Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1914)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1079 "The Valley of the Moon" Jack London's Delightful Story Done in Six Parts by the Bosworth, Inc. Reviewed by W. Stephen Bush. j^'-y-rllK \allcy of the Moon" is an achievement in story I leUing by the clcvcri'st .\nioricaii story teller of the (lay. Transposed into films it has lieconie a fairy talc. We may l)c disposed to quarrel with this feature as a dramatic production, luit before we get very far in our carping criticism we are disarmed l)y the charm which a well-told fairy tale has not alone for children, but for grown-ups as well. Much is allowed to a story teller which would be unpermisil)le in a dramatist. The dramatist is bound by rules, the story teller has a general literary dispensation and we forgive him every thing if he only entertains us in tlie telling of the story. The story teller is permitted to spin out minor incidents, to digress into l)ypallis and to wield his magic wand generally, regardless and even in defiance of ordinary regulations. Judged by these standards the "X'alley of the Moon" is a gem of rare radiance. .\s a dramatic feature in the stricter sense of the word it is open to many objections, of which undue lengtliening of minor scenes and unconnected episodes are perhaps the gravest. Scene from "The Valley of the Moon" (Bosworth). The story of Jack London tells of a young couple which finds itself "cribbed, cabined and confined" in the narrow straits and the unnatural intimacy of a big town and escapes from insufferable chains into the glories of the superb lands of California. There are many very pretty scenes in the film, but none prettier, none more charmingly fabulous than the stoppijig of Billy and Sa.xon in front of the old farm, where they are greeted b}' a sweet, aged couple and told that the country through which they were passing was Sonoma, which is the Indian name for Valley of the Moon. Billy and Saxon had been looking for a perfect piece of land, which their friends had told them could only be found in the Valley of the Moon and here come two kind spirits and tell them they have found their heart's desire just as they were beginning to despair. The scenes on the beautiful coast, where the ."Xbalone eaters live in primitive happiness and amused defiance of all convention and civilization will be liked by most audiences. It gives us a glimpse of Jack London's wonderful imagination at its best. There are contrasts Ijetween city and country most skilfully and entertainingly conceived and carried out. The pugilistic adventures of the hero of the story are portrayed with great cleverness. Throughout we find fine film renderings of Jack London's best points, his intimate revelations with their autobiographic vein, his marvelous powers of description and the spirit of poetry and romance in which he treats of the modern and the commonplace. Jack Conway made an unqualified success of the most difficult part of Billy Roberts. He has a strong individuality which knows how to assert itself. Myrtle Stedman as Saxon was not altogether convincing, she was a bit theatrical In stronger hands her part might have added wonderfully to the general merit of the production. The settings left nothing to be desired and the photography was with but few exceptions quite good. "European Armies in Action" George Kleine Offers Four Reels, Showing Most of the European Armies at Their Manoeuvers. Reviewed by llantord C. Judson. AT this time when any news, or even any account, of what is going on in Europe is eagerly paid for — extras have become a habit with us — this four-reel offering by George Kleine is surely noteworthy. It is, for the most part, a technical picture of the arms, equipments and drill of almost all the luiropean armies. But there is also much human interest in it. There are, for instance, a glimpse of the late Crown I'rincc Francis Ferdinand of .\uslria, and a view of Germany's Crown Prince commanding his troops. Then — and this will appeal most to the general spectator — it gives many close-up pictures of the faces of the troopers and sailors. It lets us see what kind of a fellow the French soldier, or sailor, is and to compare him personally with those men of the Kaiser's army that are at hand. Then we see how the Belgian crack cavalry officer can ride — a spectacular, circus-like exhil)ition — and how the Swiss cavalry conducts itself is also made plain to us. Again, the typical Montenegrin soldier stands out before us and we get a crood idea of how his artillery works in battle. The British scenes are the only poorly photographed parts of the offering. This section is short and is clear enough to be very instructive as showing the English regular handling big naval guns on rough land. The picture has many good views of battleships and shows something of the manufacture of the great thirteen-inch guns for ships of war. The photography, taking it as a whole, is most commendable. The offering includes some lovely scenes of Paris, taken from a liig dirigible floating over the city. The French army pictures take more of the film than do those of any other army and seem to be very complete, showing many of the famous corps, the airmen, the artillery in action, a bayonet charge, and riflery drill as on the field of battle. We see things that are actually happening now in war times abroad. The French commanders are seen; but their names are not put on the screen. The giving of the cross of the Legion of Honor to a French naval oflficer is a picture that many will be thankful for. Perhaps the second most interesting item is the faces of the Servian and Montenegrin soldiers, though some may be more interested in seeing the British men slinging a heavy field gun across a chasm while others will be most attracted by the German boys loading and firing their field guns — they are said to be among the most accurate gunners in the world. Summing up, we commend this as an unusually valuable and timely oflfering. It will interest all, and to many in the audience there will be in it strong appeals to patriotism when they see perhaps some relative of theirs at his gun or rifle or on his horse serving his country in the home land. A good ofifering. TWIST BUYS SHIPMAN'S FILM INTERESTS. It was learned this week that Stanly H. Twist and Ernest Shipman, wlio have been closely associated during the past two years in dififerent film propositions, have discontinued their partnership. Twist has purchased Sliipman's stock in the Inter-Ocean Sales Company, whose offices are located in the World's Tower Building, and has taken over all of his present film interests and marketing contracts. Mr. Twist states the reason for Mr. Shipman's temporary retirement from business is ill health and a desire on Mr. Shipman's part to concentrate on some personal plans which he prefers not to make public yet. JAY HAWKER EVENTS. The Kansas Motion Picture Company of Wichita, Kan., gets out a weekly topical called "Ja\' Hawker Events" which pictures a series of happenings during the week in Kansas. The newly opened "Holland Theater" of Wichita is making the picture one of the weekly features of its program. iThis idea of booming Kansas to Kansas people and their guests seems to us worthy of warm commendation. Business and prosperity are usually more a matter of getting acquainted than of anything else; that is why business people advertise. If this weekly topical is properly conducted it will be full of matter that will be not only of absorbing interest, but that will both suggest new business and stimulate old. The time will come when boards of trade and the like will be "pushing" organized effort along these very lines. There has been a good deal of desultory activity of the kind; but to get results with an}' kind of advertising you have to be interesting and to keep people interested; you have got to get them expecting something valuable from you all the time.