Mrs. Wiggs Of The Cabbage Patch (1919)
Director:
Hugh Ford
Writers:
Alice Hegan Rice (novel), Anne Crawford Flexner (play), Eve Unsell
Stars:
Marguerite Clark, Mary Carr, Vivia Ogden, Gladys Valerie, Gareth Hughes, Jack MacLean
Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch by Alice Hegan Rice was a favorite children's book of the Victorian era. It was made into a play and filmed several times. This version is notable because its Mrs. Wiggs, Mary Carr (who made a screen career of playing kindly old ladies), also performed the role on stage. Unfortunately, that's the only notable aspect of it -(Marguerite Clark) is only mediocre as the female lead, Lovey Mary, an inmate of an orphanage who runs away with a little boy (Lawrence Johnson) who has won her heart. Mary and Tommy find refuge with Mrs. Wiggs (Carr), but the sheriff finds the two fugitives and returns Tommy to his mother, Maggie, a circus performer (Gladys Valerie). Maggie is injured and tells Mary that Tommy's father is Dick Morgan (Jack MacLean), a wealthy fellow. Mary goes to him to insist that he makes things right by Maggie and his boy, which he does. Mary herself becomes engaged to Mrs. Wiggs' son, Billy (Gareth Hughes), and a happy ending is had by all.