The New York Clipper (August 1916)

34 THE NEW YORK CLIPPER August 26 FEATURE FILM REPORTS. "THE STIRG OF VICTORY." EM AX AY. FIVE RKRLB. Released Aug. 10.By T.'li. 8. S. STORY—Ancient conflict of tore and duty Idea, laid in Civil War times. Conventional story. written for screen by Cbas. Mortfener Peck. War melodrama. DIBBCTION—By J. Chas. Haydon. Fair. ACTION—Passably interesting. Seme good battle scenes. . j: . OTTUATIONS—Iss^MBtesJ aad of old fashioned construction. ATMOSPHERE—Fair. CONTINUITY—Uneven. SUSPENSE—Lacking. DETAIL—Several noticeable errors. COSTUMES—Civil War period. Right BTAR—-Henry. B. Walthal. Plays a dual role and gives a good performance on the whole. PHOTOGBAPHY^-Good. LIGHTING—Fair..- EXTERIORS—Good locations. LNTEKIORS—WeU built seta. RRMARKR . ' "The Sting of Victory" has one redeeming trait at any "rate,, the ending Is logical. This is about the only feature of the entire picture play that Is not-old fashioned and conventional. The picture la-fairly well produced regarding' atmosphere, but the director overlooked several exterior scenes) in Which, some decidedly modern, objects are distinctly noticeable. . Henry B. Walthal, -In a dual role la his usual reposeful. and excellent acting self. Antoinette Walker, a newcomer to .the screen, renders a good account of herself, and when she becomes more fa- miliar "with camera, techloue, should make a first ctoaa leading woman. . - ■ THils type of screen drama was exceedingly popu- lar with Griffith, In the old'out. reel Blograph days. Rut, then. Griffith Is Griffith, and his exceptional ability as a, producer often made the most common- place "themia highly attractive when ' visualized. whether the present day picture public will fall for a revival of the Civil'War. "love and duty" melodrama remains to be seen.. . ST.. "' BOX OFFICE VALUE. '-Advertise Walthal This feature la a, fair.one) dky attraction for the middle grade houses. Lav. REMARKS. .... This modern drama, with Its.artistic.introduc- tion of allegory is in every .respect-a,high class picture play. The-story treats of a Russian.farmer who comes to America and finds lucrative employ- ment In the steel mills of Pennsylvania. - He leaves his wife and daughter in Russia, and gradually forgets their existence : as. the' passing years - find him a magnate of the steel industry and a man of power in the community. • The wife, daughter, and the, tatter's husband. Journey to America to find the errant one, years itter. and; unknown to she now rich steel manu- facturer secure employment In one of his mills. Through the medium of a dream, * the man of wealth Is brought to a realization of his short- comings. Eventually, seeing the "Light at Dusk." the self made magnate atones for past errors of omission, and the little family are re-unlted. ■ BOX OFFICE) VALUE, . This Is an exceptionally good feature. Should make fine three day attraction for better bouses. Hoi tt i:r. ^TaffiUGHTAIDDSK.' LUBIN. SEVEN REELS. - ' Relented Aug. 5. : Iiy V. L. 8. E. STORY—Written for screen by -Anthony P. Kelly. - - -Flnerstory, with convincingly human qualities. . .Excellent allegorical treatment of theme. Drama. SCENARIO—By Anthony P. Kelly. DIRECTION—-By Edgar. Lewis. . ACTION—Interesting from start to finish. SITUATIONS—Constructed according to the best rules of photoplay craft. ATMOSPHERE—Excellent. . . CONTINUITY—Even. Six reels would bare been better than seven. SUSPENSE—Well maintained. DETAIL—Right. COSTUMES—Modern. STARS—Orrln Johnson and Robert Firmer. Both high class players. PHOTOGRAPHY—Excellent. • LIGHTING—Artistic. EXTERIORS—Particularly good. INTERIORS—Really convincing. Paramount Program I The demand of the public is the necessity of the exhibitor* RMoosllArcRS-lAsnr CORPORATION -**• rim avium M ■ ** V » sV K sssas "GRETCHEN, THE GREENHORN." '" Furs: ARTS. ' five Rfiei.s. ' Beleated Sept. i. Bu triangle. STORY—Melodrama, with good T'comedy relief' of the more refined type. Written for screen by Bernard McConvllle. ■"> SCENARIO—By Bernard McConvllle. DIRECTION—By C. A. and M. S. Franklin. Good. ACTION—Has a rather quaint charm. SITUATIONS—Several good melodramatic situ- ations. ATMOSPHERE—Good. CONTINUITY—^Even. SUSPENSE—WeU maintained. DETAIL—Right, COSTUMES—-Modern. STAR—Dorothy GIsh PHOTOGRAPHY—Kxcellcnt LIGHTING—Effective. EXTERIORS—Varied and pleasing to the eye. INTERIORS—Realistic. REMARK'S. This la not a marvelous feature In any way. but it is a very human and appealing little melodrama that offers Dorothy Gist Just- the right opportunity to put over a corking character portrayal of a sim- ple little Dutch girl. Others who contribute fine character studies are Ralph Lewis, as an old Dutch engraver; Eugcuo Palette, as a capital acting crook and counter- feiter; Frank Fennctt as a genuinely convincing Itsttan, and Little George Stone who, for a child of his years, exhibits truly wonderful Intelligence, not to mention marked ability as. a screen actor. The story treats of Jan Van Houk, an.old. Dutch engraver, who comes to America with his daughter, Gretchen, and Is Influenced by one of the habitues of the tenement neighborhood In which his lack of success forces htm to live to make some plates— ostensibly to secure for himself a government posi- tion. - Rodgers, a crook, and his gang, use the pistes to make counterfeit money. When the old man learns to what use.his en- graving is being put, and what la far worse, dis- covers that Gretchen is being made an Innocent tool to pass the spurious money, he ■ determines to expose Rodgers' gang. To frustrate him,, he is kidnapped and thrown aboard a vessel. Gretchen, who follows to save him is also taken captive, and Rodgers, who has long had his eye upon the little Dutch girl, seems more than likely to ac- complish his evil Intentions towards her. The Garrlty kids, children of a neighbor how- ever, have to be reckoned with. From the day Gretchen appeared at the tenement they became her staunch followers, and she their best friend. When they saw her rush off, evidently In great trouble, one of them followed, and when he saw his beloved Gretchen being carried aboard the boat he rushed off to give the alarm. Pietro -was the first one he sought, and fortunately Pietro was close and handy by. . .The alarm was quickly given and a desperate chase after the boat followed. The fast motor boat finally overhauled the fugitive, and sfter a real fight, the counterfeiters were ' capture*;, and <0K old Dutchman and Uttle Gretchen rescued. BOX OFFICE VALUEL Advertise Dorothy Glsh supported by an all star company of Triangle favorites. Suitable for better ctese houses. i'H. "THE STRONGER LOVE." MOHOSCO. FIVE REELS. Released Aug. U. By Paramount. STORY—Melodrama. Southern mountain feud story. Conventional plot, with unusual finish, which lends a desirable touch of. novelty and greatly enhances the value of the picture as a wh ole. DIRECTION—By Frank Lloyd. Excellent. ACTION—Several good thrills. Moonshine stuff, f am ilia r but entertaining, nevertheless. SITUATIONS—All well played. Several fine dra- matic situations. ATMOSPHERE—Great CONTINUITY—Not a break. Story la dear*/ an Intelligently visualized. SUSPENSE—Strong. DETAIL—Excellent. COSTUMES—In accord with the action. Lend at- mosphere to the storv. 6TABV—Vivian Martin. Pretty and' clever screen artiste, who knows bow to register potato without forcing matters. PHOTOGRAPHY—Beautiful In the extreme. Some . great double exposures .and other evidences of master hand at the camera. L IGHT ING—Highly artistic. EXTERIORS—Beautiful flews of rugged mountain . scenery. - ^ (,■•'■ INTERIORS—Convincing and atmospheric. ' . ' REMARKS. "Tlie Stronger Love" ls> Just a plain, old fash- ioned heart Interest story laid In the atmosphere of the. feudal section of our. own glorious U. S. A. popularly supposed to exist. .In .'.that Indefinite, and remote region often described as "somewhere In the Southern mountains." Furthermore the-plot Is ele- mentary, and fallows the path of least resistance, T*'ieua.story" plots from as has been the custom of ' time Imtuemorable. But the plot In this Instance is a secondary con- sideration, for wits very little to work, on, Frank Lloyd, uhe director, has produced a, most entertain- ing .feature. : ■ i < ■ "The Stronger Love" Is notable In four, separate and distinct ways. Its characters are quaintly con- vincing and its atmosphere Is realistic,: the pnotog- rapby- is simply wonderful, the star has a'.peculiar- ly appealing personality, and greater than. all .of these advantages, it possesses a real novelty In reaching a conclusion that Is away from the hack- neyed and stereotyped finishes we have .come to ex- pect from "standardised" picture plays. . BOX OFFICE VALUE. . "The Stronger Love" should make a profitable drawing card for the better class of bouses, and should make a lot of money, for the middle grade exhibitors. It's a good feature with a universal appeal. llik. tr ** THE END OF THE TRAIL. 1 ' FOX. FIVES REELS. , " Released Aug. 7. By Fox. STORY—Written by Mabel Helkes Justice. Tale of Canadian-woods. Melodrama, of the extra violent type. SCENARIO—By Oscar Appel. ■ DIRECTION—By Oscar Appel. Excellent . ACTION—Full of intensely interesting action. SITUATIONS—Well constructed. ATMOSPHERE—Fine. CONTINUITY—Even. SUSPENSE—Good. DETAIL—Right. COSTUMES—Canadian woods. In accord with story. STAK—Win. Farnum. One of our best "Blue Shirt" leads before the camera. PHOTOGRAPHY—Artistic L IGHTI NG—Very good. EXTERIORS—Good scenic Values. INTERIORS—Convincing. ■ - - - REMARKS. "The End of the Trail" In Its class. Is a good feature. To the Innumerable clientele of fans wbo follow the heroic picture play doings of Wm. Far- num it will be fully as satisfactory as his former vehicles. Oscsr Apfel la entitled to a spectAl word of praise for his very artistic and painstaking direc- tion. The North woods atmosphere has been caught to a nicety. Theatory concerns a young French Canadian trapper who falls In love with a backwoods school teacher. She has a past, not of her own making, however, hut the trapper marries her anyway. The husband she thought dead turns up" inoppor- tunely, - and claims her just as her child by the trapper Is about to be born. The brutal first husband's abuse results In the school teacher's death, eventually. "Years later." as the title writers love to say, the first husband and second husband meet Hus- ■band No. 1 is killed, and if ever a man deserved Ills fate be "surely did. Farnum Is the heroic trapper second husband, an'd Wlllsrd Louis is the villainous first husband. Gladys Rrockwell offers a decidedly agreeable char- acterization as the school teacher. . BOX OFFICE VALUE. Advertise Wm. Farnum In a stirring melodrama of the North. Suitable for middle grade houses. ■ ... ... NoJ. f METRO <$ PICTURES are the Box Office Picturos because . every Metro Star is a Box Office Attraction The Rower, Bettor, Finer. Productions an dsmsnded by the Public Give, them Ik