The Cross in the Desert's primary photo
  • The Cross in the Desert (1914)
  • Short | Short, Drama
The Cross in the Desert (1914)
Short | Short, Drama
Sam Higgins, a grocery clerk, sends his invalid wife, her mother and baby to Arizona for his wife's health. The cottage rented by them is owned by John Hecker, a railroad superintendent. They cannot pay the rent. Hecker tells them they ...See moreSam Higgins, a grocery clerk, sends his invalid wife, her mother and baby to Arizona for his wife's health. The cottage rented by them is owned by John Hecker, a railroad superintendent. They cannot pay the rent. Hecker tells them they must pay or get out. They write to Sam, asking him to come on and get a job there and take care of them. The husband is unable to go for want of money. Big Jim Dougherty, king of the hobos, drifts into the store, tells Sam how he can reach Arizona by freight and gives him signs so that the hobos on the road will help him. Sam leaves about a month later, but owing to an order issued by the superintendent whereby all hobos are ordered thrown from all trains, Sam is thrown off by a brakeman on the desert. Dougherty and the other tramps find him and bury him, placing a cross to mark the grave. Hecker is called out to fix a broken block signal and leaves for the scene on a handcar with a couple of men. The bum and Dougherty catch Hecker, dress him in Dougherty's clothes and send him to the railroad yards to try and get a ride under the new order. Hecker undertakes to do this and receives a dose of his own medicine; he is thrown off the train and later is found clinging to the cross erected by Dougherty. Dougherty finds a wad of money in Hecker's clothes. He goes to the home of the wife and throws the bills to the baby who is playing on the floor, with a note stating that the money will do them more good than the owner, and leaves. He later finds the skeleton of the superintendent clinging to the cross, a note pinned on it stating that if he had done to others as he would have them do to him he would not have died alone in the desert. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less
Read more: Plot summary
Director
Walter Edwards
Producer
Thomas H. Ince
See all filmmakers & crew (2)
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Status
Edit Released
Updated Nov 25, 1914
Release date
Nov 25, 1914 (United States)

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Cast

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5 cast members
Name Known for
Walter Edwards's primary photo
Walter Edwards
'Big Jim' Dougherty 'Big Jim' Dougherty   See fewer
The Power of the Street (1915)
Roy Laidlaw's primary photo
Roy Laidlaw
John Hecker John Hecker   See fewer
The Hunchback of Notre Dame (I) (1923)
Jerome Storm's primary photo
Jerome Storm
Sam Higgins Sam Higgins   See fewer
Some Pun'kins (1925)
Leona Hutton's primary photo
Leona Hutton
Mary Higgins Mary Higgins   See fewer
The Raiders (1914)
Fanny Midgley's primary photo
Fanny Midgley
Mary's Mother Mary's Mother   See fewer
Wasted Lives (1923)
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