Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1914)

1534 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD "The Silent Witness" Villain Tries to Steal Telephone That Gives Both Sight and Sound; But It Witnesses Against Him— ThreeReel Pathe. Reviewed by Hanford C. Judson. THE story told by this three-reel Pathe picture is very fair and, on all other counts, acting, photography and beauty of backgrounds, the offering is above the average. One thing much in its favor is its showing actually at work a new invention, the telephote, which will give a clear picture of the person talking through the telephone at the other end of the wire. The apparatus used is quite elaborate; one would think that some inventor at work on the very problem had loaned his material and, of course, by trick camera manipulation it is made to work perfectly. There is a good deal of interest attached to it; for the telephote, not yet perfected, is still the dream of many inventors and it is good in the picture, because it is a thing that has excited popular imagination. The melodramatic story is good enough to serve its purpose, although built according to an old time formula. It L Scene from "The Silent Witness" (Pathe). is excellently acted. The players tone down the rough parts and make the spectator quickly forget the film's few impossible things. Some wonderful views of the Pyrenees are included, and, throughout, both interior and exterior scenes have been photographed with life-like clearness and toned in soft greys that are often most attractive. The inventor has shown his telephote to a capitalist who is enthusiastic. The rich man's daughter seems to have taken a great liking for the inventor much to the displeasure of her cousin, a roue in debt, who wants to marry her for her fortune. He fixes things so that the capitalist thinks the inventor a thief and disgraces him. The rich man dies and the villain tries to counterfeit the invention. The inventor is warned and gets a job in the works in disguise. He sets up the real apparatus in the girl's home and later, taking down the receiver at his end, sees the villain abducting the girl. There's a chase through the Pyrenees. The villain has captured the hero and sets him and the girl in a limousine going down the mountain with no one at the wheel; but doesn't know that the hero's brother has rescued them. Then comes the final scene which is pictured with this review and in which the villain gives himself away by his astonishment at seeing the hero alive. We count it a very fair offering. O. R. HENKEL JOINS PROGRESSIVES. O. R. Henkel, formerly manager of the La Salle Opera House, and who afterward opened up the Northwest branch for George Kleine in Seattle. Wash., has resigned and_ gone over with the Progressive Motion Picture Company in the capacity of special representative of Western Canada, including the provinces of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba. Among the features he will handle in the provinces are Jack London's "Sea Wolf," "The Valley of the Moon," "Martin Eden," "Les Miserables," "The House of Temberley" and "Hearts of Oak." Mr. Henkel's many years' experience ahead of important theatrical attractions place him in a position to establish new records in the Northwest. He will work in conjunction with the Seattle office of the Progressive Company. \ Lillian Russell in "Wildfire" ILLIAN RUSSELL is one of the best known women before the public today. She holds a unique position in the esteem of the nation. For years she has been a leader of the stage and as a beauty her fame has been of such long duration that men who are now grandfathers can remember the time when they as college students eagerly looked forward to seeing Lillian Russell in her wonderful comic opera successes of days past. At the Fort Lee Studios o f the World Film Corporation, she is now working on a moving picture version of her greatest stage success, "Wildfire," the play that was written especially for her by George Broadhurst and George V. H o b a r t. When the play was originally produced by Joseph Brooks, in Cincinnati, the audience at the opening night were a bit disconcerted because they had come prepared to see a musical play but saw nothing of the sort in "Wildfire." She was acting a character and she made the audience realize that she was an actress of distinction. They were not disappointed when the final curtain fell. That first performance marked her entrance into the legitimate stage. The packed audience in Cincinnati was the forerunner of a long series of similar audiences that gathered wherever Lillian Russell in "Wildfire" was announced. When her tour was completed Miss Russell decided to retire to private life but she received so many requests from her admirers all over the United States and Canada who were anxious to see her in "Wildfire" that she was receptive to the idea of making a motion picture from the play when that plan was suggested to her by General Manager Lewis J. Selznick of the World Film Corporation. To him is due the credit of placing Miss Russell under contract and her legions of admirers will welcome the opportunity of seeing her again. Edwin Middelton is in charge of the production which is to be released in the regular World Film Corporation program, January 11th. This is to be one of the trump features in that service and General Manager Selznick is certain that "Wildfire" will set a new record for high grade star features. L_ Lillian Russell. DOUGHERTY SCOUTING AROUND. Russell K. Dougherty, director in the Kinetophote Corporation, is in Boston this week looking over the field there and incidentally to attend the exhibitor's ball in the interests of the Kinetophote. Mr. Dougherty had just returned from a trip to Chicago where he inspected the new K. C. Booking Company's offices in the Mailers Building. He came back enthusiastic over the reception which features are getting in the West. Mr. Dougherty believes that features will have a tremendous vogue, especially in the middle west, for some time to come. WOODS WRITES "RAYS OF SUNSHINE." Frank E. Woods, scenario manager for the Reliance and Majestic, has just completed writing the scenario for "Rays of Sunshine," a two-reel Majestic drama, dealing with the career of an ex-convict, who has been railroaded to prison on a framed-up charge. Director Jack O'Brien is staging it, with Mary Alden being featured, assisted by Jack Conway and Spottiswoode Aitken. The ex-convict is forced by an adventuress to rob his employer's home. He revolts at the last moment, and this incident furnishes one of the most thrilling climaxes that could possibly be devised for motion pictures.