The Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild Engine

Helen, informed of the danger which menaces an excursion train because another engine on the same track is running wild, mounts a motorcycle and speeds down the track to warn the passengers of their imminent peril. Nearing a river trestle under repair, she hurtles into the river; undaunted, she swims to the opposite bank and flags down the excursion train in the nick of time, causing the engineer to run his train onto a siding just a few moments before the runaway dashes by.

Directed by J.P. McGowan, Helen Holmes, The Hazards of Helen Ep26: The Wild Engine leans on a strong ensemble — Helen Holmes, Leo D. Maloney, Rex Downs — 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 thriller titles of 1915.