The Moving Picture Weekly (1916-1917)

20 -THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY BUTTERFLY Picture. Written by Willis and Woods. Adapted for the screen by Karl Coolidge and produced by a new director, Elmer Clifton, who sets a high standard in his first five-reeler, with Jack Mulhall as the star. Above — Donna Drew as Nadme. Below — Jimmy's desperate fight on the cliff. NEW director, Elmer Clifton, makes his bow in this Butterfly Picture, written by Willis and Woods, and adapted for the screen by Karl Coolidge. The story serves as an ideal medium for the talents of the young star. Jack Mulhall, and will surely increase his popularity. There is another new name in the cast — that of Donna Drew, the pretty little dark-eyed nymph of the island, whose name was changed the other day from "Moon" to "Drew," and who will make many friends by her work in this Butterfly. The larger part of the scenes were taken of Santa Cruz Island, and are as beautiful as anything seen in recent pictures. The story is consistently interesting, and gives Jack a chance to prove his proficiency in water sports. Jimmy Gordon is the son of the head of the Gordon Syndicate, which owns, among other things, an island off the coast of Lower California, upon which there is a valuable fire opal mine. Gordon Senior is worried about the mine, as the shipments have fallen oflf, and he is looking for a responsible two-fisted man to send on an investigation. The last person in the world who answers this description is his son Jimmy. However, the old man receives a shock when one of his employees, Bennie Zussbaum, tells how Jimmy rescued him from a gang of toughs in a roadside cafe. Old Gordon begins to think well of his son, for the first time. Jimmy is engaged to Lucy Andrews, a society girl, but it would be quite possible for one to live without the other. Lucy's mother is far more interested in Sir Beverly Wyndham, an Englishman on the look-out for a rich wife. When Jimmy breaks an engagement with Lucy and she then sees him fighting at the roadhouse, as she drives by in her car, she determines to break with him. However, in the meantime, his father has decided to send him to Calabas Island, for he suspects the foreman of double dealing, and after Jimmy's exhibition of prowess, thinks he will be just the one to deal with him. Jimmy says goodby so hurriedly to Lucy that she has no time to break with him. So he goes off nominally engaged. At the island, Jasper Sneedham, wath the assistance of McCool and his native servant, Juan, has been systematically cheating the company. The only honest person is the foreman, Haimer. Jasper has a stepdaughter, Nadine, who is as pretty as a nymph. When Jimmy arrives on the mainland, he is met by Juan, and taken by launch to the island. On the way, Juan hits him over the head with a belaying pin. Jimmy manages, with great difficulty, to swim to the island, and crawls onto the shore more dead than alive. Nadine is playing on the beach. She sees him and calls the foreman to go with her to his assistance. They take the halfdrowned youth to Haimer's hut. Jasper comes in haste, but is reassured when he finds only a boy, though he recognizes him as Gordon's only son. He offers to show Jimmy over the mine as soon as he is well enough. But Jimmy is far more interested in Nadine than in opals. Remorseful thoughts of Lucy are all that keep him from making love to her. Jasper makes up his mind that as he has stolen a comfortable fortune, he may as well leave the island before Gordon sends a boat for his son. With McCool and Juan he lays his plans, which Nadine overhears. Jasper has told the girl that she is to marry McCool as soon as they reach the mainland. Nadine goes with her information to Haimer, and they resolve to tell Jimmy of the contemplated flight. The launch is ready, and Jimmy says that they will beat the other to it. Be Nadine struggles with McCool.