rents from the numerous farm tenants which the overseer had brought in that day. Robert, hearing the noise, confronts his brother who breaks down and acknowledges his wrongdoing. Robert urges him to tell all to his father with the assurance that he will help him out of his dilemma. This he refuses to do and begs Robert not to tell. Overcome with remorse, Henry is taken ill and, in the morning, when the theft is discovered, Robert, in order to save his brother, confesses to being the culprit. He is ordered out of the house, but before leaving he confesses the truth of the whole affair to his mother. Four years elapse during which time the father of the boys dies, and Robert has become captain of a schooner about to arrive at the Isle of Peele, directly across from the mainland where his mother lives, to whom he has written informing her of the fact that he is now captain of the "Harland" and expects to run across and see her and his father, whom he hopes has forgiven him. Henry, while out horseback riding on his way to the quay, runs into Mary, the daughter of the lighthouse-keeper of the Isle of Peele, and, becoming enamored of her beauty, organizes a shooting party to the Isle of Peele in order to see her again. A terrible storm takes place, compelling them to accept the hospitality of the lighthouse-keeper to stay overnight. The storm is not confined to the Isle of Peele, but has broken with great fury out at sea, where the lighthouse-keeper discovers the "Harland," tossed by the great waves, completely helpless. Calling Mary to the lighthouse to keep the lantern lit, he runs to the shore, launches his boat and sets out for the work of rescue. Henry, finding Mary alone in the lamp house, endeavors to embrace her. She resents and, in the struggle which ensues, Henry is rendered unconscious. In falling he breaks the oil supply tube which feeds the lamp in the lighthouse. Robert, and Tompkins, the cook, the only survivors, fearing the boat, which is loaded with explosives, will blow up, decide to cast their fate in the turbulent waters and jump overboard. After swimming for a long time, they meet the lighthouse-keeper rowing toward them but. In attempting to get into his boat, it is overturned, and the three of them are thrown back into the sea. Shortly after Robert deserts his ship it is blown up. Mary, having escaped from the lighthouse, rushes to the beach in time to help her father and Tompkins brings Robert onto land. He is carried to the house and tenderly nursed back to health by Mary and her father. Falling in love with Mary, Robert tells these good people who he really is and asks for Mary's hand in marriage. The news of the blowing up of the "Harland" having reached his mother, she becomes seriously ill and, when he crosses to the mainland to see her, he is welcomed as one risen from the dead. Henry, still intent on winning Mary, plans with two others to abduct her. They set out in a motorboat to the island and, by throwing a misleading note into her room, she is decoyed to the cliff where, against overwhelming odds, she is overpowered. In the struggle Henry falls down the embankment. Tompkins, having followed Mary, returns for Robert who is just running to the scene of the fray as Henry makes his descent and, continuing the pursuit (not knowing to whom he is giving chase), he reaches Henry just in time to see him disappear into a bed of quicksand, powerless to help him. In the meantime the other two conspirators manage to bring Mary to the motorboat. Thinking they have her secure, they enter the cabin of the boat, whereupon she jumps up, fastens the cabin door, and turns the wheel about headed back toward shore, arriving just before Robert, who bursts in upon them with the terrible news regarding his brother. The next morning Robert takes his fiancée to his mother, who confers upon the happy pair her parental blessing.