The Salvation Hunters (1925)
The Salvation Hunters (1925)
„The Salvation Hunters“ 1925
Industrial refuse litters the shore along a bleak waterfront in an unidentified harbor. A giant Sisyphean dredge scoops mud from a channel and into a massive barge.
Four characters, „humans who crawl close to the earth“ occupy the brooding landscape. The Boy, a fainthearted and feckless youth, wanders aimlessly amid the wreckage. He fancies The Girl, older and hardened by her impoverishment. She spurns The Boys’ advances. The Child is an orphaned youngster. He silently haunts the mud barge where his parents lost their lives. The Brute is a short-tempered watchman aboard the barge.
The Brute makes a pass at The Girl. She cuts him cold with a glare and he retreats. Frustrated, The Brute assaults The Child who has trespassed on the barge. The Boy witnesses the assault, but is frozen by his cowardice. The Girl shames him into action. He gingerly collects The Child, and they flee together with The Brute in pursuit. The Girl signals the dredge operator, who unleashes a torrent of mud on the head of The Brute.
The Boy, The Girl and The Child escape from the desolate docks to the slums of an unnamed metropolis.
As the threesome trudge through the back alleys of the city, they are spotted by The Man and his client, The Gentleman. The Man accosts The Boy and confirms what he suspects: they are homeless and penniless. He assures The Boy that jobs are plentiful, and offers to provide a room for the trio while The Boy seeks employment. Unbeknownst to them, the „room“ is located in a brothel. The Man’s aim is to enlist The Girl as a prostitute. When they are ushered into the seedy flat, The Woman, a sex worker, attempts to provide them with some refreshment. The Man stops her.
As the hours pass, The Girl becomes increasingly anxious due to The Child’s pleas for food. The Boy returns from his futile search for work demoralized. They are on the verge of despair.
The Gentleman enters the room expecting to negotiate sex with a prostitute. The Girl coldly considers the proposition. The Boy becomes distraught when he discerns The Girl’s ambivalence. The Gentleman, grasping her dilemma, bestows a gift of money on the Girl without comment and quietly takes his leave. The Child snatches the largesse and bolts to the door, returning shortly with provisions for a meal. The crisis passed.
The Man, thwarted in his endeavor, devises another plan in collusion with The Woman. They invite the young trio to an outing in the countryside. There, he intends to seduce The Girl and coerce her into the sex trade.
The party of five arrives in the country in a touring car. Despite The Man’s best efforts, The Girl remains unresponsive to his blandishments. Exasperated, he lashes out at The Child. The Boy, shedding his fear, leaps to the defense of the little boy and beats The Man into submission with his fists. The Girl rejoices that The Boy has claimed his manhood.
Triumphantly, the trio, now a family, strides into the sunset, „children of the sun.“
A 1925 American Black & White silent drama film written, produced & directed by Josef von Sternberg
Cast:
„Die Heilsjäger“