The Buffer
John Harms, a corporation magnate, has two motherless sons, Bobby and Sam. Bobby is a cute little youngster of six, and Sam is of age and spends his father's money with recklessness. Richard Freely, an arch-enemy of Harms', is continually trying to dissolve the corporation, and not until Newton, a half-brother to Freely, has forged some checks on a good friend of Harms', does the financier secure a wedge with which to ruin Freely. Harms threatens to expose his enemy for defending Newton, and Freely is saved from bodily injury by Bobby, who has come to ask his father for candy. Meantime Sam has forged his father's name to a check and handed it to Newton in payment of gambling debts. Harms is about to sacrifice his son to down Freely, when the little "Buffer' again bursts in and drags Sam away to play horse.
Insights
Plot Summary
The film centers on a struggling blacksmith who strives to protect his family's honor and reputation. He faces numerous challenges and adversaries, including a corrupt local businessman who attempts to exploit him and his community. The blacksmith must employ all his strength and wit to overcome these obstacles and secure a better future for his loved ones.
Critical Reception
As a silent short from 1914, "The Buffer" received limited contemporary critical reviews. However, its narrative themes of resilience, family, and confronting corruption were common in the era's melodramas, likely resonating with audiences of the time. Surviving historical accounts suggest it was a competently made film for its period.
What Reviewers Say
- A melodramatic tale of a common man facing adversity.
- Highlights themes of honor, family, and the struggle against injustice.
- Competently produced for its time, reflecting typical narrative structures of early cinema.
Google audience: Information on Google user reviews for "The Buffer" is unavailable due to its age and the limited digital footprint of early silent films.
Fun Fact
The film's limited release and the passage of time have made "The Buffer" a relatively obscure piece of early cinema history, with much of its original context and reception difficult to ascertain.
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