The Moving picture world (January 1920-February 1920)

944 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 7, 1920 quite good; as a box office attraction, excellent. The Cast. The Shepherd Harry Lonsdale ••Sammy" Lane Cathrine Curtis Young Mat George McDaniels Old Mat Dan Bailey Aunt MoUie Elizabeth Rhodes Jim Lane Lon Poff Little Pete C. Edward Raynor Wash Gibbs Guy C. Klaws Olie Stewart Lawrence Coghlan The Artist Chas. O'Moore Post Master E. K. Kendall Directed by the author. Running time, nearly two hours. The Story. As in the book, the picture opens with the advent ot the old man from the city. He has come to make up to the backwoods people the wrong his son, an artist, had done in deserting a girl who had posed for the picture which made him famous. The wrong was partly the father's, who in his pride wished his son to make a marriage befitting the son of a cultured clergyman. Chance leads him to stop for the night at the cabin of the father of the girl. She has been dead fifteen years and her son is a wild child of the hills, half-witted. The old man becomes a shepherd for the Matthews family, and his kindly influence is felt throughout the region. Only the moonshiners resent his presence, believing him to he, a revenue officer. Their attempt to kill him is stopped by the better residents of Mutton Hollow. The gentler side of life in the woods centers about "Sammy" Lane, whose lively spirits have succeeded in shortening her name from Samantha. All her life she has loved her playmate, "Toung Matt," but she is trying to make herself believe she loves another. Wealth and pleasure sound attractive to a girl who never has been far enough out of the valley to see a railroad. She begs the shepherd to teach her to become a "lady." What she learns in her daily lessons from the old man, instead of putting up an artificial barrier from her simple happy life, makes her see the charm and beauty of her surroundings and her home folks. The ending of the picture shows the finding of the artist's son by the old "Shepherd of the Hills." and the son dies in his father's arms after becoming reconciled to thos? he wronged. "The Midnight Bride" Gladys Leslie in Appealing Heroine in Vitagraph Adaptation of Charles Stokes Wayne Story. Reviewed by Margaret I. MacDonald. GLADYS LESLIE is particularly appealing as the heroine of the Vitagraph adaptation of "The Midnight Bride" by Charles Stokes Wayne. Her personality is in keeping with the requirements of the character of the simple country girl, who answered the lure of the city with a seriousness born of ignorance. The girl's plight, and the final clearing of an ugly situation in her favor will prove attractive to any audience by reason of the strongly human elements of the story. The picture is well constructed, and the plot stands out clearly without an overburden of detail. The action is natural, the characterization interesting and well defined, and the sets attractive without being obtrusive. The mildly melodramatic vein of the story provides relief from the romantic tendency of its opening. And when all is said and done there remains a picture that is clean, unconventional in type and morally well balanced. Cast. Jeanne Sterling Gladys Leslie Robert Pitcairn James Morrison Forrest Chenoweth Gladden James .\unt Marcia Nellie Spaulding James Weir Roy Applegate Helen Dorr Miss Vallie Story by Charles Stokes Wayne. Scenario by Sam Taylor. Direction by William J. Humphrey. Length — About 5,000 feet. The Story. Jeanne Sterling, the heroine ot "The Midnight Bride," makes her first visit to New York only to find that her friends have left for the seashore. While waiting in the park until train time, her friend's letter blows away from her and falls at the feet of a young man named Forrest Chenoweth, who is sitting on one of the benches. In her simple way she tells Chenoweth her plight, and he offers to visit the park menagerie with her to help put in the time. On better acquaintance he suggests that she have dinner with him and take a later train, which she does. On the previous day Chenoweth, who has been born rich, had been wheedled into getting a marriage license by a loose woman of his circle. On the day following that of Jeanne's visit to the city he responds to a call from her for money, with a refusal to marry the woman and a declaration to have nothing further to do with her. A letter received by Jeanne from Chenoweth invites her to come to New York on Saturday morning. She Is taken to a cabaret on Broadway by Chenoweth, who proposes marriage to her. She consents and they are married by an alderman, a friend of Chenoweth's, but in a moment of confusion fail to bring away the certificate of marriage. An unfortunate link in the chain of events causes the wrong name to be copied into the certificate, and when Chenoweth. intoxicated, falls against the radiator and is killed, the wrong woman claims his estate. The alderman's son in league with the fake widow, tries to hold his father to a promise to Ignore the girl's right to the marriage certificate. The alderman relents, however, and Jeanne not only gains the certificate, but is able to hold the respect of Robert Pitcairn, the man she really loves. "Double Speed" Wallace Reir Featured in Swiftly-Moving Comedy, Produced by Paramount-Artcraft. Reviewed by Mary Kelly. WITH most of its dramatic sceiies laid in a galloping motor car, with in adventurous hero dubbed "Speed Carr" and a pretty heroine who has a fondness for chummy roadsters and chummy drivers, the plot of "Double Speed" rolls on through numberless entertaining situations. Sam Wood, who has directed this picture of racing and romance, has made the title an apt one by his skillful manipulation of scenes, events and characters. It is a production that is not wanting in sumptuous settings, many of which consist of sunny California's leafy-arched boulevards and parkways. As the ever-happy, sometimes-lucky hero of the story, Wallace Reid encounters no especial requirements for serious acting. He is well adapted to this type of role which he delineates with a light coiTiedy touch, eminently characteristic, if at times monotonous. A little more energetic action, mental as well as physical, would improve his performance at some of the more thrilling moments. Of real support to him is Wanda Hawley whose interest and enthusiasm is almost as inexhaustible as is her wardrobe. Two of the screen's most trustworthy character impersonators, Theodore Roberts and TuUy Marshall, are responsible for some very successful scenes. Cast. Speed Carr Wallace Reid Sallie McPherson Wanda Hawley John Ogden Theodore Roberts Donald McPherson Tully Marshall Reginald Toby Lucien Littlefleld Pawn Broker Guy Oliver Story by J. Stewart Woodhouse. Scenario by Clara Genevieve Kennedy. Directed by Sam Wood. Length, Five Reels. The Story. Leaving Broadway and 42nd Street far in the distance, "Speed Carr" starts oft in his roadster to see nature first. Supplied with all the equipment for camping, he sets up his teepee in the woods, and at nightfall retires. His activities have been carefully watched by three hoboes who manage to rob him of car, clothes and tent — everything except his gold watch. He is rescued from his unfortunate plight by an automobile party of farmer and family bound for Los Angeles. They lend him some rough clothing and accept him as a passenger, after he has wired his uncle in Los Angeles for funds. Upon arriving he pawns his watch and buys some suitable clothes. Meanwhile, the car has arrived ahead of time and has been sold, Sallie McPherson being the purchaser. "Speed" happens along just when she is attempting to drive the car for the first time, and he witnesses her near-demolishment of an arbor. He takes the wheel, steers the car back into safety. .attracted by the girl, and interested in the fact that she has possession of his own car. he accepts a position as chauffeur for her. still masquerading as "Barry Cole." This assumed name happens to be that of a criminal who is being trailed by detectives. They follow '•Speed'^ and Sallie while out motoring one day, and the girl fears that it is her disapproving parent. The comedy ends with a hurried ceremony in the automobile, a meeting with the uncle and a satisfactory revelation of the chauffeur's real identity. Program and Exploitation CatcUlnes: They Met. Courted and Married — All in a Faithful Little Roadster. "Double Speed" Tells This Story. Wallace Reid. Stranded as a Babe in the Woods. Clothes, Money, Car Stolen. See ••Double Speed." They Asked Him to Pose as Himself. How Could He Refuse? Wallace Reid Couldn't! See "Double Speed." Kxploitntion .Ansles: Make a special appeal to women, .\nnounce that handsome Wallace Reid, the delight of every feminine movie enthusiast, is featured. Appeal to the racing instinct in men. Inform them that one of the surest ways to win "her" is to learn to drive a car. and to drive it like "Speed Carr" did. COMMENTS A LIFE LINE (Universal), Feb. 23. — Chapter 3 of ••Elmo the Fearless." Elmo and Edith emerge safely from the smashed box car. I.rfiter the actual substitution »t Lucille for Edith occurs and Lucille signs a lease in Edith's name. Elmo is at first taken in by the subterfuge, but later dlscover's the trick and rushes to Edith's assistance. At the close he falls, mounted on his horse, through an open bridge. A strong number. DOOMED (Universal). — Chapter 7 of "The Lion Man." A swiftly moving instalment. Lacy finds the Cavendish will in the house of "The Lion Man." Stella gets it from him, only to lose it later from her pocketbook throufh the theft of Celeste La Rue. Celeste and Enright leave on a train, followed by Stella. The latter, by a daring trick, recovers the will Just as Enright is burning it. At the climax of the number Stella is hanging from ths rear of the moving train.