Motion Picture News (Apr-Jul 1915)

April 10, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 49 iillllllllllllllllllllllllli "Captive" Is Second Blanche Sweet Lasky Film u'~p'HE Captive" is the name of the sec ond production in which Blanche Sweet is to be seen under the management of the Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company. BLANCHE SWEET IN "THE CAPTIVE" (Lasky) It will be remembered that her first appearance under this management was in the successful Lasky-Belasco picturization of "The Warrens of Virginia." As was the case in that instance, her leading man is House Peters and the pro duction has been made under the personal direction of Cecil B. De Mille, director general for the Lasky company. The release date is announced as April 22. In addition to Miss Sweet and Mr. Peters, the cast of "The Captive" includes Theodore Roberts, Jeanie MacPherson, Gerald Ward, Page Peters and Billy Elmer. The scenes are many and elaborate, ranging from the interiors of a resplendent Turkish castle to the hut of a peasant, and the battle episodes are produced with much attention to detail and supreme realism. "The Captive" is based on the play of the same name by Cecil B. De Mille and Jeanie MacPherson. FIRST INSTALMENT OF "STRIFE" HAS STRONG SCENE The first installment of the "Road o' Strife" bids fair for a very interesting and dramatic series. The story is evidently woven around the early experiences of Alene, a girl who has been brought up in a very mysterious manner by an old recluse, who has never permitted her to see anything of the world, outside of the dingy old house in which they live. Arriving at maturity she unconsciously feels a longing to escape from the dominion of her guardian and the mystery of her surroundings. In an unguarded moment she wanders forth and meets Robert Dane, a worthy man, that opens up to her simple mind a new existence. To him, however, she appears to be demented, and he takes the girl back to her home. There she encounters a gruesome sight ■ — her guardian lies upon the floor covered with blood. She sees no assassin, but grasping the portieres from the outside she sees a hand on which is a strangely designed ring. She flees hack in horror to Robert Dane, who with her investigates, but finds that the body has been removed and no signs of the perpetrator of the crime. The cast of this first episode includes Crane Wilbur and Mary Charleson. The story is written by Emmett Campbell Hall. SCENE FROM "HOUSE OF SECRETS" (Road o' Strife No. 1 — LuMn, April 5) WHITESIDE IN "THE MELTING POT" • Walker Whiteside, the Broadway star, has but recently been lured away from the footlights to play the leading role in "The Melting Pot," a new special feature, which is being produced at the Centaur Film Company, Bayonne, New Jersey, by the J. Cort Film Company. "The Melting Pot" met with great success some years ago at the Comedy theatre, New York City, where it played for one season. "CLEMENCEAU CASE" READY FOR RELEASE "The Clemenceau Case" has just beencompleted by Herbert Brenon, for the Fox. Film Corporation. The picture, basedpretty faithfully upon Alexander Duma's novel, contains several exceedingly novel, effects and scenes, the nature of which has. been closely guarded. While Mr. Brenon was making it at the William Fox studios nobody, except those actively engaged in the picture, was allowed across the firing line. Theda Bara, who startled the country with her Vampire Woman in "A Fool There Was" and repeated the performance in "Kreutzer Sonata," is the bright particular star of "The Clemenceau Case," and is said to have been cast in a part even more suited to her exotic talents than either of the roles named. A big python from the Bronx Zoo was used in the production and figures as Iza's (Miss Bara's) pet. Supporting the pantherlike French actress are William: E. Shay and Stuart Holes, well known actors. CONNOR NOVELS IN UNIVERSAL PICTURES The Universal Film Manufacturing Company has bought the film production rights to Ralph Connor's novels, "Patrol of the Sun Dance Trail" and "Corporal Cameron." This is the first time any of the famous author's books have been produced in moving pictures. J. Clarence Harvey, novelist, poet, dramatist, actor and scholar, has started on an important mission to the Far East for the Universal. He bears credentials from Carl Laemmle, president of the Universal. SCENE MAY BLOSSOM" (Famous