Reel Life (1916-1917)

The Weekly — Reel Life — See America First — Tours Around the World The world’s largest gold dredge. Wounded British soldiers arrive in U. S. Weekly Shows Battle of Somme Also pictures the pre¬ view of "Charity ?” in big Boston theater. Mutual weekly n0. 102 comes to the front with scenes from the long to be remem¬ bered Battle of the Somme. The scenes taken at the battle show big un fire being directed by telephone rom the many observation balloons; the big 75’s being rushed to more ad¬ vantageous positions; the air squad¬ ron preparing for departure at the first signal; a Zeppelin brought down by an anti-aircraft gun, all on board being lost; the cathedral ruins, every¬ thing in line of the guns was de¬ stroyed and scenes of children, who cannot realize the terribleness of the war and live up to the adage that “kids will be kids.” Also from the battle lines comes scenes showing M. Daucort, the noted aviator, who bombarded the Krupp works at Essen, flying at Paris. Other scenes of interest shown in the weekly are; the launching of the world’s largest gold dredge at Hammonton, California; wounded soldiers on the way home stop at Norfolk, Va. ; the statue of liberty is per¬ manently lighted; state militia adopt the new Berthire machine gun at Bos¬ ton, Mass.; new scenic boulevard opened at San Francisco, Cal.; Presi¬ dent Wilson addresses congress at its opening; Boston savants view “Char¬ ity?” at Fenway Theater of Boston, the Rev. Herbert Johnson congrat¬ ulates Jas. Roth, local Mutual man¬ ager on the success of the production; school children of Washington, D. C., sell old newspapers to raise funds for playgrounds; threshing lima beans at Ventura, California. * * * CERTAIN changes in release dates of Gaumont single-reel have re¬ cently been made, causing the substitution of Mount Baker in the state of Washington for Pasadena, Cal., announced for _ “See America First” No. 66. This is released through Mutual, Dec. 13. The de¬ lightful suburb of Los Angeles, known as “the city of roses,” will be a “See America First” subject, the issue ap¬ pearing Jan. 3, No. 69. Mount Baker is the third highest peak in the state of Washington. The pictures show the trail to the summit, Roosevelt Glacier, some of the crevasses which pierce it, a picture of the mountain from the northwest, Snoqualmie Falls and Snoqualmie river. The oldest Indian chieftain in the state is pictured, Tsilano, head of the Lummi tribe. He lives in a house built in 1839. Varied Subjects in ''Reel Life” "Freench Sweetmeats " and "An Argosy From the North" shown. THE supremacy maintained by French candy makers is well il¬ lustrated in “Reel Life” No. 33, released by Gaumont Company Dec. 17 through Mutual. The pictures are entitled “French Sweetmeats,” and show how the delicious candied fruits are prepared for market. The second section of the reel is entitled “An Argosy from the North.” A vessel just arrived from within the arctic circle has brought back many trophies from the frozen north. There are tons and tons of whalebone, and the ivory tusk of a mammal now ex¬ tinct. An eskimo who came back with the voyagers takes to the water in his native kayak, and demonstrates how a walrus is speared. The third section is an illuminating exposition of “The Fleecy Staple” — cotton. This will prove a most en¬ tertaining subject as it shows the cot¬ ton fields while picking is in prog¬ ress, ginning, and exporting. There are also pictures of manufacturing thread from yarn, and then cloth from the thread. A fourth section of the reel is an¬ other picture for the benefit of the home dress maker, giving another il¬ lustration of “How to Design Your Own Gown.” * * * A COMPLETE re-arrangement of “Reel Life” subjects brought an almost entirely different set of subjects to the screen Dec. 10 in “Reel Life” No. 32. First in interest per¬ haps is “Where Benedictine Is Made.” The pictures show the Abbey at Fe¬ camp, France, where the monks have been making this distinctive cordial since 1510. The various processes are pictured, as well as an array of 600 bottles containing imitations that have been confiscated from time to time. The process of manufacture is a secret. “Radium, the Most Costly Ele¬ ment” is another interesting subject on this reel. The price of radium has not followed the cost of high living, having decreased 50% in recent years. It is now only worth $37,000 an ounce. The American method of manufacture from carnotite is shown. * * * HENRI LEUBAS, one of the best known screen actors of France, makes his first appear¬ ance in the Gaumont photo-novel, “The Vampires,” in the sixth episode, “Santanas,” released through Mutual December 28. Leubas now has the center of the stage for several episodes as Santanas becomes the supreme chief of the Vampires upon the death of the Grand Vampire. Life in Morocco in "World Tours” Scenes at the castle of Chantilly and by the Mediterranean. THE splendid work being done on the western front by the French colonial troops from Morocco has drawn so much attention to that North African land that the Gaumont Com¬ pany sent a cameraman to catch for the screen its most picturesque fea¬ tures. “Life in Morocco” is shown in “Tours Around the World” No. 7, released through Mutual December 19. On the same reel are two other subjects, “The Castle of Chantilly” and views of the Bay of St. Tropez, “By the Blue Mediterranean.” The Moroccan pictures are mainly of life in the interior, showing the arrival of a caravan, the unloading of the camels, a camp of nomads, a covered street, a village fountain, a snake charmer, a juggler, and danc¬ ing the tango. There are pretty pic¬ tures of Meknes, a town in the in¬ terior by some called the Versailles of Morocco. The palace of the sul¬ tan is particularly attractive. There are views of the gate of Bab-el-Mansour built in the XVII century, and also of a typical street. The castle of Chantilly consists «f the “Small Castle” built in the fif¬ teenth century and the “Large Cas¬ tle” built in the thirteenth century. This was destroyed during the revo¬ lution, but was reconstructed by the Due d’Aumale in the middle of the last century. The castle has been donated to the Institute of France and is now a museum. The various apart¬ ments are shown: The hall of hunting trophies, the hall of the guards, the study, the grand salon, the picture gallery, and the library. “By the Blue Mediterranean” pic¬ tures the Gulf of St. Tropez, one of the most beautiful that wash the shores of Provence. A tour of the gulf is taken, showing the wonderful pines at Foux, the quaint towns of Ste. Maxime and St. Tropez, and the ancient citadel defending the latter place. * # * THE recent visit of President Wil¬ son to New York to signal for the permanent lighting of the Statue of Liberty is pictured in Mutu¬ al Weekly No. 102. The picture of the great gift of France in the soft glow of its reflected lights is particularly effect¬ ive. President Wilson is also seen as his party was afterward escorted up Fifth avenue in a blaze of lights. An¬ other picture of the nation’s chief ex¬ ecutive is from Washington', D. C, when he went to the capitol to make the opening address to congress. Homes of Two Presidents Shown President Wilson's and President Jeffer¬ son’s home in Scenic. BY reason of their geographical propinquity the homes of Presi¬ dent Thomas Jefferson and Presi¬ dent Woodrow Wilson are shown in the same issue of Gaumont’s “See America First” No. 67, released Dec. 20. The reel is called “Picturesque Virginia.” It shows historical land¬ marks of Charlotte, Staunton, and Afton, together with some beautiful mountain scenery. At Charlotte is Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson. There are a number of views which give an excellent idea of the place just as it looked in the days when it was the home of the author of the im¬ mortal Declaration of Independence. The monument to him is shown, com¬ memorating his purchase of Louisi¬ ana. In the picture of Augusta County, in which Staunton is located, there are beautiful panoramic peaks in Virginia, and the valley. In Staun¬ ton itself the cameraman paid par¬ ticular attention to the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson. There are also some views of educational institutions and panoramas of the mountains and the valley. On the same reel is a Gaumont Kartoon Komic of more than the usual amount of merry madness put into it by Harry Palmer who an¬ imates these “made-for-laughter” con¬ tributions to this reel. It is called “Curfew Shall Not Ring.” His Sa¬ tanic Majesty, the Spirit of Prohibi¬ tion, and Demon Rum figure prom¬ inently in it. * * * ONE of the surprises of the last month has been the eager inter¬ est displayed by spectators for pictures of the Battle of the Somme. This is being satisfied weekly by the Mutual Weekly, which has received some remarkable pictures from just behind the firing line. The Mutual Weekly is made by the Gaumont Com¬ pany at its Flushing, N. Y., _ labora¬ tories, and from the great Societe des Etablissement Gaumont in Paris, France, is in receipt of battle negative by every ship from the sister republic in Europe. The Somme pictures in Mutual Weekly No. 102 include “Big Gun Fire Directed by Telephone from Observation Balloons,” “Big 75s Being Rushed to More Advantageous Posi¬ tions,” “Air Squadron Ready to Leave,” and “Cathedral Ruins.” Im the same issue is the picture of the French aviator who bombarded the Krupp works at Essen. REEL LIFE — Page Five