[NOTE: the cast comprises Frank Powell as the doctor, Florence Lawrence as his wife, Stephanie Longfellow as their servant, Gladys Egan as their daughter, Kate Bruce as the grandmother, Mary Pickford as the mother and Adele De Garde as the other sick girl.]

• MAIN TITLE: A COUNTRY DOCTOR. COPYRIGHT 1909. BIOGRAPH COMPANY. NEW YORK.

• TITLE: A STORY OF THE TEMPORAL DEEDS THAT REAP SPIRITUAL REWARDS.

• TITLE: THE PEACEFUL VALLEY OF STILLWATER.

1. PAN. Beginning on a country road overlooking a rural river valley, we pan to the right past bucolic rural scenery to the front of a nice home as a man, woman and child come descend the porch steps and walk down a path toward the camera. (73 seconds at a projection speed of 18 frames per second)

• TITLE: DR. HARCOURT AND HIS FAMILY.

2. WHEAT FIELD, river behind and stone wall in foreground. The girl leads her parents through the field toward the camera, as they gradually emerge from amid the tall plants. The father climbs over the wall, then helps his wife and child over it. (60)

3. FLOWERY FIELD, low stone wall in background. The girl, between her parents, leads them toward the camera, gathering and giving them flowers. (50)

• TITLE: LITTLE EDITH IS SUDDENLY TAKEN ILL.

4. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The doctor enters, is led to Edith in her crib by his wife. He nonchalantly feels her pulse, listens to her heart, then regards her with great concern. (35)

• TITLE: MEANWHILE, ANOTHER CHILD IS TAKEN ILL.

5. CABIN INTERIOR. A grandmother and mother bend over a child in bed, who clenches her stomach in pain. Concerned, the grandmother runs outside. (22)

6. OUTSIDE CABIN. Panicked, the grandmother emerges outside. (7)

7. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The grandmother runs up the porch. (3)

8. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The servant is sent outside to investigate. (9)

9. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The grandmother indicates urgency to the servant, who goes back inside. (10)

10. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The servant speaks to the doctor, who shakes his head “no.” (7)

11. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The servant relays the message to the grandmother, who renews her plea, indicating by gesture her little girl. (13)

• TITLE: DUTY BECKONS HIM ON.

12. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The servant enters and pleads with the doctor, still bending over Edith, who reluctantly nods “yes” and follows her out. (18)

13. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The doctor listens, gestures “no” at first, then finally consents but gestures that he first must return inside. (18)

14. EDITH’S BEDROOM. Over her protests, the doctor tells his wife that he must go. He reassuringly embraces her, points to the clock, then reluctantly leaves. (39)

15. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The doctor and grandmother hurry off. (5)

16. OUTSIDE CABIN. The doctor and grandmother run up and hurry inside. (6)

17. CABIN INTERIOR. The doctor enters and checks the girl’s pulse and fever. (17)

18. EDITH’S BEDROOM. Frantic over Edith’s condition, the wife sends the servant off. (18)

19. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The servant runs from the porch. (4)

20. OUTSIDE CABIN. The servant hurries inside. (4)

21. CABIN INTERIOR. The servant addresses the doctor with some urgency. He gestures assuringly that he will come later. (22)

22. OUTSIDE CABIN. The servant leaves, smiling. (4)

23. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The servant tells the wife, who looks happily at the clock and bends attentively over Edith. (22)

24. CABIN INTERIOR. The doctor continues to attend to the little girl. (8)

25. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The wife frantically looks from the clock to Edith and back. She panics and sends the servant out again. (14)

26. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The servant runs off. (4)

27. CABIN INTERIOR. The servant barges in and frantically begs the doctor to go. He grabs his coat and hat, but is restrained by the grandmother. The servant extends her arm toward the doctor but after a long pause drops it dejectedly. The doctor turns to the sick girl. (44)

28. OUTSIDE CABIN. The servant runs off, very distraught. (4)

29. CABIN INTERIOR. The doctor finishes working on the girl. (11)

30. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The wife pulls the suffering Edith up into her arms. (22)

• TITLE: HIS DUTY FULFILLED.

31. CABIN INTERIOR. The doctor soothes the girl, who whispers her thanks. As the grandmother gratefully runs to the girl, the doctor leaves. (24)

32. OUTSIDE CABIN. The doctor runs off with joyful anticipation. (5)

33. EDITH’S BEDROOM. Edith dies in the arms of her mother, who softly lays the body down, stares in blank horror, trembles violently, runs about deliriously, and finally collapses over Edith’s bed. (65)

34. DOCTOR’S PORCH. The doctor bounds up the steps and goes inside. (8)

35. EDITH’S BEDROOM. The wife frantically embraces the doctor as he enters. He calmly takes Edith’s wrist, turns ashen, desperately listens for a heartbeat, smashes his head on her bedpost, and collapses sobbing into the wife’s arms. (76)

• TITLE: AND THE VALLEY OF STILLWATER IS SHROUDED IN DARKNESS.

36. PAN. Beginning on the doctor’s empty porch, the camera pans left, reversing the opening shot, until it comes to rest on the rural river valley where the opening shot began. (42)

Copyright 2009 by Peter Gutmann