The Fable of One Samaritan Who Got Paralysis of the Helping Hand

Once there was an old man called Jonah Crabb, who believed in doing good. Every morning the bunco artists would watch for him on the street corners, and after they had told their hard-luck stories, he would dish out coin to them. When he arrived his office he was almost swamped with panhandlers and bums. Finally he tried his hand at fixing up a lovers' quarrel and put his foot in it. Billy Speedwell, the man in the case, got hold of the old boy and just knocked the spots off him for butting into his affairs. From that time on, Mr. Crabb changed his mind about doing good, and the next morning he cleared all the hobos out of his office. Moral: Cast your bread upon the waters and it will come back to you as sponge cake.

Directed by George Ade, The Fable of One Samaritan Who Got Paralysis of the Helping Hand leans on a strong ensemble — Thomas Commerford, Florida Kingsley, Harry Dunkinson — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about comedy titles of 1914.