Beyond the Rocks

[reconstructed titles from "original continuity script"]

1
   In a sequestered village
on the Dorset Coast of England -

2
- lives the gay and kindly 
Captain Fitzgerald, on the 
meager pension of a broken 
  and retired guardsman.

3
Captain Dominic Fitzgerald.

     - ALEC FRANCIS -

4
     Clementine and Sarah, 
   daughters of a misalliance
 of the Captain's youth, see in
their beautiful young half-sister
   the only hope of restoring
      the family fortunes.

5
  "Theodora mustn't acquire
romantic notions about husbands
   being Prince Charmings!"

6
       "She must marry
a rich man, and help poor dear 
        papa - and us!"

7
     Theodora Fitzgerald. Love
for dear papa is Theodora's religion.

       - GLORIA SWANSON -

8
      Hector, tenth Earl of
  Bracondale, inherits his title 
from a long line of English noblemen
  and his passionate love of life
    and beauty from a highborn 
       Italian grandmother.

       - RUDOLPH VALENTINO -

9
"Why, it's Bracondale!"

10
   "It is a narcissus -
but I'm afraid its fragrance
 has all been washed away."

11
"It was Lord Bracondale 
     who saved me!"

12
"Wonderful - but not the 
     marrying kind."

13
   Eventually Fate brings
for Theodora a suitor who meets
   the family requirements.

14
          Josiah Brown,
 risen from grocer's assistant to
multi-millionaire, is eager to crown
  his achievement by a marriage
   with youth and aristocracy.

        - ROBERT BOLDER -

15
 "I wish he weren't 
quite so impossible."

16
"My dear, no man with 
millions is impossible."

17
"Has he proposed?"

18
"No - but I am afraid 
   he's going to."

19
   "Why, Theodora, you don't 
mean to say that you would hesitate 
to do a little thing like that for 
          dear papa?"

20
"Oh, I'd do anything 
   for dear papa."

21
"You're a lucky girl, Theodora!"

22
"We're going on to the church."

23
 "Have you seen the 
marriage settlement?"

24
"Darling child, you need 
not marry this man if you 
    do not want to."

25
"Yes, dear - I - I - want to."

26
After the wedding breakfast -
 Mr. And Mrs. Josiah Brown.

27
"Are you happy, papa?"

28
 A quaint inn, high in the
snow-clad Alps, should offer
   a paradise for lovers.

29
      But Theodora finds
 her honeymoon sadly different
from that of her girlish dreams.

30
  That same evening
a party of distinguished
 English folk arrives.

31
The Countess of Bracandale,
     Hector's mother.

   - EDYTHE CHAPMAN -

32
    Morella Winmarleigh,
an English heiress, whom the
Countess of Bracandale hopes
to have as a daughter-in-law.

     - GERTRUDE ASTOR -

33
  Jane McBride, a rich 
American widow, has taken 
 Theodora under her wing.

   - MABEL VAN BUREN -

34
    "What you need is 
exercise - I'm going to take
  you climbing tomorrow."

35
  "My dear lady, in this
altitude I can hardly get my
   breath sitting still."

36
Next morning.

37
"Theodora - help is coming!"

38
"We can't pull you up."

39
"Lower us to the next ledge."

40
"Our rope's too short.
We are going for help."

41
 "Fate seems to send you
to me when I most need you,
     Lord Bracandale."

42
"Don't you remember pulling 
  me out of the water?"

43
"Why, you're Fitzgerald's
    little daughter!"

44
Rescue may come too soon.

45
   The next day finds Josiah 
 Brown in a flutter to quit the 
Alpine altitudes - they no longer
 appeal to him as a place of
        rest and quiet.

46
"We shall meet in Paris soon."

47
  Theodora has always looked 
forward to Paris as a playground
 of love and laughter, but ...

48
   "You and Theodora ought 
to get out more, Josiah - dine
       with me tonight."

49
"Well, there's no reason
 why you should not come,
        dear girl."

50
 Lord Bracondale was close
on the heels of Mrs. McBride
 when she arrived in Paris.

51
"When do you expect the Browns?"

52
"You are rather interested 
in the Browns, aren't you?"

53
  Acquaintance may ripen
rapidly in the hour between
 the headwaiter's greeting
      and the coffee.

54
  "Some day soon I'm going
to kidnap your father - he has
     promised to show me 
         Versailles."

55
"Oh, I should love to go too -
   as soon as Josiah feels 
        well enough."

56
   "I shall always associate
this wonderful perfume with you -"

57
 Versailles holds no attraction
for Josiah; but Hector contrives
   to be one of the party.

58
    From the gilded glories 
of the Palace they stroll through
the historic gardens and come at
  last to the Arbor of Psyche.

59
 "It was here the gallants of
long ago played their stately games
 of love. Suppose we call them
 back again - out of the past?"

60
"How wonderful that would be!"

61
 "Among the Queen's ladies
was a little Marquise. She was
bewitching, yet so reserved that
she was the despair of all the
  gallants of the Court -"

62
"- until one lover, bolder
     than the rest -"

63
 "Wasn't it fortunate for
the bold lover that the heart
 of the Marquise was as warm
  as her eyes were tender?"

64
"You are more beautiful,
more bewitching than she
- Theodora, I love you -
     I adore you -"

65
"Oh, Hector, it was all so real,
   so beautiful - and now -"

66
     "Forgive me -
I did not realize - I love 
  you too much to make
      you unhappy."

67
"And I love you -"

68
"- but if we are not stronger 
  than our love, we must 
      not meet again."

69
Hector returns to London.

70
      Lady Anningford,
Hector's sister, has always been 
   his pal and confidante.

      - JUNE ELVIDGE -

71
"Is something troubling my boy?"


72
"Morella will be so glad
      to see you."

73
"Well, Hector, tell me all about it -
      who is she this time?"

74
      Anne has listened to 
many of Hector's love affairs but 
 she realizes that this one is 
      altogether different.

75
  "But, Hector, she is 
married - you cannot continue 
     such an affair!"

76
  "I know, but I can worship 
and serve her - and I want you 
      to be her friend."

77
"Well - I'll call on her as soon 
     as she comes to town."

78
     Ann not only calls upon 
Theodora, but carries the Browns 
 off to Beachleigh, her country 
     place, for Whitsuntide.

79
         And while Theodora 
    is rehearsing her part in the 
 pageant - Josiah is listening with 
feverish interest to Sir Lionel Grey, 
      the celebrated explorer.

80
    "- and if I can persuade 
you to finance this expedition into 
Northern Africa, I am sure you will 
 find the trip of interest - and 
     success might bring you 
          a Knighthood."

81
   Although Hector is not 
 expected at Beachleigh, the 
temptation to be near Theodora 
     proves too strong.

82
"Do you think you should
 have come here - under
   the circumstances?"

83
 "Perhaps not, but it means 
so much to me just to see her."

84
"Why, there is Hector!"

85
 "What devotion, Morella -
he has braved a house party
     to be near you!"

86
"Mr. Brown has consented
to finance our expedition -"

87
   "I am not so sure it was 
devotion to me that brought him 
        to Beachleigh."

88
    "I'm furnishing the funds
for Sir Lionel's trip, and d'you know,
  I'm half tempted to go with him."

89
  "Furnish the money, if you
like, Mr. Brown - but I advise you 
      to stay in England."

90
"The journey is difficult
and the desert tribes are 
 lawless - and you might
    never come back."

91
     "Sir Lionel didn't mention
danger. I'll finance the trip - but I'll
   take your advice and stay here."

92
"I am glad you are 
not going, Josiah."

93
"This calls me to London -
  but it is good news."

94
    "Take me with you, 
Josiah - please don't leave 
      me here alone."

95
"Nonsense - you can't leave -
  you are in the pageant."

96
"I'll return for you - just as soon
   as our love nest is ready."

97
    Theodora has succeeded 
in avoiding Hector up to the very
     hour of the pageant -

98
  - and Hector is in a
frame of mind to seize any
opportunity to get a moment
     with her alone.

99
   "I'd chuck this pageant rot -
dressing up and all that - except for
the prospect of holding the alluring 
      Theodora in my arms."

100
  "I do love you, Hector -
love you so much that I dare 
     not trust myself."

101
   "Then why struggle -
why suffer more? Let me take
    you away - tonight."

102
    "No, no - I could
never live under the shadow 
   of my broken word."

103
   "This only proves 
that we are not stronger 
     than our love."

104
"Hector you must go away."

105
 After Hector's departure
for London, Theodora decides
  between love and duty.

106
Next morning in London when
 the second post arrives -

107
"I could kill you, you thief -
  you have stolen my wife!"

108
"We have said good-bye,
and I am leaving England 
   for a long time."

109
    "My everlasting grief
will be that I have brought sorrow
  into the life of one who is
        dear to us both."

110
    "What made him 
change his mind and go on 
  this dangerous trip?"

111
   "Then he knows
that you and I - love 
     each other?"

112
  "Oh, Hector, he means
to sacrifice himself for us -
    we must stop him!"

113
"We will stop him!
 Wire your father 
   to join us -"

114
   After a week's journey
through trackless desert sands,
  Josiah's party reaches 
     its destination.

115
"Is that it?"

116
    After a hurried trip
    across France and the
 Mediterranean - Theodora, her
father and Hector, joined by an
  escort of Algerian soldiers,
  pass through the gateway
    to the Great Sahara.

117
At dawn.

118
       Then the work
  of the day commences, as
they delve into the mysteries 
       of the past.

119
"We are almost there."

120
   "A most interesting find -
  an account of the punishment
meted out by the ancient Egyptians
     to an unfaithful wife."

121
        "Poor creature!
   She may have been married 
to some selfish, ailing old duffer,
  and when real love came along
  the temptation was too great."

122
     Hassan Ben Ali,
chief of a band of desert 
marauders, respects no law 
   - human or divine.

123
     "This attack is 
a beastly outrage! I shall
  report it to the Home
   Office - personally!"

124
    "Lie down,
or you won't report
anything to anyone!"

125
      "Do not grieve.
You are young - and I - I want
     you to be - happy."

126
   Time dries all 
tears, and when another 
 spring-time comes ...

127
 "Darling, we have 
passed the rocks and 
 here are the safe 
  waters beyond."