Summary
In the verdant, yet contested, sprawl of the Adirondack Mountains, *Cowardice Court* unfurls a captivating tableau of property dispute morphing into an unlikely romantic entanglement. At its core lies Randolph Shaw, an embodiment of rugged American self-reliance, stubbornly clinging to his modest shack and its surrounding acreage. This humble parcel, however, inconveniently abuts the sprawling domain of Lord Cecil Bazelhurst, a scion of European aristocracy whose American wife, the former Evelyn Banks of Jersey City, views Shaw’s dwelling as an unsightly blemish on her newly acquired aristocratic grandeur. Her ambition, having traded social mobility for a title, fuels a relentless campaign to dislodge Shaw. Yet, fate, with a mischievous glint, interjects when Randolph encounters Penelope, Lord Cecil’s spirited sister. What begins as a playful amusement for Penelope—the very feud she initially dismissed as trivial—takes a sharp, dramatic turn. A reckless act by a Bazelhurst retainer, resulting in Randolph’s injury, galvanizes Penelope. Disillusioned by her family's petty tyranny and touched by Randolph's resilience, she makes a decisive break, seeking refuge in his rustic abode and accepting his heartfelt proposal. The subsequent, rather farcical pursuit by Cecil and his cadre, culminating in a night of ignominious discomfort for the aristocrats amidst a tempestuous wilderness, underscores the fragility of their supposed superiority. The dawn, however, brings not further conflict, but a pragmatic resolution. Lady Evelyn, ever the calculating pragmatist, recognizes that with Penelope's union to Randolph, the coveted land will, in essence, remain within the extended family's purview. This realization paves the way for a truce, sealed by Randolph’s magnanimous gesture of offering dry, if comically ill-fitting, attire to his bedraggled pursuers, thus illustrating the ultimate triumph of common sense and familial bonds over aristocratic pretension.
A feud in the Adirondack Mountains develops when Randolph Shaw will not give up a shack and its acreage adjoining the estate of Lord Cecil Bazelhurst, whose wife, the former Evelyn Banks of Jersey City, married him for his title and now wants to get rid of Randolph's ugly shack. When Randolph meets Cecil's sister Penelope, a romance begins which is furthered after one of the Bazelhurst servants shoots Randolph in the arm for trespassing and Penelope, who earlier had looked upon the feud as a joke, runs away to Randolph's house and accepts his engagement proposal. Cecil and his men pursue Penelope, but are frightened away by Randolph's men and are forced to spend a miserable stormy night in the woods. The next day everyone becomes reconciled when Lady Evelyn realizes that the desired property will now be in the family, and Randolph offers Cecil and his men dry, if ill-fitting, garments to wear.
Review Excerpt
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Revisiting the Adirondack Feud: The Enduring Charm of Cowardice Court
There's a peculiar magic to silent cinema, a language of gesture and expression that transcends the spoken word, inviting audiences to fill in the auditory blanks with their own imaginations. Among the vast archives of this bygone era, certain films, though perhaps not household names, possess a compelling narrative and a charming spirit that warrant rediscovery. Joseph Anthony Roach and George Barr McCutche..."
