Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1914)

28 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS MacWilliams, adventurer and engineer, is made foreman. Ted Langham is sent to Olancho as assistant to Clay. General Mendoza, of the Olancho army, who wants to be president, comes to Clay's camp to stir up trouble. Ted Langham and MacWilliams are placed where they can overhear the conversation. Mendoza's demand is refused and he leaves with threats of trouble and a revolution. Langham, in ill-health, with his daughters, Hope and Alice, comes to Olancho on Reginald King's yacht. Alvarez arranges a ball in honor of the Americans. Meanwhile Mendoza is negotiating with Burke to smuggle in arms and start a revolution. Hope Langham is denied permission to go to the ball because of her youth. This marks the beginning of the love between her and Clay, for he lingers behind the party. Stirring Times These Clay, riding to the ball, finds inflammatory posters, which also link the names of Madame Alvarez and Captain Stuart. He hurries back to guard Hope and sends a message to Ted and MacWilliams. Mac has captured a messenger from Burke to Mendoza with a note about rifles which are being smuggled in piano cases. Taking King's sailors, Clay, Ted and Mac capture the rifles and arm Clay's miners for the defense. The ball hurriedly breaks up. Madame Alvarez drives over a mountain trail with the republic's funds in a portfolio and delivers them to Hope. Mendoza's men, at a review of troops, capture President Alvarez and execute him. They loot the palace and shoot Captain Stuart. Hope, who has reached the palace, after a wild horseback ride, to return the portfolio to Madame Alvarez, rushes to the house-top and waves a flag as a signal for Clay's men to advance. These scenes are beautiful as well as thrilling. Mendoza's men are routed. The American consul sends King's yacht to get a United States battleship. All Ends Happily Clay and Ted are attacked and Ted wounded. Hope, jumping from the driver's seat, drives along the beach under fire and rescues Clay, Mac and Ted. But the whole party is recaptured and sentenced to be shot. The marines of the United States battleship Detroit arrive in time and rout Mendoza's men utterly. Clay, with Hope in his arms, is proclaimed Dictator of Olancho, and decides to remain with his sweetheart and finish the work so perilously begun. So runs the story. It is well punctuated with the interesting and thrilling. Many of the scenes were so beautiful as to be applauded for that alone. There is action a-plenty, including several encounters between opposing forces. Yes, "Soldiers of Fortune" has all the ingredients necessary for a successful picture, which it cannot help but be. G. D. P. Notes of Interest from Chicago THOSE motion picture interests of Chicago which have banded together for the purpose of fighting the censorship of that city filed their complaint in the Federal court on Saturday, December 20. The bill of complaint covers forty-one pages of printed matter and cites the World's Special Film Corporation, Mutual Film Corporation, H. & H. Film Service and August Zillegen as complainants. The City of Chicago, Francis D. Connery, James Gleason and M. L. C. Funkhouser are defendants. H. J. Toner, attorney for the complainants, hopes to secure a hearing very soon. It is expected that the case will come before Federal Judge Carpenter. The purpose of this case is to knock out film censorship altogether in Chicago, and also to do away with the fiftycent permit which is now demanded for every print of film that is exhibited in a theatre. Among the many arguments that will likely be brought up is that censorship is unconstitutional. This case is attracting the attention of all the daily papers of Chicago. While some are with the motion picture interests, others claim it is their intention to campaign for a more rigorous censorship than now exists. Mendel Beilis Film Cause of Suit The Trans-Oceanic Film Company, which operates a branch office in Chicago under the management of H. W. Lamb, has entered suit in the Federal court against the censor board of Chicago. It is the claim of Mr. Lamb that the censor board turned down five of his companies' productions within six days. These films were "Slaves of Morphine," three reels; "Mendel Beilis," three reels; "Lieutenant Daring." three reels; "Gorky, the Demon," three reels, and "Magic Veil," four reels. It is stated that the reason for turning down the film called "The Magic Veil" was because it had a plot. If this is to be interpreted literally, plotless films must be made; in other words, motion pictures without a story. The Beilis film was seized some few days ago by the police while it was being shown at the Kedzie Theatre. It appears that the other Mendel Beilis film which is being exhibited was passed on by the censor board. However, on the advice of Federal Judge Carpenter, it was again censored and turned down by M. L. C. Funkhouser, second deputy of police. This was done only after suit had been entered by the Trans-Oceanic Film Company. The case came up for its first hearing on December 23. This case will have no effect on the actions of the motion picture interests, who are taking up the matter from the standpoint of censorship and are not taking anv individual film. Milwaukee Ball and Exhibition January 24, 1914 The exhibitors of Milwaukee will give a ball and exhibition at the Auditorium, that city, on January 24. The exhibition will open at about 1 o'clock in the afternoon and the ball will commence at 9 o'clock. It is expected that exhibitors from all over the state will attend. Actors from both the Essanay and Selig companies will be there, and many of the people in the motion picture business from Chicago will attend. James Cochrane is chairman of the entertainment committee, and is assisted in his preparation by J. W. Tufts. Henry Trinz, Samuel Pylet. Henry Imhof, George Fischer and Frank Bruemmer. Preparations are being made for a large attendance, and many novel features will be sprung by the arrangement committee during the affair. Hutchinson Returns to Chicago After Coast Trip President S. S. Hutchinson, of the American Film Manufacturing Company, after an extended trip on the Pacific Coast, returned to Chicago in time to spend the holidays with his family. His two sons, Hobart and Winston, came home from school so as to make the family reunion complete. ?\Ir. Hutchinson has been on the Coast for several months past; in fact, he has spent almost the entire year in California, Oregon, Washington and the Hawaiian Islands,