Summary
Moss-draped live-oaks along the St. John River frame a card-sharp’s redemption that will ricochet across two decades. Jack Diamond—nicknamed after the luck he both worships and mistrusts—snatches a child from the tannin-brown water, trading a gambler’s notoriety for the trembling admiration of Annie Dennison, whose aunt Cordelia sniffs impropriety in every rustle of river mist. Years compress like shuffled decks: Wall-street ruin, velvet green tables, a wedding vow sealed with abstention, the birth of Leonie, then the slow erosion of trust when Willard Graham—the man whose purse Jack once restored—unmasks him before the railroad board, severing livelihood and honor alike. Exile to Texan grasslands, moonlit cattle drives, a chance rescue of a school-girl who carries his own blood, and the return of old ghosts converge outside Santa Clara where three pistols, one dying cuckold, and a scorned Mexican outlaw choreograph a sunset duel that ends with blood on yucca blades and a whispered absolution no confession booth could grant.
Synopsis
While on a winter's trip in Florida, sailing on the St. John River, John Diamond with the sobriquet of the Jack of Diamonds, has as a traveling companion Daniel Peabody, known as Denver Dan, a type of the old-time western gentleman gambler. Jack discovers some card sharks cheating Willard Graham. Taking a hand in the game, he wins back and returns to Graham his money. Annie Dennison and her Aunt Cordelia are on a southern trip. Willard Graham is a suitor for Annie's hand. Jack becomes the hero of the trip by heroically plunging overboard and saving a little child, Virginia Bell. This attracts Annie's attention to Jack. Later at St. Augustine Jack and Annie see much of each other to the chagrin of Graham and Aunt Cordelia, who does not like Jack, and who constantly snubs Denver Dan, who tries to win her love. Graham receives a letter from Texas, warning him to look out for Frank Popham. Some years before, Graham, while a guest at Popham's house, had robbed Popham of his wife and then cast her aside. Popham, who has become a derelict, sees Graham in the park of the hotel with Annie and tries to stab him. Graham overpowers Popham and gives him money to return to Texas, pretending to Popham that his wife still lives. Graham sends a note to Annie that her lover is the notorious Jack O'Diamonds. This is a shock to Annie, but Jack begs of her to hear his story. Jack recites, and in a dissolve we see how his parents lost their fortune in a Wall Street panic. Jack is lucky at cards and becomes wealthy. He promises that if Annie will marry him he will swear off gambling forever. Annie accepts. Seven years later Jack is at home in Jacksonville, and they are blessed with a daughter, Leonie. Fortune, however, has been against him, but he steadily holds to his promise not to gamble. Graham has been a frequent visitor, awaiting the chance to ruin Jack. This he does by exposing him to the head of the railroad company, of which Jack is an employee, as the former notorious gambler, Jack O'Diamonds. Jack is discharged. He refuses financial aid from Graham and Denver Dan, and secures a job as night watchman, but is ashamed to tell Annie. Receiving an offer to go into the cattle business in Texas, Jack starts from home, but misses his train. Graham, meanwhile, has told Annie that Jack has gambled each night, and persuades Annie to go with him and he will prove this. As they are about to leave, Jack returns and, believing that Annie is faithless, draws his pistol to shoot Graham, but decides to give him his life and Graham departs. Jack goes upstairs while Annie takes Leonie and leaves. Ten years later Jack is wealthy and owns a cattle ranch in Texas, and has Denver Dan as his companion. When on their way with cattle to Santa Clara, Jack saves a young woman from an attack of a Mexican named Pedro, though he fails to recognize that she is his daughter. Pedro is sent from the village store with a package to the school teacher, Leonie's mother. Stopping at his shack on the way, he, while eating, reads a newspaper personal, offering a reward for information about Mrs. Annie Diamond and signed by Willard Graham, of Jacksonville. Noticing the same name on the package, he inquires when delivering the package to Annie if she is not the Mrs. Annie Diamond of Jacksonville. Seeing her recoil from the query, Pedro writes to Graham that the one he advertises for is at Santa Clara. When Graham receives this letter he departs for Santa Clara at once. Jack and Dan, while at the Santa Clara Hotel, meet Popham, who is an outcast and wreck. Jack gives him money after hearing his story of how Graham had ruined Popham's life and home. Graham arrives at Santa Clara some time later, and meets Pedro. He leaves hotel tor Pedro's shack and is followed by Popham, who recognizes Graham at the hotel. He follows and tries to stab Graham at Pedro's shack, but the Mexican intervenes and assaults Popham, who staggers into a settler's cabin exhausted. Graham calls upon Annie at her home, and she is frightened on seeing him. Jack, when making a second trip to town, again aids Leonie, who has fallen from her horse. Jack is surprised when she says her name is Leonie Diamond, and he then recognizes her as his daughter. Leonie brings him to the gate of her home and enters the house to tell her mother how she was saved and to come out and meet her rescuer. Graham is still in the parlor. There is mutual recognition, but Jack holds the loving advances of his wife in abeyance. Half crazed at Jack's treatment, and that Graham is in the house. He goes, but says he will return again. Jack and Graham reach the house late that afternoon at the same time; they draw their guns to shoot each other. Denver Dan intervenes. Jack challenges Graham to a duel at sunset. Graham arranges with Pedro to stab Jack on the dueling ground. Denver Dan goes to Annie's home and demands that she stop the duel. Annie sees Jack at the hotel, but Jack will not agree to stop the fight. Dan is left alone with Aunt Cordelia, and gets her consent to wed. Graham and Pedro on the way to the duel pass the settle's cabin, when Popham, near death, sees Graham, struggles from the couch, takes the shotgun from the wall and follows Graham and Pedro. Annie arrives home distracted, and leaves with Dan and Cordelia for the scene of the duel. Jack has proceeded there, meets Graham and they pace off to turn and fire. Pedro is seen sneaking up to stab Jack in the back. Denver Dan arrives at the dueling grounds at this time, sees Pedro and draws his revolver and shoots the Mexican in the wrist. Popham is then seen dragging a shotgun through the brush. Jack turns when hearing the sound of Denver Dan's gun, and as he does, Graham starts to fire at Jack. Popham fires and hits Graham. Before dying, Graham confesses that Annie is innocent and Annie is forgiven by Jack.
Review Excerpt
"
The nickelodeon curtain lifts on a winter so Floridian it perspires; Spanish moss drips like green chandeliers above the teak deck of a paddle-sloop inching down the St. John. Within this aqueous cathedral of steam and cypress knees, director Edwin J. Forsberg stages the first of many contrapuntal games—cards, hearts, fate—dealt by men whose pocket watches tick louder than the boat’s engine. Jack Diamond, dubbed the Jack of Diamonds because fortune once slipped him that face-card at the precise..."
