Review by drednm

This 1919 film was shot on location in northern California and is famous for the accident that star Wallace Reid suffered just before filming began. The railroad car he and crew members were riding in fell off the track and tumbled down a hill into a creek. Reid suffered a gash to the back of his skull and had glass embedded in his arm as well as a back strain. The onsite doctor gave him morphine to kill the pain and continued to administer morphine throughout the shoot. By the end of filming, Reid was addicted.

The plot has Reid returning to Sequoia, where is father is being squeezed out of the timberland by a ruthless competitor. Complications arise when Reid takes an interest in the competitor's niece (Grace Darmond).

Since the competitor owns the railroad (which is used to transport timber out of the valley) Reid reveals plans to build a rival railroad ... an idea the competitor does not like.

Along with the drama and romance we get several standout action sequences, including a big fight between Reid and a thug (Jack Hoxie), a runaway train with Reid running along the top railroad cars piled high with logs to reach the brake, and a near riot between rival rail gangs.

This digital print from Gosfilmofond was gifted to Library of Congress in 2010 and is in surprisingly good shape. Co-stars include Ralph Lewis as the Colonel and Charles Ogle as the father, as well as Noah Beery, William Brunton, Guy Oliver and Alice Terry (briefly seen as the mother).

Reid is terrific and Darmond is very pretty. This was also an important early feature film for 1920s cowboy star Jack Hoxie. The location shooting is stunning.