Reel Life (1916-1917)

“A LASS OF THE LUMBERLANDS 1* Helen learns of her right to the fortune of ‘ Dollar" Holmes HELEN HOLMES' extraordinary adventures ^elen Dawson . . . Helen Holmes in A Lass of the Lumberlands, approach their culmination in “The Indian’s Hand,” “Dollar’ Holmes . Thomas C. Lingham Chapter XIV of the extraordinary Mutual Tom Dawson . . . Leo Maloney Signal photo-novel, since the young woman Blake . J. P. McGowan becomes for the first time aware of her actual title to the name and fortune of old “Dollar” The episode in which Holmes is shown refusing to reHolmes, arch conspirator of the lumber trust and bitter marry the woman who has borne him a son displays the old opponent of the Independent lumber interests, of which Joe lumber pirate in a demoniac mood, his face distorted with Dawson, Helen’s foster father, is the head. rage and his eyes agleam with hate of the elements involved Miss Holmes, wh6 is the epitome of action , in his impending downfall. Against this passion of throughout the exciting episodes of the rage, Helen Holmes interposes her is given ^ justice be ^ Helens t<> " IMNr be effective „ his daughter, whose deter One of the most sensational and resource have foiled episodes in the whole drama liim in so many of his schemes directed is that in which Little Beai | ^Nk/^ against the Independents, leaps from a precipice into a moun ^^■^■■141 , . tain torrent between precipitous walls of There. ,s a £neTw complication in the de¬ rock in an effort to escape capture by the $& 1 termination of Jim Blake, the fonner co¬ myrmidons of Holmes, and is fought ofif 'vX' conspirator with , Holmes, to force Mrs. from the jagged rocks by Holmes in a des Holmes, Stephens mother, into an elope perate effort to insure his death. The plunge * nient with him. This unfortunate woman, into the torrent from a great height is spec refused honorable marriage by the man who tacular to a degree and the struggle for life Miss Helen Holmes, starring in deceived her, and confronted with a wretch is so realistic as to suggest that there actual "A Lass of the Lumberlands.” ed future, takes twenty thousand dollars ly was considerable difficulty in towing the from Holmes’ safe and is caught in the act swimmer ashore. Of course the story is beginning to close by Blake, who threatens to bring about her arrest unless she and Holmes, whose devious operations in lumber and human consents to run off with him. life have calloused his heart, is face to face with the fruits The scene between Holmes and his supposed wife, when of his own villainy He is confronted with the necessity of the woman demands marriage and is rejected and reviled by telling his son Stephen that he is illegitimate, because, through Holmes, is one of the best bits of acting in the play. The a curious twist of fate Stephen has met and wants to marry tragedy 0f the situation is emphasized by the appearance of Helen Dawson actually Helen Holmes, his half sister. young Stephen, who is chief sufferer from Holmes’ evil It is this little contretemps which drives the lumber baron courses and> ironicall enough, his best bei0Ved. to make a clean breast of affairs to his son, and in this same r , . . ,, . . , connection he is compelled to face Helen Holmes, his The fight at the depot where Florence has gone to meet daughter Blake, is an excellent bit of stage management. Blake is C The' chapter is arranged to give Miss Holmes a rushing £st ab°ut f b°ard *he train when he is closed in on from time of it between her receipt of the message from her foster three sides by Tom Dawson, Joe Dawson and the members brother, Stephen, that he is critically ill, and her final con °f ,the Pohce department who have been summoned by fronting of Holmes with a demand that he marry Stephen’s Holmes to Prevent the escaPe of Blake wlth the $20,000. mother worthwith, or accept the consequences. Some people affect to believe that nobody ever gets Miss Holmes is confronted with the necessity for perilous really hurt in a screen fight. Well, in this little affair at the travel by canoe through rushing rapids, by train over in train, Dawson lands on Blake’s solar plexus with an ap secure bridges, by mountain trail and motor car, her usual proved uppercut of the quick-landipg type that put Jim luck carrying her through these various phases of her Corbett hors du combat at Carson City, journey right side up with care. There is no doubt that Leo Maloney intended to “draw The mountain scenery in this chapter is perhaps the most that punch,” using the vernacular of the ring, but he didn’t picturesque of the entire drama, which has been character put the English on it soon enough. The expression on the ized by some of the most rugged outdoor scenes ever face of the man who went down is such as to indicate plainly screened. In one episode of the play a herd of deer is seen what happened to Blake. There are half a dozen mixed up bounding away from the railway track and any woodsman in the affair which is a very snappy piece of stage action, knows when he sees those deer clearing dead and down \fim Blake puts up a fight that is worth going miles to see and ber with tremendous bounds, that they were never rehearsed is one of the most realistic stage combats witnessed for many by any motion picture director. a day. REEL LIFE— Page Nine