Motion Picture News (Oct 1913 - Jan 1914)

i8 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS It is not hard to see why so many men foolishly try bribery to get cards, when they are repeatedly told by so many of the agents of "Mr. Fix It" how they had to pay anywhere from twenty to a hundred dollars to get through, and these men not being lucky ( ? ) enough to know this slick gentleman try it alone and so get into serious trouble. As a result this has not only made serious trouble for the candidate, but has placed an ill-deserved stigma upon the Examining Board ; so once again I ask, "What's the use?" UNDER THE BLACK FLAG 101 Bison — Three-Reel Drama Of all the black-hearted wretches in history, 1 believe Henry Morgan takes the allegorical cake. For crime and all-around malignancy he makes the notorious Lucrezia Borgia, of poison fame, pale into insignificance. There is also a romance woven in among the strands of villainy. Morgan captures a Spanish ship and puts all to death, except a padre and a child who escape by a miracle and land at the Island of Caracas. Morgan gains the hatred of his mate, through striking him. It is this hatred that later proves his undoing. Twenty years pass by, and Morgan has gained great power, being known as the Governor of Jamaica. The King, however, having heard of his piratical methods, sends an embassy to arrest him. He escapes and goes to an old ship, known as the Undertow, which is kept by Teach, the mate, whom he had struck, and who recognizes Morgan. Morgan and his men, with the help of Teach, capture the King's ship, where he again sets himself up as a pirate. He determines to take the town of Caracas. In the fight Juan and his sweetheart are captured. Juan bribes Teach to let him go., and after a long ride he brings help from a neighboring garrison. The pirates are captured and put to death, with the exception of Morgan, whom Teach captures and starves to death in a most cruel manner. It is pictures of this class that a certain large proportion of the theatregoers demand, and when the theme is made historical, as well as bloody, the remainder of the audience are pleased. David M. Hartford plays the pirate. Every Monday will find a new Edison comedy release, as that company has decided to make a comedy release regularly on that day. The comedies already listed on this Monday schedule are: "A Short Life and a Merry One," "Bill's Career as Butler," "Hiram Green, Detective," and "The Hornet's Nest.'' Two Spies A Romance of the Balkan War — Gaumont Two-Reel Feature DESPITE the fact that the recent war in the Balkans held the interest of the entire world, there are comparatively very few dramas produced using this as a basis. Our own Civil war has its hundreds of stories, which are told to admiring millions daily, and the same applies truthfully to the Revolution, Franco-Prussian, and even the old Roman wars. Therefore this picture of Gaumont is more interesting. The plot cannot be called new, but it is action, from the first sub-title to the "Passed by the National Board of Censorship," and good, hair-raising action, the kind that makes some of the modern Wild West shows look like an Evangelical mass meeting. As the title would indicate, there are two spies, one a Bulgarian. Boris, and the other a Turk, Nissiml. The story opens with their bidding farewell to their sweethearts and departing for their respective regiments. The Turk is given orders to locate the Bulgars and ascertain their strength and to make drawings of their fortifications. At the same time Boris, the Bulgarian hero, receives orders to blow up the railroad so as to prevent ammunition reaching the Turks. He is successful, but is discovered by Nissiml. Both are wounded in the ensuing fight and Boris goes to the house of Nissiml's sweetheart. Mistaking her, in his delirium, for his own fiancee, he begs her to kiss him. Nissiml sees this and in despair gives himself up to the Bulgars and is shot as a spy. Boris dies in the girl's arms. A good release. ITALA COMPANY MOVES ITS OFFICES The Candler Building, 220 West Forty-second street. New York, will henceforth be the address of the Itala Flim Company, who moved their offices from the Columbia Theatre Building last week. The Itala Film Company now occupy part of the suite on the tenth floor of the Candler Building formerly used by the Exclusive Supply Corporation. This office is directly opposite the All Star Feature Corporation's offices, an advantage to Harry R. Raver, who as director-general of the Itala and president of the All Star, found it inconvenient to have his interests geographically scattered. Mr. Phil Gleichman, representing the World Special Films Corporation, has engaged Mr. B. H. Brient, local manager for the Mutual in Indianapolis, to take charge of their new offices. LUBIN PHOTOGRAPHERS Top Row: — From left to right — William Black, Edward C. Earle, Wm. Cooper, Lloyd Lewis, David Newton Davidson, Roswell Johnson, Robert Smith and Gerry Hotaling. Bottom Row or 2nd row: — From left to right — P. J. MacCaffery, E. E. Blackwell, Julian Tessier, Fred Chaston, Delberth Davis and Jack Frawley.