Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1915)

520 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD January 23, 1915 "The Tragedy of Bear Mountain" Husband Wrongly Reported Dead, Wife Nearly Marries Another, in Kalem Two-Reel Melodrama of East and West. Reviewed by Hanford C. Judson. THE interesting train of circumstances that brings back to his loving wife a man long reported dead, makes the backbone of this two-part Kalem offering. The woman was even standing up to be married to another man when the telegram from the West comes and she finds that she is not a widow. All this part of the story, well acted, human and pleasing as it is, holds strongly and is, in its melodramatic way, effective. The opening scenes that build up to the real situation are somewhat hurriedly blocked ouc and rough. Such scenes bear the same relationship to real Rena Rogers MISS ROGERS, who was formerly with the Universal, has been secured by the Crown City Manufacturing Company, of Pasadena, California, to play the leading parts in their comedy company. These films will be released through the Kriterion Service under the Thistle brand. Miss Rogers is a young woman, full of life, and cannot be contented unless she is "doing something." She is indeed beautiful and possesses a wealth of blond hair. An amusing incident happened in a picture just completed entitled "The Boob's Racing Career." Miss Rogers enacts the part of a servant girl and falls in love with the "Boob," who owns a racing car. She puts her arms around his neck, much to his displeasure, and he runs awav and she gives chase. He was to hide behind a tree and she to creep up and grab him around the neck and kiss him. The "boob" disappeared and put some one else in his place. Every one in the company, with the exception of Miss Rogers, was .wise. The full details of this episode are missing, but we have it from Miss Rogers that it was a "mean trick." Scene from "A Tragedy of Bear Mountain" (Kalem). drama, made with pains by author and producer, that the rough chunks of bread on a farmer's table bear to the thin delicate triangles on the tea-plates of fashion. The latter coax an appetite, while the former know durn well you're liungry and aren't afraid of the rough edges. Both, let us add, may come from the same flour barrel. This picture has a good story to tell; but its earlier scenes hurry one to it, bringing forward any character that is needed at any time, regardless of whether his being just there at that very moment is plausible or not. One would think its producer was hypnotized by the good tale coming and wanted to get at it so much that he didn't care, in his approach, if his steps, looked ten feet long. Truly, when he gets to the really interesting part he does the kind of work that gives him credit. One good point about the picture is its fine group of characters; they convince, because they are naturally and ably acted. Jane Wolfe plays a matron with the simple, natural art for which she has long been known. This is her last role, for a time at least, with the Kalem players, as she has returned to the legitimate stage. This reviewer recalls with much pleasure other roles she has played and some of which, like the flower girl of "The Flower Girl's Romance," to name only one, she has carried with marked distinction. Truly, at her best, there are few among picture players who in character work can hold a candle to her. Marin Sais has the leading female role as the wife of the missing man, played by Paul C. Hurst, and both do very satisfactory work. Cleo Ridgeley divides honors with Miss Sais in her role of the miner's daughter whom she makes :• very sweet, young miss. Douglas Gerrarde plays the missing man's brother, and is a big help to the picture. The role of the employer, a semi-villainous character, is taken by Frank Jonasson and we need not add that the story's mountaineer character is ably played, since William H. Wesfills it. LUBIN AD CORRECTION. It is requested by the Lubin Companv that its advertisement on page 477 should read to the effect that "all special three-reel feature subjects will be released on the regular program of the General Film Company." This change was received too late to be made in the advertisement, and this notice is offered in Jieu thereof. Rena Rogers. YOU CAN'T DOWN McGOWAN. James P. McGowan, the producer of the "Hazards of Helen" series for the Kalem company and one of the company's oldest directors, lies in his bed at the Sister's Hospital, at Hollywood, California, where he is confined in a plaster cast able only to move the upper part of his body at present. During the time he has been laid up there he has converted the "Hazard" series into scenario form on a typewriter so fixed that he can work it easily. Over the top of his bed is a telephone which is in constant use, for Mr. McGowan has virtually been directing from his bedside E . /^^^^KJ uW^I J&--P / James P. McGowan in Bed at Sister's Hospital. and his company are in constant touch with him regarding situations, actions and locations. Every night his assistants call and receive their instructions for the next day and report exactly what has been done so that Mr. McGowan keeps in touch with the main office all the time. Every evening Miss Helen Holmes, his leading actress, takes supper with him and is constantly at his side during the hours she is not working. Mr. McGowan has shown remarkable pluck and, although it will be a long time before he is able to be in the field again, it is safe to say that he will be working every minute of the time and a more cheerful patient was never confined in a hospital.