Cinema News and Property Gazette (1913)

February 5, E913. THE CINEMA. yj IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND. THE EDISON COMPANY PRESENT A VERITABLE TRIUMPH OF CHARLES READE'S WORK. 1 'eld,"« l brothers linS) brothers I ling) I Cast : Walter Edwin Walter Fielding) I Wyatt Barnes Susan Merton, George's sweetheart Mary Fuller Mi Merton, Susan's father John Sturgeon Thomas Robinson William Bechtel John Meadows, the wealthiest man in the villi;,"'. ..Charles Ogle Crawley, Meadows' tool Martin Fuller Isaac Levy William West Francis Eden, a curate Bigelow Co Hawes, Governor of the jail Robert Brower Josephs, a convict Harry Beaumont A High Government Official George I. esse} Merton 's Servant James Levering Both on this and the other side oi the Atlantic no work lias attained greater popularity than Charles Reade's " It's Never too Late to Mend," and in deciding to give a film representation of the novel the Edison Company were bound to score a success. No storv of more tense interest has ever been woven around (he prison system of any country, and no greater exposure of the tortures to which wrongdoers were subj< -ted under the old regime was ever made. Naturally, a literary masterpiece required a master hand in the film-producing world to do justice to it, and if only for this reason photo-play devotees should feel thankful thai the task of adaptation was undertaken by the Edison Co. We have had from these producers in the past many pictures on a lavish scale, but we never remember their having given us one containing such a galaxy of stars as appear in " It's Never too Late to Mend," length 2,000 feet, which is being released on March 22nd. The prison scenes are in themselves something to marvel at ; the acting is far above the average, and the photographic quality is quite up to what we have been accustomed to look for, and to get, in an Edison film. In presenting this masterpiece of one of the greatest of modern fiction writers, the Edison Compiny has spared neither expense nor time in order to make ii a feature picture in the fullest sense ol the word. From the first sub-title to the < losing scene of the second reel there is not one instant that the spectator will allow his attention to be diverted from the screen, so closely have they woven this masterful story in a photo-play. The Fielding brothers, farmers, are served with a notice of foreclosure of a mortgage on their farm. George, the elder brother, is engaged t<> Susan Merton. John Meadows, the richest man in the village, is also in love with Susan, but realises the futility of trying to win her from George by honourable means, so la\ i plans for George's undoing and his own aggrandisi ment. Anticipating a final victory, Meadows even selects the house to which he purposes taking Susan as his bride. This home has been tenanted for many years b) Isaac Levy, an old Jew. Hen his wife and children have lived and died, and tender memories cause the old man to cling to the place. Meadows, however, ousts him, thereby gaining lor himself the undying enmity of old Levy. Later, when Levy comes to plead again to be allowed to retain the house he overhears Meadows and his tool Crawley plot to undermine George Melding while he is away in Australia, to which place Meadows' machinations have indirectlj sent him. Levy has been protected by Fielding from a blow from Meadows' cane, and out of gratitude the old man makes plans to protect George's interest from the plotters, lie rents an office next to Meadows', and through a hole which he bores in the wall he keeps himself informed of their plans. Throughout the two tense reels these two master brains are pitted against each other, and not until the final scene is over does one know which will master.