Motography (Jan-Mar 1916)

136 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XV, No. 3 to arrest Szeckler and the latter discovers that he has been betrayed is a wonderful bit of acting. Later, escaping from prison, Szeckler returns to his rooms in time to find his mistress just about to depart with her blood money. He snatches the bills from her hand then deliberately chokes her to death, inscribing in blood on the wall a message to the effect that hereafter he will war on all womankind. Szeckler departs for a foreign land, the ship is wrecked and, after drowning a woman whom he found clinging to a floating spar, the man secures a hold on the bit of wreckage and is wafted to shore on a desert island. One day the form of a young girl is washed ashore and Szeckler, finding it, is about to commit another murder. He craftily decides, however, to let the girl grow into womanhood that, when he murders her, she may suffer the more keenly. The years pass and daily Szeckler stalks his companion about the island, tempted each passing hour to kill her, but invariably postponing her death till the next day. The girl has begun to realize the fate in store for her and has armed herself with a primitive weapon, but one day Providence sends to the island a crew from an American warship and the officer in charge of the landing party finds the girl. To him she tells the story of her life on the island, the tale being interrupted by Szeckler, who suddenly appears, knocks down the officer, seizes the girl and bears her to his cabin. The officer recovers and, following Szeckler, arrives in time to prevent his stabbing the girl. In the struggle a revolver is discharged and the girl falls back, apparently dead. Remorse instantly overcomes Szeckler and, after fondling the body of the supposedly dead woman, he rushes from the cabin, throws his knife into the sea from a lofty cliff and then leaps after it. The girl, however, had only suffered a flesh wound which had rendered her unconscious, and she is borne back to civilization on the warship. Meanwhile the soul of Szeckler haunts the island, seeking in vain for the girl it might have loved. "The City of Failing Light" Lubin Four-Reel Feature Released January 10. Reviewed by Genevieve Harris A GOOD story is told in "The City of Failing Light," one **■ which holds the interest of the spectator throughout. But the real excellence of the feature lies in the character of the ne'er-do-well brother, David Gray, who, for a little while takes the place of John Grey, shrewd financier and head of the Consolidated Lighting Company. In the dual role of the twin brothers, Herbert Fortier shows skill in acting a difficult part, for his outward appearance during most of the time is the same in each character. Yet as John he is a man hard, calculating, almost hateful, in whom kindness and love have given place to selfishness and greed; as David he is a bis-hearted dreamer, kind to every creature in his path. At the time when the linesmen of the Consolidated Lighting Company are fighting for higher wages, John Gray, president of the company, is taken seriously ill. The men, through their leader, Packard, well played by William H. man who has just arrived from the sea on a tramp ship. He is seeking medical attention for a Collie puppy, injured by an automobile. The surgeon who is attending Gray sees the man and notes the resemblance to the financier. When he finds that this tramp is John Gray's brother, he explains the critical situation of the financier's affairs and asks that David take his brother's place and deal with the linesmen. So David, the man of kindliness, takes his heartless brother's place. Meanwhile a group of rowdies among the linesmen have taken the law into their own hands, and unknown to Packard, are cutting the wires and putting the city in darkness. While Packard's wife awaits her husband's return, their little child falls down the stairs and is severely injured. The frantic mother rushes out to call a doctor, and meets David Gray, on his way to his brother's house. He offers to care for the baby until Mrs. Packard's return. So when Packard comes home a little while later he is astounded to see the man he believes to be John Gray, his enemy, aiding the doctor who is caring for his baby. Just then, while the doctor is performing a delicate operation to save the child, the wires leading to the house are cut and the lights put out. The suspense of the story at this scene is well worked up. Bycandle light the operation is finished. Then, over the unconscious form of the little child the men face each other. Packard apologizes for the work of the rowdies, who will be expelled from the union. And David, as John Gray, grants Packard's demands for his men. Then he goes on his way to John's home. Here he again proves himself a good angel. Where John, in his selfishness, had lost the love of his little boy and was losing the love of his young wife, David, through his kindliness of spirit, puts all things right in the home. When the real head of the house returns, he finds his wife and his son reconciled to him. Then David, the wanderer, again puts on his old clothes, steals away from the house, and after calling at the hospital for the foundling puppy, he goes back to the tramp ship and sails away to sea, having given back to his rich brother the things that count most, the love of his family and the respect of his fellow men. Turner, have demanded ail answer to their plea that evening and consider Gray's illness feigned in order to gain time for the company. At this crisis in affair there appears at the hospital to which Gray has been taken, a wandi "Love's Pilgrimage to America" Lulu Glaser in Universal Broadway Feature. Reviewed by Neil G. Caward T ULU GLASER, dainty comic opera star, is the featured L personage in the Broadway Universal multiple reel feature scheduled for release on Monday, January 10, which is entitled "Love's Pilgrimage to America." The story, though amusing, depends for the greater part of its comedy on the sub-titles, which are numerous and rather a bit too much of a slangy nature. Captain Leslie Peacocke wrote the scenario, endeavoring to give Miss Glaser an opportunity to do the sort of work for which she has grown famous on the musical comedy stage. That the plan was effective no one can doubt who sees the picture. However, "Love's Pilgrimage to America" cannot begin to rank as such a high class comedy as did its predecessor, "Father and the Boys," which seems to be considered by exhibitors as the high mark in multiple reel productions of this Universal brand. Miss Glaser appears as Lulu, the daughter of an English bishop, in love with and lived by Tom, the nephew of the duke of Bilgewater. Since the duke and the bishop are not on friendly terms, tin love affair of Lulu and Tom bids fair to be wrecked, evi n before il -tarts. Rventually the two decide to seek their fortune in America. Though Tom is anxious to marry Lulu ere they leave for America, the crafty girl insists that they first make a fortune. and later marry. Arriving in the United States. Lulu secures a position as a stenographer, being told thai she will have nothing to do but to look pretty. Tom starts out as a book salesman, and chances to call at the office where Lulu is employed, arriving just in time to rescue her from the embrace of her employer. As a result of the encounter that ensues, Lulu loses her job, and (lie two next secure employment as maid and butler, discovering to their consternation that "the man of the house" is the same individual from whom Turn has rescued Lulu. Vfter many complications and again losing their jobs, Tom and Lulu wind up as menials in a hotel. Lulu, who has been Forced i" don the attire of a bell-boy to escape the attentions of a French cook, chances to overhear a lawyer friend of loin's, who has come to America in search of him, declare (bat the duke of Bilgewater is dead, and that Tom, therefore. has inherited his title and the fortune. She quicklv brings Tom