''An Affair of Three Nations'' is a 1915 American

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

directed by

Arnold Daly Arnold Daly (October 22, 1875 – January 13, 1927) was an American actor, playwright, and producer. He was the father of actress and Algonquin Round Table personality Blyth Daly. Biography He was born Peter Christopher Arnold Daly in Brook ...

and Ashley Miller, and produced by Pathé Frères Films. It is based on a story by John T. McIntyre. The film was the first in the "Ashton-Kirk, Investigator" series, and was followed by '' The Menace of the Mute''. It stars

Sheldon Lewis Sheldon Lewis (April 20, 1868 – May 7, 1958) was an American actor of the silent era best known for his antagonistic roles. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1914 and 1936. Lewis was married to actress Virginia Pearson, and they were ...

William Harrigan William Harrigan (March 27, 1894 – February 1, 1966) was an American actor who performed in Hollywood during the 1930s and 1940s and on stage. Early years Harrigan was born in New York City and attended New York Military Academy. Harrigan was ...

, Charles Laite, Charles Krauss, George Melville and Louise Rutter. As with a lot of silent films, it is not known whether the film currently survives.

Plot

Arnold Daly plays the part of Ashton Kirk, a wealthy and scholarly young man who solves mysteries that have the police puzzled. Kirk is asked by Stella Morse, (Louise Rutter), to find out who is threatening her uncle, Dr. Morse (Sheldon Lewis). Morse has a copy of a secret

treaty A treaty is a formal, legally binding written agreement between actors in international law. It is usually made by and between sovereign states, but can include international organizations, individuals, business entities, and other legal pe ...

between

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. It is the largest country in the world, with its internationally recognised territory covering , and encompassing one-eig ...

and the United States that was made during the

Russo-Japanese War The Russo-Japanese War ( ja, 日露戦争, Nichiro sensō, Japanese-Russian War; russian: Ру́сско-япóнская войнá, Rússko-yapónskaya voyná) was fought between the Empire of Japan and the Russian Empire during 1904 and 1 ...

. Following the murder of the Doctor, Kirk takes on the case to help solve it. The Japanese spy system has been trying to get hold of the treaty, which could ruin relations between its country and America. Kirk manages to get the treaty himself and prevents a war from breaking out.

Cast

as Ashton Kirk *

as Doctor Morse *

as Phillip Warwick *Charles Laite as Pendleton *Charles Krauss as Count Drevenoff *Geoffrey Stein as Okin *Martin Sabine as Karowski *George Melville as Humadi * Louise Rutter as Stella Morse *Doris Mitchell as Nanon

Contemporary reviews

Harvey F. Thew wrote in the ''

Motion Picture News The ''Motion Picture News'' was an American film industry trade paper published from 1913 to 1930. History The publication was created through the 1913 merger of the ''Moving Picture News'' founded in 1908 and ''The Exhibitors' Times'', founded ...

'' that "the characters in this picture are all finely drawn, and exceptionally convincing, considering that three nationalities are represented. The air of mystery is preserved throughout, leading up to a climax in the unraveling of the murder; and the plot, which commenced with a secret treaty between the United States and Russia, stolen long ago on a battlefield of the Russian-Japanese war, is rationally carried out to the end, despite a tendency toward heroics". ''

The Moving Picture World The ''Moving Picture World'' was an influential early trade journal for the American film industry, from 1907 to 1927. An industry powerhouse at its height, ''Moving Picture World'' frequently reiterated its independence from the film studios. I ...

'' wrote "the cast is remarkably well balanced and the story holds the interest from start to finish. The atmosphere of mystery and suspense is very well sustained and the production is a sumptuous one. Altogether the film may be well termed a picture of unusual merit. Mr. Daly plays the part of "Ashton-Kirk, Investigator," and he is ably supported by Sheldon Lewis, Louise Rutter, Doris Mitchell, Charles Laite, Martin Sabine and William Harrigan". In another review from ''

'', Margaret MacDonald wrote the film is a "highly colored melodrama produced in the best style of the screen is this thrilling adventure of Ashton-Kirk, Investigator. The story of John T. Mclntyre is essentially a mystery story from first to last. It is apparently not intended that we should at once share in the secret of the screen, but that we should remain in breathless suspense until the last card is played. The public will not be disappointed in the movie. The story of the effort of the son of Count Drevenoff to gain possession of a copy of a treaty of the Russian Government with the United States, which had been taken from his father at the time of his death, is mysterious, thrilling and artistic. If one may go so far as to predict its future we would say that as a box office attraction there can be no question of its success". Thomas Kennedy wrote in ''

Motography ''Motography'' was an American film journal that was first published in 1909 and ran until mid-1918. The magazine was published in 1909 and was originally named ''The Nickelodeon'',"Motography." The Bioscope. 9 Feb. 2009. Web. 4 Nov. 2015 http:// ...

'' that the film is "uncommonly interesting and admirably acted, the film is a worthy addition to the formidable group of Gold Rooster plays. It is a mystery story giving to the producers and a cast of well known players many occasions for good dramatic effect. The element of mystery is maintained to the closing scenes, but from the beginning there are enough developments to hold the attention. In this respect the film has an advantage over the average detective photoplay. All the developments are not crowded into the last two reels. The direction of Arnold Daly and Ashley Miller is highly satisfactory".

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Affair of Three Nations, An 1915 films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films based on short fiction Film serials American mystery films 1915 mystery films Pathé Exchange films 1910s American films Silent mystery films

Plot

Cast

Contemporary reviews

See also

References

External links