Motion Picture News (Jan - Mar 1914)

3« THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS "Tony and Maloney." (Selig. Split reel. Feb. 6.) — On the same reel with "Italian Games and Dances" Policeman Maloney 's sweetheart proves to be Tony's long lost sister. The Italian disapproves of his sister's Irish lover because the policeman steals from his fruit stand. Maloney wins Tony's consent when he captures an autoist who has accidentally tipped the fruit stand over. "Marrying Sue." (Vitagraph. Feb. 6.)— Good comedy. She has three beaux. She loves one of them and her parents each have one picked" out for her. Through a clever ruse she sidetracks her parents' choices and they aid her in eloping with the man of her choice. There are many clever and humorous situations. "The Vagaries of Fate." (Lubin. Feb. «•)— This one reel drama is crammed full of action. Conviction of a gang of blackmailers results in the district attorney becoming a marked man. He is kidnapped in his own automobile by friends of the convicted men. They take him to an out of the way building, bind and" gag him and set a bomb by his head to be exploded at a certain hour. After leaving the building one of the men shoots into it to kill the attorney. The bullet strikes the clock and makes the bomb harmless. Through a telephone message the gang of kidnappers is trapped and the district attorney rescued. He takes the bullet which taved his life for a watch charm. r UNIVERSAL PROGRAM "The Box Couch." (Imp. Feb. 16.)— A light comedy, with King Baggot and Ethel Orandin playing the leads. A jealous husband, believing his wife is false, hides himself in a couch which is shipped to his house. He is found exhausted. An undertaker and a piano tuner are believed to be doctors, and cause some amusement at the denouement. "The Fatal Card." (Frontier. Feb. 81.)— A Western picture which does not show any unusual traits. A jealous cowboy is discharged and robs the messengers from the range. An innocent man is first blamed the guilty party being found in the nick of time. "Remember Mary Magdalen." (Victor. Feb. 23 )— -With Pauline Bush as the woman, Murdock McQuarrie as the minister, and Lon Chaney as the foolish friend of both. A good drama which presents several morals. A girl. having made a mistake in her youth, is scorned by the town. The new minister is ordered to chase her away, but finding her pure in mind defends her. The idiot mistaking the minister s friendship for something not platonic. becomes an enemy. The truth comes out finally and the minister in the finale is seen to be comforting her. The work of Miss Bush is excellent. "Love's Victory." (Victor. Two reels. \-tb. 20.) — A strong drama plaved by Ethel Grandin, Frank Crane and Alexander Gaden. Terry and Lilly, having been married but a short time, have aspirations toward buying their house. He gets a position with a broker and as there is a position with the same company for a stenographer Lilly takes it under an assumed name. The boss becomes financially troubled and forges a check after vainly appealing for help by telegraph. Terry is arrested trying to cash the check, which the man then denies having given him. Marsten, the employer, falls down an elevator shaft after a fight with Lilly and in his delirium confesses to his part of the deal in the presence of others. MUTUAL PROGRAM "Our Mutual Girl" Series. (Chapters 2 and 3.) — The reader will remember that we left the Mutual Girl in bed at the end of the first chapter. In chapter 2, released Jan 24th, we greet her on her awakening, watch her eat her breakfast with the look of wonderment in her eye, then naturally withdraw, while she makes her toilet. While waiting we visit her country-boy lover, living in a remote and dismal part of the city. We see the ■ ntrast Having plenty of time we return to milady's boudoir and listen, while she discusses with her aunt the itinerary for the Having received an invitation to visit Mi Helen Kobinson, the only woman senator in the country, we plan with them to visit her home. The lover in the meantime has found a job and apparently unearthed a plot. He calls on Margaret, meets one of the alleged conspirators there, and is sent away by the aunt. Chapter 3, released Feb. 2d, starts at this point. Margaret and her aunt plan again to visit Lucile's, and she is dressing accordingly. Her lover meantime has notified the police of the strange behavior of the Count D'Orley, whom Margaret has met, and he is followed by detectives. They watch him go into the White Light district. The Count enters the automobile of Margaret and the police follow in another. Arriving at Lucile's the Count discovers the pursuit and makes his escape. The boy returns to his work on the Cunard docks and meets Madame Tetrazzini. Margaret and her aunt then go for a long drive, passing the homes of Carnegie, Gerry, Rockefeller and the Vanderbits. The Count invents an excuse for having left them and joins them at the Plaza for lunch. The detectives, with the help of the country boy, arrest the Count, but fail to find any evidence and are forced to release him. The Count, fearing the arrest, had placed some stolen jewels in Margaret's muff. And here we leave them until next week. "Our Mutual Girl." (Chapter 4. Feb. 9.) — The reader may remember that we left the Mutual Girl entering her house, following the search of the Count for the missing necklace. Margaret is totally unaware that she has it. On entering the house she drops the jewels which are picked up by one of the ever watchful detectives, who takes it to the Count and confronts him with it. This fails to wrest a confession from him and the detective then tries the girl. Following that they visit Bonwit-Teller's establishment and thence to the races at Piping Rock, where they see several notables. District Attorney Charles S. Whitman is called to their help on their return home. "The Dancer." Thanhouser. Two parts. Feb. 10.) — Good dramatic interest throughout. Marguerite Snow plays the lead in a very capable manner. A professional dancer in her home in Munich scores a success. She is supporting her husband, an invalid, and a baby. Receiving an offer to go to New York she accepts. Her former employer, whose insults have been repulsed, follows her to New York and abducts her child. This nearly gains him his ends, but the child escapes and confronts the villain. Helen Badgely plays the child. "One Round O'Brien in the Ring Again." (Apollo. Feb. 8.) — Fred ^lace is, speaking vernacularly, some fighter. A very clever slapstick comedy, which will amuse all. "One Round" O'Brien enters the ring again, this time, however, he takes lessons in mesmerism and wins. "Where Paths Diverge." (Princess. Feb. 6.) — A very good title for a good picture. A man. having married beneath his social position, allows his mother to obtain an annulment. "The Pote Lariat of the Flying A." (American. Feb. 21.) — A humorous story, with a tragic ending. The poet laureate arrives at the ranch. One of the cowboys therefore becomes a "pote lariat." Buck, the "pote," is killed saving his mistress's life and his last writing is a verse. "A Turn of the Cards." (Majestic. Feb. 8.) — Rather an inconsistent drama. A man steals to get money for a necessary operation on his child. His employer cuts the cards with his pal, who had led him into temptation and lets the victim go free. "The Success of Selfishness." (Thanhouser. Feb. 6.) — A very selfish girl learns bookkeeping and stenography from two boys, after which she flouts them, then forces a trust magnate to marry her in order to keep his secret. She is not, however, happy in the end. "Percy's First Holiday." (Thanhouser. Feb; 8.) — Introducing W. S. Percy, the Australian comedian. He gives some excellent work. Scenes aboard ship. Percy arrives, flirts with everyone, gets a job in a studio, loses all his money in a wireless stock swindle and works his passage home. "The Idler." (Reliance. Feb. 14.)— The Story of a remade man. Clever story, although somewhat conventional in places. A society idlei is refused by the girl he loves, because lie is so idle. He suddenly disappears, due to an accident in which he loses his mind, and some years reappears as a burglar, recog nizes the girl and chokes his pal. "For the Wearing of the Green." (Domino. Two reels.) — One of those Irish stories winch have gained such an enviable reputation for the Domino Company. The story, although lacking originality, is powerful and makes an excellent release. The atmosphere, similar to uther oictures by the same company, is excellent. Some very good character work is registered. Paddy and Dennis are the leaders of the insurgents, who are opposing the King's rule in Ireland. Dennis and Michael, a lad from the same town, are rivals for the hand of the belle. Dennis is sent to spy on the English soldiers, and Michael, angry at him because of the girl, informs the British. Remorse overtakes him and he sacrifices his life for those of the Irish whom be had betrayed. "For His Master." (Reliance. Two reels. Feb. 7.) — Something on the line of a "Fight ing Parson" story. The story is fair, the action good, the atmosphere perfect. A min ister goes to the West and in return for an insult whips the town bully. Although looking thoroughly foppish he is really very much of a man. He finally wins the girl of his choice and saves her brother from a terrible punishment. "Fate's Decree." (Majestic. Feb. 14.) — Not worthy of the Majestic Company. The story is weak and in parts inconsistent. A large bridge scene is shown. The villain is precipitated many feet below when the bridge breaks. "Just a Song at Twilight." (Majestic. Feb. 10.) — With appropriate music this will make a very acceptable offering. The story is clean and pretty. Helen is taken away from her old granddad and adopted by rich parents. She forgets about the old people until the song brings her back again. "Pat Flannagan's Family." (Reliance. Feb. 11.) — A strong cast with good photog raphy. Pat, an express driver, has saved enough to go back to Ireland for a visit. He is all ready to go when he meets two little children, whose pathetic history so saddens him that he adopts them and gives up his proposed trip. KINEMACOLOR COMPANY ELECTS OFFICERS At the annual meeting of the Kinemacolor Company of America, held on February 4 at their offices, i600 Broadway, the following officers were elected: President, A. P. Barnard; vice-president and general manager. William H. Hickey; vice-president. Burton J. Westcott; secretary and treasurer, Morris U. Ely; assistant treasurer, Elmer E. Luce. In addition to the above-named the following are directors: George H. Burr, Walter D. Young, Noble Crandall, Edward Lynch and Edward C King. For the past year William H. Hickey has been acting as the general manager of the Natural Color Kinematograph Company, as the English Kinemacolor Corporation is called, but has resigned the latter position. Albert E. Lowe continues as contract manager of the New York offices, while Felix F. Feist remains in charge of the Chicago office, with Mortimer R. Wiener as general traveling representative in charge of the road agents. The Kinemacolor field studios are being transferred from Los Angeles, Cal., to Lowville. N. Y., where production will be resumed as soon as weather permits — the films all being photographed in the open air and sunshine