The Brass Bottle (1914)

For a certain offense Fakrash-el-Aamash, a Jinnee of the Green Jinn, is sealed up in a brass bottle by order of Suleyman, and cast into the sea. Three thousand years later the bottle is drawn up in a net by some fishermen on the south coast of England. Horace Ventimore, a struggling architect, is in love with Sylvia, the daughter of Professor Futvoye, a collector of curios. The professor favors the suit of Maurice Pringle, a prosperous architect, in preference to his poorer rival. The professor sends Ventimore to a sale of antiques to bid for certain lots. Ventimore fails to secure them, but on his own account purchases an old brass bottle in the hope that it may interest the professor. The professor rejects the bottle with scorn, and Ventimore takes it to his office and opens it with alarming result. The Jinnee emerges from the bottle and, in gratitude for his release, promises Ventimore all that his heart can desire. Through the mysterious power of the Jinnee, Samuel Wackerbath, a wealthy merchant, who is about to build a country residence, mysteriously appears and engages Ventimore to carry out its construction. At Ventimore's lodging camels arrive with bales, caskets of treasures and precious stones, and each fresh favor of the Jinnee increases his embarrassment. Hearing that the Futvoyes are expected to dinner, the Jinnee converts Ventimore's rooms into an Arabian Hall and entertains his guests with an Eastern banquet most uncongenial to modern palates. Musicians assail their ears with hideous discords, and dancing girls shock them with their lavish display, and when the leading dancer falls at his feet and declares her devotion, Ventimore's discomfiture is complete. The guests leave in disgust and Sylvia is handed over to the unwelcome attentions of Pringle. The simple Jinnee is deeply grieved at the failure of his plans for Ventimore's welfare, and promises to persuade the professor to give him his daughter. Arrived at the Futvoye's house in city garb, the Jinnee demands the hand of Sylvia for Ventimore. The professor indignantly refuses, whereupon the Jinnee turns him into a mule. This does not improve Ventmore's chances. Wackerbath is horrified to find a Moorish palace erected on his property, and vents his wrath on Ventimore. Sylvia throws over Ventimore and accepts his rival. Ventimore in despair asks the Jinnee to leave him and go back to Suleyman. The Jinnee journeys through the desert and finds Suleyman is no more. Angry, at last he turns on Ventimore and carries him off to slay him, but with fiendish malice, changes his plans and resolves that his ungrateful victim shall be bottled up as he has been. Ventimore accepts his fate, and, as a last favor, implores the Jinnee to make the Futvoyes, Wackerbath, and the Rapkins, forget all that has happened, but he forgets to mention Pringle. The Jinnee grants his request. Ventimore finds some difficulty in getting into the bottle and begs the Jinnee to show him the way. The simple creature does so and before he can escape Ventimore has sealed him up once more, and throws him into the Thames. The Futvoyes have forgotten all they have suffered, but Pringle, who remembers, resents their renewed friendliness to Ventimore. In his furious indignation Pringle is mistaken for a madman, and retires, discomfited, and all ends happily for the devoted couple.