Motography (Jan-Jun 1918)

February 16, 1918. MOTOGRAPHY 325 'The Captain of His Soul" Triangle Picture, Starring William Desmond. Released February 10. Reviewed by L. J. Bourstein ■"TENSE drama seems to be the order of the times and Triangle * has another mysterious murder case ready for release. Concience probably never has been portrayed with such pathos and power as in this drama ; a murder is committed and two Mrs. de Searcy, a guest at the hotel and a woman of known blase character, is visably affected by the sudden revelation and calling a conference of the brothers and the girl reveals herself as the murderer of Martin who had deserted her just before his death. Henry sees the errors he has made and leaves Horace and Myra alone in their love. Leading players in "The Captain of His Soul." brothers, each thinking the other the guilty one, are the main characters of the story. And while fear grasps the heart of the weaker one, the other becomes the captain of his soul and in the end both are exonerated. "William Desmond and Charles Gunn are the two brothers, Horace and Henry Boyce ; William Desmond, as the older and stronger, Horace, gives a very convincing portrayal, while Charles Gunn, as the weaker, Henry, does very effective work, especially in the scenes where he raves in delirium and fear. Walt Whitman, Tack Richardson and Claire McDowell have other important parts and are entirely acceptable. Of the interiors the big hotel scene is about the best in some time. The camera work in its entirety is good and worth} of mention. G. P. Hamilton directed. The Story: Ebenezer Boyce is the owner of the Boyce Automatic Pistol Works and is induced by his sons, Horace and Henry, to give up active management of the business. Martin, representative of eastern profiteers, works his way into the confidence of the company and is made manager. In time, results favorable to the company are not in evidence and old Boyce discovers that Martin had been selling out to the eastern bankers. The exposure kills him and his sons vow to kill Martin for the fraud. Next morning Martin is found dead and each brother suspects the other of the crime and both leave town. Horace decides to return and face the music but Henry, dissipated and weak, collapses. Horace receives word of his brother's illness and arriving at the hotel in which his brother is confined, meets Myra, daughter of Martin, but unknown to Horace or Henry. Time and careful attention brings Henry back to his normal self and then begins a courtship of Myra by both brothers. Her husband, a scheming scoundrel, having deserted her and having been killed in a railroad wreck, Myra encourages the advances of Horace, but is indifferent toward Henry. In a moment of jealous rage Henry accuses his brother of killing Martin and Myra, astounded with the news, collapses. Broken Ties" World Pictures, Starring Montague Love and June Elvidge. Reviewed by L. J. Bourstein. WORLD Pictures continue in their policy of presenting intense drama and have in this a picture of decided interest. Embodying the passions of love, hatred, jealousy and interspersed with a murder plot unrevealed until the last scene it is surely a picture fulfilling the fondest wishes of the lovers of extreme drama. Montague Love and June Elvidge are admirable in their roles. Mr. Love especially proves himself a screen artist of no mean ability and ably assisted by Miss Elvidge, adds to his already increasing popularity. Others in the cast include Arthur Ashley, who also directed, Pina Nesbit and Alec Francis, all of whom fulfill their parts acceptably. The story: Jeffery La Force dies and leaves his daughter in the care of Henry Hasbrook, who has learned of the birth and parentage of the girl. The girl has, however, overheard her dying father's revelation and is astounded to learn that her mother had been a native of the South Sea Islands and that she herself has negro blood in her veins. Time passes and Curtis, nephew and heir of Hasbrook, becomes infatuated with the girl. Fearing lest his nephew marry the girl, Hasbrook exacts a promise from Curtis not to see her again. Curtis meets Fleming, a prominent lawyer, and is invited to his home. There he meets Fleming's wife. Neglected because of her husband's extreme devotion to his work, Mrs. Fleming takes up with Curtis and when she takes some money belonging to a client of her husband, Curtis replenishes the shortage from his own pocket. Mrs. Fleming accepts an invitation and ostensibly on her way to Curtis' apartment she meets him and they go to a roadhouse. Fleming's mother has heard the conversation between her daughter-in-law and the other man and to protect the family name she gets to the Curtis apartment and there finds Hasbrook dead. Her hands become stained with blood and she wipes them on her coat. In the meantime Curtis and Mrs. Fleming are at the roadhouse and drinking heavily. He insults her and she strikes his hand with a bottle and escapes. Next morning comes the report of the murder and Fleming reads that Curtis has been arrested, having shown up at the club with his hands stained with blood. Mother and wife attempt to hide their fears and when Fleming discovers that his wife is the woman implicated, she exposes his mother whom she had discovered attempting to burn the blood stained coat. All are brought to the office of the district attorney and Fleming is about to bring in the name of his wife, but is prevented by Curtis who takes all blame. This statement is refuted by his former fiance from whom he had been estranged because of his uncle's objections. The girl reveals herself as the murderer and with the same knife she killed Hasbrook, she kills herself, vindicating Curtis and reuniting Fleming and his wife. Confronted zi'ith evidence of her duplicity.