The Tarantula - Production & Contact Info

The Tarantula (1913)
Short | Short, Drama

The Tarantula (1913)

Short | Short, Drama

A Spanish-Mexican girl, known as the Tarantula, is coolly polishing the blade of a stiletto with which she has just killed a lover she was tired of, her new lover being a young Mexican boy whose beauty and innocence appeals to her. An ...See moreA Spanish-Mexican girl, known as the Tarantula, is coolly polishing the blade of a stiletto with which she has just killed a lover she was tired of, her new lover being a young Mexican boy whose beauty and innocence appeals to her. An American engineer rides into the camp and reports the finding of the body of a man who has been stabbed. An old man in the camp warns the American of the evil this woman does and tells him she is guilty of the murder, and points out the young Mexican boy as the latest victim. The American makes up his mind to resist her, while she, noticing him, tries to catch his eye. He refuses to look. He makes his way into the bar, where he meets the Mexican boy. They both take a great fancy to each other and the American, who is on his way East, promises to take the boy with him. In the meantime, the small encampment have a long journey to make across the desert. The boy tells of his love for the Tarantula, and taking the American outside, introduces him, hut the American refuses to meet her eye. She laughs at him, and picking a flower offers it to him, but he refuses it. In a tent in the desert the Tarantula is preparing the evening meal and the American walks in. He has made up his mind to meet her eyes and defy her. He does so, but she cannot meet his. She laughs and rushes out of the tent. She is now tired of the Mexican boy, Jose, and begins to hate him and thinks if he is out of the way she can win the American engineer. That night she goes out on the desert to look for a tarantula, she having decided to kill him by hiding one of these deadly insects in his bed. She finds one and returns to the encampment, and placing it in his pillow, creeps, to her own bed. Jose has been in the habit of tending to her comfort, and that night, as it is cold, he takes the thick blanket off his bed and tenderly puts it on hers. Finding that his pillow is a little softer than hers he changes it, quite innocent of the fact that she has placed a tarantula there, whose bite is instant death. They retire for the night when the camp is awakened by a scream and Tarantula appears with a wound on her breast where she has been bitten by the tarantula that she intended should kill Jose. She goes to speak, but falls dead between Jose and the American. Jose throws himself on the ground and drawing a stiletto, attempts to kill himself, but the American prevents him. The American packs up his kit, telling Jose to come with him and start life afresh in the East. Written by Moving Picture World synopsis See less

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Cast	+ Add Cast
2 cast members

Name	Known for
Joseph Singleton Hartley - the American Engineer Hartley - the American Engineer See fewer	The Squaw Man (1914)
Jeanie Macpherson The Tarantula - the Camp Follower The Tarantula - the Camp Follower See fewer	The Merchant of Venice (1914)