Sykes (played by George Siegmann) is a protagonist in At Dawn.
An American teacher stationed in the Philippines who abandons his moral integrity for wealth. He cohabits with a native woman but poisons her to remove the obstacle to marrying his American fiancée, whose recent inheritance motivates his actions. His guilt and suspicious behavior ultimately lead to his demise. The Lieutenant (played by Wallace Reid) appears in At Dawn.
A young U.S. Army officer who arrives on the scene and quickly deduces Sykes's involvement in the murder. He orchestrates a form of frontier justice by sending Sykes on a fatal journey with his sergeant, ultimately protecting the heiress from a fraudulent marriage. The Sergeant (played by William Lowery) appears in At Dawn.
A U.S. Army non-commissioned officer who assists the lieutenant. He discreetly follows Sykes on his supposed trail-guiding mission and is implied to carry out the lethal action that results in Sykes's death.
At Dawn (1914) character relationship network mapped with AI analysis. Explore the connections, alliances, and conflicts between characters.
Characters
Sykes
(played by George Siegmann) — protagonist
An American teacher stationed in the Philippines who abandons his moral integrity for wealth. He cohabits with a native woman but poisons her to remove the obstacle to marrying his American fiancée, w...
The Lieutenant
(played by Wallace Reid) — supporting
A young U.S. Army officer who arrives on the scene and quickly deduces Sykes's involvement in the murder. He orchestrates a form of frontier justice by sending Sykes on a fatal journey with his sergea...
The Sergeant
(played by William Lowery) — supporting
A U.S. Army non-commissioned officer who assists the lieutenant. He discreetly follows Sykes on his supposed trail-guiding mission and is implied to carry out the lethal action that results in Sykes's...
Canonical Relationships
Family, romantic, and professional connections based on plot evidence.
The Lieutenant → The Sergeant
(Professional Commanding Officer)
The Lieutenant arrives with the sergeant and gives him a silent nod to take the lariat and follow Sykes.
Story Dynamics
Alliances, conflicts, and narrative interactions that evolve throughout the story.
The Sergeant → Sykes
(Conflict Secret Pursuer)
After Sykes is sent to indicate the trail, the sergeant takes a lariat from a nail and follows him unseen.
Sykes → The Lieutenant
(Conflict Suspect And Investigator)
The Lieutenant becomes suspicious of Sykes's uneasiness and discovers the dead native woman. He questions Sykes's explanation and recognizes that Syke...
Story Analysis
A man's greed leads to murder, exposure, and implied frontier justice before the woman he wants to marry arrives.
Plot Progression
A Promise Across Oceans
The Price of Dawn
Poison Behind Closed Doors
The Officers Discover the Crime
Justice Before Dawn
Directed by Donald Crisp
Content sources
Related entry on
Wikidata
(Q3627710), public domain (CC0).
Plot breakdown and analysis on this page are AI-generated from the title's synopsis and metadata.
