Collection search - The Switchman

Record information – Brief

1

The Switchman

Item number (ISN):

413542

Hierarchical level:

Item (Accession level)

Date:

1910/1920 ?

Item number (ISN):

413542

Type of material:

Moving images

Found in:

Archives / Film, Video and Sound

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Record information – Details

Fonds/collection:

GRAPHIC CONSULTANTS LTD.

Accession:

1972-0105

Media:

Film

Part:

1 of 1

Production date:

1910/1920 ?

Production company:

Pathé

Description:

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In their home, a railway switchman, his wife and their young daughter are finishing their meal, obviously happy and contented. The little girl sits in her father's lap. The wife clears away the table and comes back with a bouquet of flowers. She smiles at her husband. The daughter leaves the house. From the front door, her parents wave to her. The switchman then leaves for work. In a field, the child picks a bouquet of flowers. She brings them to show her father, who is operating a railway switch. He waves franctically for her to stay away from the tracks. She, however, ignores his warning and is starting to cross the tracks toward him when she is struck down and killed by a speeding train. The father, in agony, holds the switch until the train has passed, then rushes to where the body of his daughter lays. He covers her with a coat. He goes home and explains the accident to his wife. His wife pours a drink from a bottle and puts him to bed. She goes out to investigate. He falls into a restless sleep and dreams of his little girl being run over by the train. The next day he returns to work and relieves the other man on duty. Suddenly, he seizes a hammer and begins to smash the switching levers. His wife arrives on the scene and tries to stop him. Then a vision of their daughter in heaven appears to the astounded couple. The girl pleads with the father to stop, and the vision disappears. The switchman comes to his senses, rushes out onto the tracks and waves his arms franctically to flag down an approaching train. The train grinds down to a halt in front of him. The engine driver, guard and engineer come down from the engine and demand an explanation. The switchman tells them what has happened. <4mn 50s>

Language:

Silent

Notes:

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1. Description is based on the Graphic Consultants Limited Catalogue card and Unidentified Fiction Films in the Ontario Motion Picture Bureau Collection, National Film Archives, Public Archives of Canada.~2. Given the 90-year rule, the copyright on this title has expired.

Detailed holdings information:

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Vault ISN:

31753

Format:

VIDEO

Location number:

V1 8201-0010

Number of items:

1

Status:

REF

Vault ISN:

500037

Format:

FILM

Location number:

GC-6168

Vault code:

GAT

Number of items:

1

Kind of sound:

SIL

Stock:

REL PRT

Made from:

DEPOSIT

Status:

MASTER

Vault ISN:

528704

Format:

FILM

Location number:

GC-6168/A

Number of items:

1

Kind of sound:

SIL

Stock:

DUPE

Made from:

GC-6168

Status:

PRT.ELEM

Vault ISN:

528705

Format:

FILM

Location number:

GC-6168/B

Vault code:

GAT

Number of items:

1

Kind of sound:

SIL

Stock:

REL PRT

Made from:

GC-6168/A

Status:

REF
Ordering and viewing options

Conditions of access:

Open

Consultation copy number:

V1 8201-0010

Restrictions on consultation:

~No Restrictions / Pas de restrictions

Donor restrictions:

The permission of Library and Archives Canada is required to reproduce this title.

Copyright status:

Copyright expired.

Reproduction access:

with written permission of copyright owner : with permission of Library and Archives Canada

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