Moving Picture World (March 1908)

244 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD chine, and when the officer reaches the spot he follows the wrong machine, which also has two ladies as passengers. He chases it all the way to the frontier post, and he arrives out of breath just as the machine is about to pass. He shouts a warning and tells the other soldiers his experience, but they laugh at him. To prove what he says, he jumps into the auto and seizes one of the ladies; but she happens to be very much alive and the buncoed gendarme finishes up much the worse for wear. "The Vestal" (Pathe) is set in the Ro- man era. A young soldier and his sweet- heart are embracing each other fondly and making their vows. The next scene shows the public square, where it is announced that war has been proclaimed. The old priest addresses the populace, telling them that he has chosen for them a great leader who is none other than this young man. Upon order of the priest, his mail, sword and helmet are brought him, and 'mid the cheers of the people he bids his love good- bye and goes off to the war. The next view shows the girl loung- ing in her room attended by her slave. Suddenly a messenger announces that a soldier seeks admittance with news for her. He is promptly shown in; he is a wounded man, and after placing the mes- sage in her hands, he drops dead at her feet. Upon reading it she learns that her sweetheart has been killed. The terrible truth is too much for her and she becomes morose and melancholy. Finally, in de- spair, she decides to.take the veil and be- come a vestal in the church, whose duty it is to keep burning perpetually a sacred flame of incense in the tower of the church. She is admitted to the sacred duty, and is satisfied to so forget her lost lover. The next scene shows the unveiled girl being marched out by soldiers to a cave where she is to be executed by being thrown into the pit to die. The black hole is un- covered, and after the priest points out to her the extinguished light, she is quickly thrown into the pit, notwithstanding the pleas and efforts of her lover who has meanwhile arrived on the scene. At this moment a miracle occurs, for, of its own accord, the light suddenly flares up, no hu- man hand having touched it. All gathered about it prostrate themselves before the divine manifestation and recognize it as a heavenly interference. The girl is taken out of the terrible pit and restored to the arms of her lover. "I Have Won a Pig" (Pathe)—A raf- fle booth at a country fair is shown, at which live stock is being drawn for, in full- operation. The good, folk gathered about hold numbers and as the wheel turns a clown distributes among the winners, chickens, rabbits and geese. One portly gentleman wins a pig and becomes so elated on receiving his prize that with some friends he goes to a cafe to drink. He indulges by far too freely and spills many bottles of liquor into the pig's anatomy, via its mouth, until the animal seems to be intoxicated too. Holding it in arms as he would a baby, the prize-winner goes to an employment bureau with it and en- gages a governess to take care of it The lady who accepts the position follows him around faithfully until he reaches his home, where as soon as he staggers in through the door, his wife takes hold of him, and after giving him- his dues drives the pig from the house. Pathe's "A Good Joke" will amuse everybody. A quartet are making merry at a feast, and one of them is so full of liquor' that he falls from his chair. At this his companions conceive, a clever plan for some fun. Taking a while fur suit from a wardrobe, they put him into it, and finishing the outfit with heavy white gloves and fitting a hollow bear head tightly over his own, they turn him- out. of the house resembling an . intoxicated Polar Bruin. He staggers along the roads, and soon becoming tired, crawls.. In this posi- tion he makes h'*s way among some peas- ants working on a farm, and dro ( j 1 their implements, the terrorized folk run into town, where the alarm is quickly ■ spread, and many amusing scenes follow. "The Dream of an Opium Fiend" is a trick subject by Melies. The opium fiend is seen in a den, puffing on this terrible nar- cotic. He then falls fast asleep.and dreams that he is at home with his wife. He asks for something to drink and he is given wine, which he does not care for, and he is finally given some bottled beer and a glass, but he complains that the glass is too small and he gets a very large sized glass receptacle, into which his wife and maid servant pour the contents of the bot- tle. As he is.about to drink the glass passes from his hand mysteriously, sailing through the room and out of the window to the moon, which drinks the beer and the empty glass is returned to its owner by Diana, who rides below on her crescent moon. The opium fiend tries many times to embrace her, but she always disappears from her original position; and once, when he almost gets her, she has changed into a most ugly creature. He hurls at _this hideous transformation everything within his reach. The scene then changes, show- ing the fiend, awake, throwing the differ- ent things at the Chinaman attendant of the opium den. The Cook Wins.—An amusing -Rossi comedy, well calculated to cause whole- some hilarity. In the quarters of a con- firmed bachelor are several candidates for the state of matrimony discussing their fates, when one produces a paper in which he has advertised for a lady 'with certain qualifications. In great glee they depart for the appointed place, and ar- riving at the establishment the candidate is introduced to the several applicants. In turn he is entertained by one endowed with ability to paint, the poet laureate, the pianist and violinist. In conclusion he is entertained at dinner, and the many delicious dainties placed before him so tickle his palate that he desires to see the cook. The little maid is brought out and very shyly accepts his compliments, and when he finally expresses. his pref- erence for this demure little maid in for-? eign costume, he brings upon himself the intense hatred of the others, who leave in disgust. The series concludes with an enlarged view of the maid feeding the human monster and thus insuring his perpetual affection. Good-Hearted Sailor.—This Rossi sub- ject depicts in a striking manner the typi- cal whole-heartedness of a sailor. In a happy home at the seashore are a sailor, his wife and two daughters. One of the daughters has a sweetheart, a young sea- man. The latter calls to pav his respects to the family and makes a candid con- fession of his love for the eldest daugh- ter, to the mother. The father is called, and when annrised of conditions, he gravely shakes his head and .refuses his consent, for reasons he does not disclose. His ruling brings regret to the heart of the young aspirant for the hand of his daughter and tears and regret to the lat- 'ter. The laddie departs, but returns alter dark to call for his lassie to be clandes- tinely married. As he cautiously enters, she stealthily comes to meet him, and her heart filled with joy and regret she places her hand in his and -with longing eyes she almost reluctantly leaves the home of her youth and to which her heart still clings. The next day the fam- ily ' is deeply moved by their experience and the stern father' is convulsed with re- gret and remorse. Shortly after we see our laddie go out to sea in his little craft and our lassie is at the shore waving a fond farewell. She has a premonition of misfortune, and with tears streaming over her cheeks she -wends her way to her home. Towards evening someone notes signals of distress far out in the sea, and the fact is soon imparted to the old sailor, who fearlessly answers the call of duty and with a light sets out to render aid to some unfortunate. The youngest daughter pleads not to go out into the' storm," but is ruthlessly thrust aside. On a rock out in the sea the sailor finds the shipwrecked lad, and. when he recognizes him he is at first sorry for his effort, but the earnest pleading of the almost exhausted laddie moves him to compassion and he takes him up and brings him in to land, whence he car- ries him home. Soon the young wife enters and earnestly pleads the pardon of the father; again the large-heartedness of the: sailor comes to the fore and he pardons both the young folks and be- stows his benediction, to the extreme joy and happiness of all concerned. Willie's Magic Wand (comic and magi- cal). Willie's father, a magician, amuses his little son by experiments with a magic wand. Willie yearns to possess the wand and work his father's wonders by its means. He succeeds, appropriates the wand, and departs in search of subjects. Willie wants to play out-of-doors, but a snowstorm prevents. He raises Lis wand, the storm ceases, the sun shines, and the snow gradually dissolves. Willie touches grannie's face as she sleeps. She awakes, horrified to find herself adorned with complete masculine beard and moustache. Grand-dad, enjoying his paper and soothing liquids. Willie steals behind and touches the tumbler and syphoa Grand-dad, surprised to find a full glass, proceeds to drink, but the fluid turns to flour, which flies over the old man. He collapses on to the floor, where- upon the syphon moves itself to the edge of the table and plays upon grand-dad. Cook is preparing a monster fish tor dinner. A touch of Willie's wand, and the fish arises from the table and otters battle to the affrighted cook. The lazy boot boy is asleep in his pan- try. Willie touches the brushes, and they automatically clean the dirty boots and black the sleeping boy's face. . Willie's tea time. Mother cuts a slice of cake. Not large enough. He asl» for more. She cuts another slice, at desires the whole cake. She declines to give it, and removes his plate altogether. Watching his opportunity. V\>"» e touches mother and cake with hi? wand. Surprised at herself, she suddenly hands Willie the cake, which he proceeds to enjoy. -. __ Father, informed of the magic occur- rences, investigates. Willie owns up. As a punishment Willie is converted