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The Engine of Death
(1913) Germany
B&W : Four reels
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: [?] ? [Professor Dellera], [?] ? [Villiers, Dellera’s assistant], [?] ? [Doctor Katsura]
Deutsche Bioscop Gesellschaft mit beschränkter Haftung production. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format. / The film was released in the USA by Apex Film Company in December 1913. The film was rereleased in the USA by Box Office Attractions Company in [?] March? 1914.
Drama.
Synopsis: [?] [From The Moving Picture World]? Professor Dellera and his assistant, Villiers, bring to a successful conclusion their experiments directed to the discovery of a new and powerful explosive. The professor is invited to explain his discovery to the War Office, and as the result of his demonstrations, the Government decide to take up the explosive. Dellera sends the news of his success to Villiers, on holiday. The assistant meets Dr. Katsura, a Japanese, and an old college friend, and shows him Dellera’s letter, unaware that Katsura is a member of the Japanese Secret Service. Dr. Katsura receives secret instruction from his government to find out, if possible, the formula of the explosive, which is, of course, likely to give an enormous advantage, in the event of war, to the power able to employ it. By means of a letter of introduction from his government, the Japanese is able to secure a laboratory over that in which Dellera works, and, drilling a hole in the floor, watches the inventor at work and observes his comings and goings, in the hope of being able to enter the laboratory unobserved. At last an opportunity offers, when Dellera has been called away to meet some officials from the War Office. Katsura, gliding downstairs, slips into the laboratory unobserved, and begins to hurriedly examine the liquids with which Dellera has been working. Unacquainted with the exact composition of the chemicals, he accidentally discharges the compound. A tremendous explosion follows, and when Dellera and the officers enter, Katsura is found lying insensible amid the wreckage of the laboratory. The force of the explosion has brought down the floor of Katsura’s room, and it is believed that the Japanese has fallen with it. No suspicion is entertained that he is the cause of the explosion. The injuries he has received are so serious that his left arm has to be amputated, but on his discharge from the hospital he is allowed to continue his work in the room above Dellera. The first suspicion of the Japanese arises when Lieut. Barry, while talking with Dellera in his office, observes in a mirror the door of the room open and the Japanese look in, withdrawing immediately when he observes that the room is occupied. Keeping his suspicions to himself, until they are confirmed, the officer orders a soldier to watch Katsura, and the latter soon reports that the Japanese has left the building with a box under his arm. The officer realizes at once that Katsura has been able to take some of the explosives, and probably copy some of the formula in the laboratory while Dellera has been engaged in the office. He at once proceeds, to the Japanese’s lodgings, only to learn that his quarry has gone to the railway station. Following, he is just in time to see him enter a carriage, and manages to leap into another himself. While the train is at full speed the plucky officer climbs out to the footboard and begins to work his way along to Katsura’s carriage. The Japanese sees him, and pulls the communication cord. The officer leaps from the train to capture Katsura, whom he expects to see also jump to the ground as the train slows up, but the wily Japanese, creeping out the other side, makes his way to the engine, and, while all are searching for him, succeeds in uncoupling the locomotive, and before he is seen has leapt to the footplate and put on full steam. The officer instructs one of his men to tap the telephone wires and try to have the train stopped. Soon the reply comes back that the locomotive disregards all signals, but that another train will reach the stranded party in a few minutes. When it arrives the officer and his assistants mount the engine, which is uncoupled and sent at full speed after the flying Japanese. A series of extraordinary scenes show the flying locomotives ever increasing in speed, and with the second slowly but steadily overhauling the first. Seeing this, the Japanese throws the box of explosives from the engine, hoping to secure his own safety. But in his anxiety he breaks a lever, the locomotive gets out of control, and shortly the engine from behind, from which the soldiers have leaped on seeing the explosive thrown, crashes into it. The spy perishes in the collision, while Lieut. Barry, carrying back the box and the formula to Dellera’s laboratory, is able to report that the priceless secret is still safe.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 20 August 2025.
References: Tarbox-Lost p. 210 : MoPicNews-19140404 p. 16 : Website-IMDb.
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