Release Message:  A lazy American man, who wanders off one day and wakes up under a tree and when awakens is astonished to find that 20 years have passed and things are a lot different. Based on the original story by Washington Irving.

Description:  Rip, the Vagabond: Scene in front of "George the Third" Inn. Rip's house opposite. Gretchen, the wife of Rip Van Winkle, is busy at the wash tub. Rip's thirst for schnapps has brought poverty upon himself and family; unhappiness, too, for the High Dutch gin keeps Rip helplessly good humored, which constantly angers Dame Van Winkle. Obstinate Rip has mortgaged his property; parting with these avails to fill the cups of the sots and boon companions, who call him as a good fellow at the Inn. With a heart too large for his purse, he suffers the usual consequences. His one conciliatory resort is in being kindly and friendly toward all the children of the village, who, as his envious acquaintances say, "Cling around him like flies on a lump of sugar," teasing and loving the good old fellow and tying tins to his dog Snyder's tail. Rip's property increases so in value, his eager creditors become aware that he can still pay it out if foreclosed upon. They persuade him to drink freely and take another loan; at both of which Kip is greatly pleased. But he does not sign the acknowledgment for he cannot read, and, although he has signed others, is suspicious of this one. The affiliates then leave Rip to think it over while they go to tell the villagers that Rip has promised to treat "all 'round." Hendrick, the innkeeper's boy and sweetheart of Meenie, Rip's daughter, comes along and Rip calls him to read the paper. It reveals that for sixteen pounds Rip would sell all claim to his entire estate"!!! Rip bids Hendrick to run along, then enters the "rum blossom brigade" from the inn, all jolly and with a goodly thirst at the sight of a keg. Derrick, the villain, votes that Rip be "King of the Carousal." To their intense surprise he refuses to drink, but Vedder, the innkeeper puts a full glass under Rip's nose and the old fellow gives in. They later join in a dance with the girls of the village. The Storm in the Catskills: Rip is driven from his wife's house and goes to the mountains on the appointed night when, every twenty years, the ghost of Hendrick Hudson and his pirate crew visit the Catskills. The spirits have been seen by the villagers, drinking and smoking and playing at ten pins. When Hendrick Hudson lights his pipe, there is a flash of lightning. When they roll the ten pin balls, there is a peal of thunder. At the close of the scene Dame Van Winkle is somewhat regretful in the presence of Hendrick Vedder and her child Meenie, but Rip kisses his girl good-bye, takes his dog Snyder and his rifle, and leaves amid the night's wild storm of lightning, thunder and torrential downpour. Gretchen, his wife, falls in a faint at the door. This scene is remarkably reproduced. Enacted with evident dramatic proficiency, the rain is seen pouring in torrents, at the door, as Rip exits. On His Way to the Mountains: Rip carries a keg for a mountain dwarf, of Hudson's goblin crew, and the faces of the other Catskill ghosts appear from the solid rocks, smiling hideously at their victim. The last vision that Rip discovers, as he turns from one to the other, is the spirit of Hendrick Hudson, dissolved into view on top of the highest rock in the middle of the picture, at back. This scene also shows the men at their ten pin game. The dwarf, who accompanies Rip, now chains Snyder to a bush and drops Rip's flint-lock to help him down with the keg. Hudson then demands that Rip be given a drink. It is declined. They insist. He drinks their schnapps and greets them with his favorite toast: "Unt I will drink mit yon unt drink all your good health unt your families unt may dey all live longer unt prosper." Then he falls into an intense stupor, much to the delight of the goblin men. Then the pirate ship permeates the picture while its crew of gnomes stand pointing, exultantly, at the prostrate form of Rip Van Winkle. The goblin men turn toward the Hudson, themselves and their ship, Rip and Snyder, and the beautiful mountains, all grow dim and dimmer. They point upward and a witch flies across the scene as they all drink and fall prostrate at the close. Sleeps Twenty Years: After sleeping twenty years, Rip Van Winkle awakens, aged and feeble (a scene that displays strong dramatic action). His dog's skeleton hangs by the chain from the tree of twenty years growth. Rip Van Winkle totters down the mountain, leaning on a tree limb he has picked up. "How dot village iss grown since yesterday." A street scene in the now flourishing town of Falling Waters. Rip is discovered coming into town and is jeered and tormented by the children, who drive him from one place to another. The old "George the Third" Inn now bears the sign, "George Washington Hotel." Rip's former tumble-down hovel is replaced by a handsome cottage. He approaches Seth, the new landlord, shows he is worn and weary, begs shelter and inquires for Vedder, the old innkeeper. Seth doesn't know about him, but takes pity upon Rip, bids him rest and gets a mug of brandy for him. Derrick, Rip's deceiver, and now the husband of Dame Van Winkle, enters with his nephew, whom he wishes Meenie, Rip's daughter, to marry; thus to have the handling of Rip's estate, which, through the natural growth of the village, is now a vast fortune. But Meenie repulses the suggestion, and in her anger, shoves the insistent nephew from her presence with such force that he tumbles at the feet of his uncle. Gretchen steps between Derrick and her daughter. Derrick raises his cane as though he would strike her. Hendrick Vedder, returned from his sea voyage, quickly confronts Derrick to warn him against any ill-treatment to Meenie or her mother, and to falsify the scoundrel's statement that he, Hendrick, was lost at sea. Derrick orders them away, asserting that the property is his. Hendrick contradicts this statement and recalls the base imposition that Derrick wanted Rip to sign twenty years ago. Rip Van Winkle, feeble and gray, but with a conception of what has taken place, slowly rises and flashes the paper before them to confirm Hendrick's statement. The latter reads aloud the contents of the old and almost illegible parchment, while the assembled villagers gasp in amazement when shown that the document was never signed. They now become enraged at the villainous Derrick, whose ill treatment to his wife and step-child they well know, and drive him from the town. The truth dawns upon both sides; Rip Van Winkle sharing alone the burdensome loss, for twenty years, of his friends, while the contrast in realizing his absence is shared by the entire population. With inexpressible surprise and happiness, Gretchen and Meenie can do no more than cry for joy at the husband and father's return. Rip calls to his wife and she, after twenty years of worry, is made happy in a second's time by the old man's familiarly fond embrace. Needless to say that Hendrick conveys a similar claim to the sweetheart of his younger days. Rip picks up the stone mug of brandy and gives his famous toast, etc.: "Unt may yon all live long unt prosper." The villagers cheer and wave their hats. Here is shown, in effect, the closing scene of the drama, where Rip says: "Well, den! Bring in all de neighbors unt de children, unt de dogs unt I will tell my strange, strange story. -- The Moving Picture World, May 2, 1908