Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1916)

3862 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 24 Leden " Pictures of Arctic Life " (Special Pictures With Lecture — Two Reels) REVIEWED BY GEORGE N. SHOREY CHRISTOPHER Leden has brought back with him from the Arctic regions some unusually interesting pictures of Eskimo life and customs, and of the ice-bound country a thousand miles north of Hudson Bay. It is interesting to know that Mr. Leden, who has made five expeditions north in a period of a little over three years, under the patronage of the King of Norway, secured these pictures under the greatest difficulties imaginable, losing his developing tanks and having to improvise for this purpose, drying his film on slabs and such material as he could find there. He also secured phonographic records of the weird songs of the natives. Drying films in Eskimo snow houses is not as easy as may be imagined, as these houses are always colder inside than freezing, getting as cold inside the house as twenty below zero. The pictures shown included native dances and strange costumes, hunting of all kinds of Arctic game from bear to walrus, building snow houses with ice cakes for windows, navigating among icebergs bigger than skyscrapers, and similar evidence that the pictures were as difficult to get as claimed. One of the remarkable " stunts " shown in the pictures is the turning over and over of a native Eskimo in his " kyak " or native canoe. He cannot swim, and but for the fact that he practices this feat from childhood, so that he can turn over and over as if he and the boat were one piece, he would certainly drown. Eskimo women rowing large skiffs, like galley slaves, with pappooses on the back of each oarswoman, dogs driven abreast, rather than in single file as commonly seen, and other very unusual subjects make up two reels of extraordinary interest, which will be shown in many cities of the country in the near future, with slides and a lecture by Mr. Leden. The photography of these pictures was excellent, comparing favorably with pictures taken under ordinary conditions. " I'm Yonr Husband " (Nestor-Universal — One Reel) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE LESLIE T. PEACOCKE, who is now writing and directing comedies at Universal City, has showed a lot in his first half a dozen pictures, mainly that he is unusually qualified for his position. He seems to have a store of original ideas and a fine knowledge of comedy values. " I'm Your Husband," for instance, has a rapid-fire plot, somewhat spicey to be sure, but so humorous and so well handled that the Pennsylvania board should let it pass. With the old Lyons-Moran combination holding down one end of the Nestors and Peacocke and his originality on the other, the sterling old brand of Universal's is assured renewed popularity. Curing a flirtatious husband is the idea back of this reel. Dick keeps getting notes from chorus ladies and attempts to deceive his wife by saying that he has a double of the same name who is a great rounder. Clara, the wife, penetrates this thin excuse and resolves to teach him a lesson. She first arouses his ire by asking him where the flowers and candy were he promised her. He denies the promise and she says it must have been his double. Out he goes with a gun looking for him. When he returns his wife has locked the house. At his cries she looks out the window and says her husband is already in — in bed. Dick paws the earth with rage. The shadow of another figure appears on the shade. You know it's a maid but Dick thinks it's a man. Dick is about as mild as a tempest and the upshot of it all. is that he's cured. Al McKinnon. Alida Hayman, Peggy Coudray and Mina Cunard are the leads and do capable work. " The Romantic Journey " (Astra-Pathe — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE ttnPHE Romantic Journey" was molded specially for the ex*■ hibitor who wants to feed his audience on a diet of thrills, romance and mystery; it was made for every exhibitor. The Pathe company has managed to provide a picture capable of filling the void left by the absence of the ancient, sensational production which with all its faults sent tingles up and down the spine, and has turned out a picture that retains all the merits of its slung-togethcr predecessor and none of its faults. In place of these latter it .supplies good acting, a realistic production and the direction of an artist. The hero of " The Romantic Journey," a character carried by the popular William Courtney, discovers that a Hindu antique dealer is keeping captive a pretty young woman ; the reason for which he knows not and he doesn't care; but he desires to effect the fair maiden's rescue. So he climbs up a balcony, fells one of the Hindu's subordinates in a fight, shuffles along window ledges, encounters a black cat by the side of a coffin, enters a tomb and opens the coffin and finds the girl isn't there ! The girl wasn't dead at all and the hero has her for his own finally after the whole mystery has been cleared satisfactorily. The handling of the scenario by Director George Fitzmaurice is masterly from beginning to end. The touches of the gently grewsome, the admirable contrasts between the drama and the comedy and the realistic manner in which he has pictured his Hindu characters all lay stress on his mastery of his art. The polish that " The Romantic Journey " possesses is due him. In the matter of special sets and appropriate locations he has reached the top-notch of realism. And what is most important of all, he has managed to keep the suspense sustained at all times. The tension never drops ; not even when the story flashes bajk from one phase to another. In short, the direction of the picture is perfect. Courtney makes his role a true heroic one. Alice Dovey is delightful as the heroine. Macey Harlan has the heavy role and handles it effectively, while Norman Thorp has another important part. The Shielding Shadow " (Pathe — Twelfth Episode) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE <<'T~'HE Stolen Shadow" as this episode of the Pathe Serial is A called contains so many genuine thrills and so much exciting action that it must perforce be treated as a feature. In this respect it differs little from the many episodes that have gone before. The action in the average episode of " The Shielding Shadow " could easily supply sufficient material for five instead of two reels. But the thrillers in this number bring on startling developments in the story as well. Ravengar, it seems, has at last brought Sebastian to a halt. He has him cornered in a room and is forcing him to sign a confession of the forgery that sent Jerry Carson to prison when the villain, left unguarded for a moment, attacks and worsts Ravengar. As the police break through the door Sebastian exits through the window, travels along a wire hand over hand until be reaches a telephone pole and then slides to the ground. 9" "The Stolen Shadow," Episode 12 of "The Shielding Shadow" He procures a motor cycle and speeds away, the police in pursuit. Another circus stunt is staged when Sebastian shoots off the end of a pier on the motorcycle and lands in the water, at last making complete his escape in a motor boat. He reappears again when Ravengar is explaining the secret of the Shielding Shadow and the three black pellets to Leontine. In a moment when their attention is otherwise occupied he reaches in through the window and steals the pellets and the precious black cloth. Crossing the street he is felled by an automobile and loses the