Views and Film Index (1910)

IS THE FILM INDEX. They merely succeed in scattering the twigs as well as all hope of artificial heat. In their despair they conclude to lie down and die. Bidding each other a pathetic farewell and asking mutual forgiveness, they renounce their favorite vices — card.s, tobacco .and whis¬ key — and settle down iu the drifting snow. The next morning they are awakened jy tlie attendants of a mountain hotel which stood within a few' feet of the spot where they slept, but wa.= obscured from view' i'y the storm. After a warm brexki'ast. each man re¬ turns to his worldly ways. The humor of this situa¬ tion is shown in the final tableau of the picture. An excellent scenic presentation and ;i clever com¬ edy cleverly portray . d. EDISON BIXLETINS. '‘FRANKENSTEIN.” — “Frankenstein” is considered by nearly all readers of fiction the most harrowing tale that has ever been placed in the field of litera¬ ture, but, strange to say, it w'as created in the spirit of amusement. Lord Byron, Mr. and Mrs. Shelley, and one other author, whose name we do not know, were stopping at Geneva, and in order to pass away the time each in turn agreed to write a story of some gruesome, ghastly subject. Of the four that were written Mrs. Shelley’s alone remains to be handed down as a work of art. The creation of the Frank¬ enstein monster slowly grew in Mrs. Shelley’s mind, possibly much the same as it developed in the char¬ acter of Frankenstein himself. As a story that reaches the climax of horror and aw’ful suggestion this work stands alone. In making the film the Edison Company has care¬ fully tried to eliminate all the actually repulsive situ¬ ations and to concentrate its endeavors upon the mys¬ tic and psychological problems that are to be found in this weird tale. Wherever, therefore, the film dif¬ fers from the original story it is purely with the idea of eliminating what would be repulsive to a moving picture audience. The story of Frankenstein as depicted in the film runs as follows: Frankenstein, a young student, is seen bidding his sweetheart and father good-bye, as he is leaving home to enter a college in order to study the sciences. Shortly after his arrival at college he becomes ab¬ sorbed in the mysteries of life and death to the ex¬ tent of forgetting practically everything else. His great ambition is to create a human being, and finally one night his dream is realized. He is convinced that he has found a way to create the most perfect human being that the world has ever seen. We see his ex¬ periment commence and the developemnt of it. To Frankenstein’s horror, instead of creating a marvel of physical beauty and grace, there is unfolded before his eyes and before the audience an awful, ghastly, abhor¬ rent monster. As he realizes what he has done Frank¬ enstein rushes from the room, only to have the mis¬ shapen monster peer at him through the curtains of his bed. He falls fainting to the floor, where he is found by his servant, who revives him. After a few weeks illness he returns home, a broken, weary man, but under the loving care of father and sweetheart he regains his health and strength and be¬ gins to take a less morbid view of life. In other words, the story of the film brings out the fact that the creation of the monster was only possible because Frankenstein had allowed his normal mind to be over¬ come by evil and unnatural thoughts. His marriage is soon to take place. But one evening, while sitting in his library, he chances to glance in the mirror be¬ fore him and sees the reflection of the monster which has just opened the door of his room. All the terror of the past comes over him, and, fearing lest his sweetheart should learn the truth, he bids the monster conceal himself behind the curtain while he hurriedly induces his sweetheart, who then comes in, to stay only a moment. Then follows a strong, dramatic scene. The monster, who is following his creator with the devotion of a dog, is insanely jealous of anyone else. He snatches from Frankenstein’s coat the rose which his sweetheart has given him, and in the strug¬ gle throws Frankenstein to the floor. Here the mon¬ ster looks up and for the first time confronts his own reflection in the mirror. Appalled and horifled at his own image he flees in terror from the room. Not be¬ ing able, however, to live apart from his creator, he again comes to the house on the wedding night, and, searching for the cause of his jealousy, goes into the bride’s room, Frankenstein coming into the main room hears a shriek of terror, which is followed a moment after by his bride rushing in and falling in a faint at his feet. The monster then enters and, after overpowering Frankenstein’s feeble efforts by a slight exercise of his gigantic strength, leaves the house. Here comes the point which we have endeavored to bring out, namely: That when Frankenstein’s love for his bride shall have attained full strength and freed m from impurity it will have such an effect upon his mind that the monster cannot exist. This theory is clearly demonstrated in the next and closing scene, which has probably never been surpassed in anything shown on the moving picture screen. The monster, broken down by his unsuccessful attempts to be with his creator, enters the room, stands before a large mirror and holds out his arms entreatingly. Gradually the real monster fades away, leaving only the image in the mirror. A moment later Frankenstein himself enters. As he stands directly before the mirror we are amized to see the image of the monster reflected instead of Frankenstein’s own. Gradually, however, under the effect of love and his better nature, the monster’s image fades and Frankenstein sees himself in his young manhood in the mirror. His bride joins him, and the film ends with their embrace, Frank¬ enstein’s mind now being relieved of the awful horror and weight it has been laboring under for so long. To those who are familiar with Mrs. Shelley’s story it will be evident that we have carefully omitted any¬ thing which might by any possibility shock any por¬ tion of an audience. To those who are not familiar with the story we can only, say that the film tells an intensely dramatic story by the aid of some of the most remarkable photographic effects that have yet been attempted. "The formation of the hideous mon¬ ster from the blazing chemicals of a huge caldron in Frankenstein’s laboratory is probably the most weird, mystifying and fascinating scene ever shown on a film. ESSANAY FILM MFG. CO. ’’THE INVENTOR’S MODEL.” — This is an intensely dramatic subject, picturing the misfortunes of a poor inventor, whose model is stolen from him by a thiev¬ ing promoter. The introduction of a working model of a coal elevator in operation increases the inter¬ est and makes the picture something of a novelty. Thomas Hunter, an aged inventor, who has been laboring many years on an automatic elevator tor the quick and labor-saving manipulation of coal, is seen in his workshop just putting the finishing touches to his model. To his great delight he finds that the invention is a success and that at last he has realized his life’s ambition. Smiling Fortune has come to him at last. Hunter is enthusiastic about an early disposition of his patent and calls upon H. B. Clifford & Co., promoters of inventions. Clifford is a scoundrel, one of the many wily vampires w’ho prey on the brains and labor of the absorbed men of genius. Hunter is not informed on the technicalities of copyright and patent protection, and after the shrewd eye of the promoter has mentally noted the great possibilities of Hunter’s invention, he accepts a check from Clifford for .$10 on account, and is advised to leave the model with the promoter, who will endeavor to give it more careful consideration. Some few days later Hunter receives a letter from Clifford stating that, while the model has no great valye as an invention, he will endeavor to place it. An hour later two or three wealthy capitalists call to inspect the model and write Clifford a big check for the invention. The days go by and Hunter receives no further word from the promoter. His many frequent calls at the promoter’s office always receive the same answer. “Mr. Clifford is not in.” In the meantime, Nell Winfield, Clifford’s sten¬ ographer has learned of her employer’s stealing the elevator model. Clifford has made love to the girl and has promised to marry her. but his sudden change of fortune In the earnings of the elevator model, has caused him to change his mind, regarding his matri-f* monial inclinations to ward Miss Winfield. This offers"'! her the incentive of wreaking her revenge upon Clif¬ ford by Informing Hunter, the inventor, that he has ■ been mercilessly cheated by the promoter. In a rage, the old inventor again goes to Clifford’s office. But he is bodily ejected and threatened with arrest if he again enters the office. Hunter patiently waits and later follows Clifford into a cafe, where the latter is entertaining a number of lady friends. Hunter slips quietly upon Clifford and seizing him by the j throat throws him to the floor. In the melee the ■ table is upset and the diners thrown into a panic. I The police are called and Hunter is arrested. He is il taken to the police station where he is formally ac I cused of attempted murder by Clifford a,nd Clifford’s companion, but Miss Winfield’s new fiancee, who, with 4 his sweetheart, has heard of Hunter’s arrest, calls at | the station and gives bonds for the release of the old 4 man. Then Miss Winfield turns to Clifford and ac j cuses him before the desk sergeant of having robbed the old gentleman of his invention. The case is settled in court a few weeks later. Evi¬ dence is given and Clifford is clearly defeated. There is a pathetic scene of the old man and his aged wife on the witness stand. But Nell Winfield’s story has won the case for them and the model, and the accrued sums, wrongfully taken by Clifford, are restored to the ojd inventor. “METHOD IN HIS MADNESS.”— Here is a little oddity in comedy, which is convulsingly funny, and acted with extraordinary drollery. I A doddering old gentleman, out for his morning’s '( constitutional, suffers an attack of epilepsy in front ( of a saloon in the country town. Pedestrians run to 1 his rescue and the bar-keeper of the saloon brings out ' a good jolt of whiskey to revive the stricken one. A tramp, who has noted the accident, has also mentally noted the glass of whiskey, and being thirsty for a drink himself, he turns away, a brilliant scheme re¬ volving in his mind. A tew minutes later the tramp in passing another saloon is seen to fall and go into violent contortions. A crowd gathers and the saloon keeper comes out , with the dose of whiskey. “Weary” is delighted and meeting an old tramp 1 friend of his puts him wise to the little game. They . return to the first saloon and the second tramp has a fit. The unsuspecting bar-tender comes out with the usual glass of whiskey, and the tramp is revived. The bar-tender, however, sees into their scheme and watches them heading for the saloon further down the street. “Weary” and his pal, under the influence of the first drinks, have grown reckless and resolve to work the . trick on every saloon in the community. They return to Saloon No. 2, but the bartender of saloon No. 1 has beat them there and put his com¬ petitor next to the tramps’ scheme. Both tramps go into violent fits and the saloon keep . ers rush out. Each carries a seltzer bottle and it is ., not booze but a cold spray of seltzer that restores the two tramps to their senses. This picture is funny and will start a riot of laugh¬ ter In your theater. t