Very well executed

A brilliant film that helped define a genre

I have absolutely never seen anything like this movie before. You have to see this movie.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

I am confident PamelaShort will be pleased to learn this is not a lost film. I just saw the Museum of Modern Art's copy. The titles before the story began explained that this was a restoration from a nitrate negative made by the Cinematheque Francaise in 1995; discussion with accompanist Ben Model leads me to state with some confidence that this copy showed up in 2009, that the Cinematheque Francaise has a copy and that this was shown some time in the last few years at Pordenone.So there are at least two copies in existence, with the interesting novelty of the original English titles and their French translations. These titles were done at the time of the restoration and are in impeccable condition. This allows me to draw the conclusion that the negative was neither the original negative nor the European master, but almost certainly a contact negative taken from a rather worn print. The dupy print we saw showed signs of great wear and one or two spots of decomposition. It was quite watchable.PamelaShort has given a good synopsis of the movie, so all that I can add is that the acting was good, the scenery was fine and there was a bit of underworked subtext: Mildred Harris, as Hart's dying Virginia sister is not fit for the new state of California; Alma Rubens, as the hot-blooded Mexican temptress lacks the moral fortitude for this new, rough country. Only Sylvia Breamer, the western-born Rose can survive and even prosper in this land.

Jefferson 'On-the-level' Leigh ( William S.Hart ) moves his sickly young sister Alice ( Mildred Harris ) to the mountains where she might benefit from the fresh air the higher altitude provides. A gambler by trade, he soon meets dance hall girl Coralie ( Alma Rubens ) who turns the community against him, after he rejects her attention. Low on money, Level decides unwillingly to try gambling again, but spiteful Coralie persuades the dealer to 'cold deck' Level, and he loses every cent. Now desperate, Level decides to hold-up the passengers of the stage coach, but unknown to him, Black Jack kills the driver and takes the express box. When Level learns about the drivers death, he surrenders himself and is put in jail. Realizing he must track down the real murderer, he escapes from his cell, and discovers Black Jack uncovering the express box. Level arrests him and returns to town, he is justly cleared of all charges and is happily reunited with his sweetheart Rose Larkin ( Sylvia Breamer ). The Cold Deck had all the elements of a typical William S.Hart western and sadly this film remains on the long list of lost silents.