The Key to Power
Cast & Crew
William Parke
Hugh Thompson
Claire Adams
J. H. Gilmour
Frazier Nounnan
Tom Burrough
Film Details
Synopsis
Bruce Wendell, the son of West Virginia coal mine owner James Wendell, graduates from West Point and prepares to lead a fighting unit to the front during World War I. As his father lies dying, however, he convinces Bruce to remain at home and guard the mine. Bruce's fiancée Ann Blair assumes that he is a coward and breaks off their engagement, but her brother Bobbie remains Bruce's loyal friend. Meyer, a German agent, persuades railroad president Parrish to refuse to transport Wendell's coal, but when Bruce adamantly refuses to close the mine, the spy's men decide to blow it up. While Ann is being abducted by Meyer, Bobbie is buried in an explosion at the mine. Bruce rescues Bobbie and then sends a plea to Lieutenant Parrish to rescue Ann. Meyer and his gang are captured and Ann renews her vow of love to Bruce.
Director
William Parke
Cast
Hugh Thompson
Claire Adams
J. H. Gilmour
Frazier Nounnan
Tom Burrough
J. J. Dunn
Fred Radcliffe
George Pauncefort
Stephen Grattan
L. F. Kennedy
Stephen Carr
Henri Rolf Otte
Crew
Film Details
Quotes
Trivia
Notes
The working title of this film was The Romance of Coal. It was filmed in West Virginia, near Logan, in the Allegheny Mountains, and in Charleston, as well as in New York and Washington, D.C. William Addison Lathrop wrote the first story for the film in collaboration with Caroline Gentry, a native West Virginian. Frederick A. Thomson started to direct the film on May 27, 1918 and shot interiors for scenes set in New York City. On June 1, 1918, E. Lloyd Sheldon was put in charge of the scenario and continued the collaboration with Gentry. At that time, Carroll Fleming was appointed director-in-chief, and Thomson presumably left the picture. In July 1918, William Parke took over direction when shooting began in West Virginia. It is not known whether Fleming actually directed any of the scenes. The film, originally six reels long, was to be released in late 1918, but the influenza epidemic caused a delay, and the armistice made it necessary to withhold the film until "war atmosphere" could be eliminated. It was subsequently cut to five reels and released in January 1920.
