''For His Son'' is a 1912 American short silent

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

D. W. Griffith David Wark Griffith (January 22, 1875 – July 23, 1948) was an American film director. Considered one of the most influential figures in the history of the motion picture, he pioneered many aspects of film editing and expanded the art of the n ...

and starring

Charles Hill Mailes Charles Hill Mailes (25 May 1870 – 17 February 1937) was a Canadian actor of the silent era. Biography Born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1870, Mailes appeared in 290 films between 1909 and 1935. He married the actress Claire McDowel ...

, Charles West and

Blanche Sweet Sarah Blanche Sweet (June 18, 1896 – September 6, 1986) was an American silent film actress who began her career in the early days of the motion picture film industry. Early life Born Sarah Blanche Sweet (though her first name Sarah was ra ...

. A young man becomes addicted to the secret ingredient in the soft drink invented by his father.

Mark Griep Mark Griep (born 1959) is a chemistry professor at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He has a bachelor’s and doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Minnesota. He studies the enzymes primase and DnaB helicase in his search for antibiot ...

claims the film was inspired by the

Pure Food and Drug Act The s:Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906, also known as the Wiley Act and Harvey Washington Wiley, Dr. Wiley's Law, was the first of a series of significant consumer protection laws enacted by the United States Con ...

of 1906, the original formulation of

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a cola soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. In 2013, Coke products were sold in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, with consumers drinking more than 1.8 billion company beverage servings ...

—which contained

cocaine Cocaine is a tropane alkaloid and central nervous system stimulant, derived primarily from the leaves of two South American coca plants, ''Erythroxylum coca'' and ''Erythroxylum novogranatense, E. novogranatense'', which are cultivated a ...

—and

Vin Mariani Vin Mariani ( French: ''Mariani wine'') was a coca wine and patent medicine created in the 1860s by Angelo Mariani, a French chemist from the island of Corsica. Mariani became intrigued with coca and its medical and economic potential after read ...

, and notes that the book ''Silent Films, 1877–1996: A Critical Guide to 646 Movies'' calls ''For His Son'' one of the earliest films to address

drug addiction Addiction is a neuropsychological disorder characterized by a persistent and intense urge to use a drug or engage in a behavior that produces natural reward, despite substantial harm and other negative consequences. Repetitive drug use can ...

. The film was shot in

Fort Lee, New Jersey Fort Lee is a Borough (New Jersey), borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, New Jersey, Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop The Palisades (Hudson River), The Palisades. As of the 2020 Uni ...

when

Biograph Company The Biograph Company, also known as the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company, was a motion picture company founded in 1895 and active until 1916. It was the first company in the United States devoted entirely to Filmmaking, film production an ...

and other early

film studio A film studio (also known as movie studio or simply studio) is a major entertainment company that makes films. Today, studios are mostly financing and distribution entities. In addition, they may have their own studio facility or facilities; how ...

s in

America's first motion picture industry Fort Lee is a borough at the eastern border of Bergen County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey, situated along the Hudson River atop The Palisades. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 40,191, an increase of 4,8 ...

were based there at the beginning of the 20th century. A print of the film survives.

Plot

A physician spoils his only son, but eventually reaches a point where he can no longer afford to give his son anymore. The doctor devises a soft drink that contains cocaine which he calls "Dopokoke" to try to raise more funds. The drink is an immediate hit, and he is able to give his son more cash. The son becomes one of those addicted to the drink. When he learns what the secret ingredient is, he is unconcerned, as is his greedy father. When his fiancée discovers he is injecting cocaine directly with a needle, she breaks off their engagement. His father's secretary is also addicted, and she also knows what she is hooked on; they decide to elope. The couple visibly deteriorate physically. When she refuses to share the drug with him, the son grabs her, but then dies. The physician is called, but nothing can save his son.

Cast

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:For His Son 1912 films 1912 drama films 1912 short films 1910s American films 1910s English-language films American black-and-white films Articles containing video clips Biograph Company films English-language drama short films Films about substance abuse Films shot in Fort Lee, New Jersey Short films directed by D. W. Griffith Silent American drama short films Surviving American silent films

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links