The Flying Torpedo (1916)
In the future (1921), an alliance of several foreign countries plot to attack the US. American officials, coming to the realisation that the country is basically defenceless, offer $1,000,000 to anyone who can come up with a weapon to defeat the invaders. Winthrop Clavering, a writer and inventor, hears of the reward and tells his friend Bartholomew Thompson, a scientist and inventor who has been working on developing flying torpedo. However, enemy agents have also heard about Thompson's project, and set out to kill him and steal his plans. This film is now considered lost.
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Excellent but underrated film
Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
It is my ambition to add as many silent film synopsis of films that have a survival status of unknown or presumed lost. I try to do as much research as I can and it is not my intention to deceive anyone, for sometimes the film does exist. I am more than delighted if someone has knowledge of a film listed as lost but survives, as I wish all silent films did survive. I hope the reader enjoys this brief synopsis.In the early 1920's, several foreign powers decide to attack the United States. Realizing that their country is defenseless, nervous American officials offer a reward of one million dollars to anyone who invents a weapon capable of defeating the invading force. Hearing of the prize, novelist and detective Winthrop Clavering ( John Emerson ) encourages his friend, the scientist Bartholomew Thompson ( Spottiswoode Aitken ), to complete his plans for a flying torpedo. Just as Bartholomew is about to apply the finishing touches, however, a gang of spies kills him and steals his plans. Winthrop and his Swedish maid Hulda (Bessie Love) set out to find the spies who have been invading the United States. Winthrop and Hulda catch up with the spies just as they invade California. Winthrop retrieves the plans and builds the torpedoes, then gives them to the American army. As a result, the United States is able to repel the foreign fleet, which had gathered off the California coast, and Winthrop can claim the million dollars. and force them out of the country with the same device they stole.This 1916 silent science fiction/drama was produced by The Fine Arts Film Company, starring John Emerson, Spottiswoode Aitken and Bessie Love. Eric von Stroheim played a small supporting role as an evil German officer. The production began shooting in July 1915. The survival status of The Flying Torpedo is listed in the American Silent Feature Film Database as; No holdings located in archives.