A rollicking, riotous, rural rackt is what the Biograph call their latest film, "Under the Old Apple Tree."

The tree has ever been a salient figure in this planet’s affairs, as the history of the world began in the shade of the “Old Apple Tree” in the Garden of Eden. Later there was the “Charter Oak,” the “Cherry Tree” which was felled by the swoop of George’s little hatchet, and the “Family Tree” that we so dearly love to climb. Hence the Biograph has taken the apple tree as the columella of its latest film story, and it has certainly borne fruit, for this tree appears to be as cabalistic as the haunted olive tree, under which Bocaccio met the fair Fiametta.

Old farmer Brown is a widower with two children, a pretty daughter and a hobbledehoy of a boy. The daughter has a sweetheart, who is every inch a sailor. We know he is a sailor, "for he wears a sailor hat," Papa objects to the invasion, and as he leaves for a visit in town, warns her, uttering a quos ego as he departs. Hal ha! but what care we? No sooner is papa put of sight than pulchritude Polly gives the signal; and Jack, her amphibian lover surreptitiously appears. However, this bliss is of short duration, for punctilious Phineus, the quiescent Quaker, one of Polly's many rural admirers, is seen coming down the lane, arrayed in his best bib-and-tucker, and armed with a bouquet, of flowers as big as a barrel. An idea! Jack climbs up into the tree, and from this altitudinous ambuscade, watches the proceedings. Phineus enters, and going quietly to the bench under the tree, on which his charmer is seated, places the bouquet beside her, kneels, pouring forth his soul's longing, and hands her the bouquet, it is now a monster head of cabbage, which Jimmie, the kid, has slyly put in its stead. This is received in derision, and a volley of apples, not impelled by Newton's law, drives him disgruntled from the place. He is hardly out of sight, when along comes radiant Reggie, the Lord Foppington of the village, all rigged out in a new check suit. He considers himself the "one best bet" in the race for Polly's hand. He starts his little love story, and Jack, with a fishline, hooks his wig and draws it up into the tree, leaving him as bald as an egg. Ah-h, but he is too intent on the object of his visit to notice this trifle, and Jack at length utilizes the utilitarian apples, one striking him on the head, raising a bump as big as his fist. So away goes he of the tesselated trousers to seek the aid of a surgeon to remove this protuberance from his shining dome of thought.

Jack is about to come from his hiding when another suitor appears. This time it is supercilious Samuel, a regular devil among the women. Self-esteemed and haughty, he starts his verbose harangue. Down come the apples, until a furious fusillade is pelting him, but they have no effect, when the ominous Jimmie comes on the scene with a toy balloon, apparently made of stouter stuff than rubber, and soaking him on the cranium, causing him to see a corona of stars, knocks him out. Polly, Jack and Jimmie carry his inanimate form off the place.

Rastus, the colored farm-hand, pays a call to Hannah, the housemaid, and while they are engaged in a little love scene beneath the tree, the Widow Jones calls to see the Widower Brown. Oh, merely on a business matter. Rastus runs away and Hannah goes into the house to call Mr. Brown, who, of course, is out Brown returns, and seeing the winsome widow seated 'neath the tree, takes a seat beside her. The overpowering influence of the Ephesian tree and the widow's charms are irresistible, and he is about to make a decoration, when the calling of Hannah attracts him to the house. While he is away, the widow strolls off with Jack and Polly, who have just entered, and Hannah takes her seat on the bench. Brown re-enters, and mistaking Hannah for the widow, sits down and continues from where he left off. The widow now returns, accompanied by Jack, Polly and Jimmie. Oh, horror! Horror upon horror! Caught with the goods! Consternation! Collapse!

Source: The Moving Picture World, Nov 9, 1907