The Power of the Mind - Production & Contact Info (original) (raw)

Henry Graham is paralyzed by a fall after alighting from his automobile. His doctor is a family friend. Observing the family picture the doctor makes with his wife and little daughter and realizing his own helplessness now, Henry decides ...See moreHenry Graham is paralyzed by a fall after alighting from his automobile. His doctor is a family friend. Observing the family picture the doctor makes with his wife and little daughter and realizing his own helplessness now, Henry decides to bring a possible romance between his wife and the doctor, and starts to abuse her. The doctor is a constant caller. Grace tells him of Henry's change of nature, and says it is because Henry hasn't enough comforts, and wishes she could help increase their income. The doctor suggests a play. She writes it. They keep it from Henry. They read and discuss the play together. Henry mistakes their constant interest for success of his plan, and so records in his diary. The play is accepted by a friend of the doctor's. Rehearsals begin. The doctor escorts Grace to and from rehearsals in his auto. Grace gets an attendant for Henry, as she must be away. When she is at rehearsal one day, Henry bribes the unscrupulous attendant to get him poison. The doctor and Grace return in time for the doctor to catch and prevent the attendant from giving Henry the poison bottle. Doctor discharges the attendant. They tell Grace that Henry discharged him because he preferred not to be bothered with an attendant. The night of the play arrives. Grace tearfully departs with the doctor. Henry records in his diary that his evenings are the doctor's now, and that love is drawing them onward, and that her tears were from her conscience, that he can no longer wait the inevitable. In picking up Helen to carry her on his shoulder as he departs with Grace, the doctor drops his revolver. Henry covers it with paper from his couch. They leave, and Henry secures the gun. The attendant watches Grace and the doctor go, and sees his chance for revenge; he turns burglar. As Henry is about to shoot himself, after Helen is abed, and after he has burned the leaves of his diary, he bears the attendant entering the house; he phones the theater with the extension phone his wife placed by his bed. The attendant enters little Helen's room and she screams. Henry hearing the screams, forgets his paralysis, rises, totters from the room and grapples with the burglar attendant in Helen's room. When the doctor and Grace and police arrive in answer to the summons, they find Henry standing in the middle of the floor holding the attendant at bay with his pistol. As soon as Henry discovers he is standing he collapses. Later, he finds he can move his legs. The doctor says he will recover. The manager enters with news of the play's success. General explanations and rejoicings follow. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less