Variety (September 1918)

MOVING PI0TUHE8 45 HANDS UP. Echo Delano Ruth Roland Hands Up George Chosbro Judith Strange Easter Waters The Phantom Rider ; ■■ - In the sixth episode ot this Pathe eerlal there Is no let-up for the perils of Echo, tho fearless newspaper 'woman. She throws Incas warriors right and left from a box car of a rapidly moving train. She then takes a stupen- dous dive as they cross a bridge, but the vil- lains still pursue her, the whole party proving no slouches aa swimmers. Echo and Hands Up are both captured and taken to the Inca cas- tle, where they start to burn Echo as a sacri- fice to the Sun God. But the cowboys from the Strang Ranch come Just In time. Hands Up Is soon called to the Army, leaving Echo in the bands of 'Two Qua" Carter. Echo be- comes the object of another plot, so the Phantom Rider takes steps to foil It One feels that Echo must ge very tired of one thrill after another, and that her friends must wish she would go home as her rescue has become a recognized part of each day. THE TALK OF THE TOWN. ' ■ Genevra French Dorothy PhllllpB Major French George Fawcett Aunt Harriet Clarissa Selwyne Lawrence Tabor William Stowell Jack Langhome Lon Chaney Should the discipline of the home be Prus- sian or democratic? That, briefly, Is the theme of the Bluebird feature, shown at the Broadway, in which Dorothy Phillips is starred. Why the picture should have been given the above title is hard to say, there Is nothing in the story to create a furore, on the contrary, it la a mild and Inoffensive yarn, totally de- void of anything sensational. % Mls3 Phillips is pleasing In the role of Genevra French, an orphan, brought up by her uncle, a former major in the army. Her guardian raises her along military lines, against which, as she grows older, Genevra rebels and naturally, whenever the oppor- tunity offers, goes to the other extreme. Merely with the idea ot being free from her uncle's guardianship, ehe marries the first man who crosses her path, and she finds she is little better off as a wife than she was as a daughter. There is a strong vein of humor through the whole picture, otherwise It would be hope- lessly uninteresting. A number of amusing scenes In which Miss Phillips and her young companions play havoc In the house in her guardian's absence, help some. The pho- tography is sharp and clear and the settings are in keeping with the story. MONET ISN'TYVERYTHING. Margery Smith '. Margarita Fisher Franklyn Smith..... Jack Mower Kenry P. Rockwell.. J. Norria Foster "Diamond Tim" Moody Wedgwood Nowell Betty Nan Kate Price This Pathe feature, shown privately, is from a story by Fred Jackson, entitled "Beauty to Let" directed by Edward Sloman. It Is an amusing little trifle that could easily have been told in two reels Instead ot five. Margarita Fisher, who is starred, gives an In- teresting characterization of a young woman who Is supposed to be a raving beauty, but absolutely brainless. The Btory has no par- ticular point ana the situations are Impos- sible. The production la worthier of a better theme, apparently no expense has been spared, the Interiors are extremely handsome, all looking fresh and new: The extras are clothed In fine raiment, some of which has a Paris trademark stamped all over. Miss Fisher has a good supporting company. Jack Mower, her leading man, is always amusing, even In his serious moments, and he grovldes lots of the comedy. Kate- Price, as etty Nan, a harmless chaperon, gets many laughs with her ludicrous efforts to keep a watchful eye over her charge. Of course there la a villain and a forged title to an estate, both these two. good old meller props are hauled In with an Idea of making Franklin Smith (Jack Mower) appear in a heroic light otherwise he would cut a very small figure In the picture, as the five reels are made up of Mies Fisher, first laBt and all the time. THE ONE WOMAN. Rev. Frank Gordon Lawson Butt Kate Ransom C!ara •Williams Mark Ovorman Herschell Mayall Ruth Gordon Adda Gleason ^Governor Morrison Thurston Hall Bey Ben Alexander °'£l Mary Jane Irving The Mastercraft Company, a closed cor- poration controlled by the Rev. Thomas Dixon, has made a feature film production of Dr. Dixon's book, "The One Woman," directed by Reginald Barker, scenario by the author and Richard Scbayer, with Charles Kaufman pho- tographer. It will be distributed by Select. The moral taught by the piece 1b the avoid- ance of "free love" as expounded by certain branches of socialism. A wild-eyed religious fanatic—a clergyman, married, with two children, preaches "the brotherhood or ffian"TFom his pulpit "and fB forced to resign. He appeals to a wealthy banker to aid him In. building a new temple where he can have free voice in expounding his theories. He falls In love with a wealthy "vampire," who feeds his personal ego and tells his wife he cannot live a lie—that he loves the other woman. She pleads with him: "I have given you my life—a home—children" in response to his "revelation" of a new and overwhelming love. At this point be receives.a latter from a lawyer that a client Is the anonymous donor ot 11,000,000 to his new church. He goes to the other woman and says: "I love you better than life Itself, but we must never see each other again." Leaving her, he goes to the hall, and on picking up his hat flnda the lawyer's * card, and it dawns upon him that the woman la the donor. He returns and takes her In bis arms. She says: "But your wife?" "Let me fight it out alone," he replies, and goes home to declare his Intention to abandon his family. "Tou would desert the mother of your children and take up with another woman Just as any common cur would do?" His mind Is made up and he won't recede. The Temple of Man 1b consecrated, and at the opening he announces the other woman as his wife, placing a ring upon her finger with- out any other ceremony. His wife has always been loved by her guardian, who has now been elected governor of the state. The banker 1b a bachelor who is shy of women, but when he meets the vampire Is very much smitten and pays her considerable attention. He taunts the clergyman with the creed of "tree love," to which the clergyman rejoins: "God has not made the man who can take her .from me." The vampire, however, tires of his "yap- pings," and now looks with favor upon the banker. The war breaks out and the social- ists rant against conscription. The clergy- man is, with all bis weakness, a patriot, and won't permit the antl-oonscrlptlon attitude of his associates. As a result he Is driven from his chuch by force and rushes to his domicile to find the banker embracing the vampire. In a terrlflo fight he kills the banker and rushes back to his wife, who takes him in. She had, meantime, refused to marry the gov- ernor, still loving the father of her children. On trial for his life, the vampire testifies against him and he is convicted and sentenced to die. The wife .accompanied by her little boy, calls on the governor to plead for a par- don. It develops the governor had pressed the prosecution. In the hope of winning the good woman for his own wife, and finally grants the pardon, leaving the clergyman to return^ to the bosom of his family. Very competently acted, with the borne ele- ment strongly depicted by the children, espe- cially by little Ben Alexander, the child wbo scored so strongly In "Hearts ot the World." The picture Is certain to give satisfaction . with any audience, but the volume of profit to be derived from it is dependent upon the ingenuity exercised in persuading a few prom- inent, long-haired socialists In rising on their hind legB to protest against the photoplay as not In keeping with the socialistic teachings. The directorial and mechanical end ot the production were In able bands; the story is strong, but it is in the exploitation that the "big money" lies. Jem HIS BIRTHRIGHT. Haworth Producing Corp. has given Sessue Hayakawa a strong theme in the aoove, and the young Japanese star makes the most of it He is a born picture actor and shows striking power In the dramatic climaxes, of which there are many. Technically, the picture is out ot the or- dinary. The direction is one of the outstand- ing features. The few trifling faults along these HneB will never be noticed by the or- dinary film fan. The photography la clear and . sharp, with close-ups thrown In here and there with telling effect when a point is to be driven home. One Is Impressed with the ex- teriors. Care has been taken In obtaining the right "atmosphere," and the result Is most pleasing. Large Japanese gardens and tem- ples surrounded by extensive grounds, with Jap women and children flitting around, all add to the realism. The Interiors are hand- some and in keeping with the general pro- duction, the whole thing having been done on & lavish fic&lo The scenario would have been In far better taste had It been built around an ordinary American citizen, and followed the lines of . John Luther Long's story, "Purple Eyes," to which It bears some similarity. Instead ot making a Rear-Admiral of the United States Navy (In uniform) bear the disgrace of being confronted with an Illegitimate son, the result of a "love affair" with a Japanese girl, when he was an ensign, stationed at a port in Japan. Rear-Admiral Morton and the United States Navy is again placed In an unenviable light In the picture when certain Government docu- ments are stolen from him and find their way Into the bands of a female German spy. Thrills follow in quick succession, with Hayawaka always the central figure. He also supplies the comedy. The company support- ing the Jap Is a strong one and they handle their parts with Intelligence. Applause was not lacking the night the picture was seen at the Circle. A LAW UNTxThERSELF. Justine Louise Glaum Le Sleur Philippe de Lame. .Joseph F. Dowltng Kurt von Klaasner 8. A. DeGrasse Bertrand DuRoo Edward Coxen Louise Glaum Is aeon to good advantage in ■ "A-Law Unto Herself.' a Pa rait a feature, and . . In a part vastly different from tho "vamps"" and scarlet ladles for which she has shown such « fondness In the past Here she Is a French girl, the daughter ot a rich vine grower, who Is In love with Bertrand DuRoo, the poor overseer of her father's estate. But Kurt von Klaasner comes on the scene and presses a suit which is favorably regarded by the father of Justine (Louise Glaum). Discovering the state of affairs between Justine and Bertrand, von Klaasner meets uls rival one night and In an altercation runs him through with his sword cane. The mur- der 1b laid to poachers. So Justine marries the German, who becomes manager of the estate, and settles down to a browbeaten and humdrum existence. A baby is born, and Justine devotes her time to bringing him up on French ideas and traditions. In the meantime she has dis- covered that von Klaasner Is the murderer of her lover. Then the war breaks out and von Klassner goes at once to Berlin, although he has hitherto pretended to have become a French citizen. Justine tells her son that he Is Bertrand's son, they having been mar- ried 'shortly before he was killed. The Ger- mans come and begin murdering and ravish- ing the peasants, even killing Justine's' father, but then a larger force of French arrives. Von Klassner appearing on tho scene at the • same time Is handed over to the French as a spy by the boy he thinks his own son. Miss Glaum plays with great tensity and depth of emotion. She 1b tender and womanly and altogether successful In what for her is a new type of character. 8. A. DeGrasse is excellent, both in appearance and acting, as the German. The youth who plays Justino's son after be has grown to manhood is an eloquent reminder of the far-reaching de- pletions of the draft It is a pity that' a really good picture should be marred by one so unsulted to the role of the stalwart young fellow. Part of the success Is dye to re- markably good direction. The title means nothing. SPORTING LIFE. . John, Earl of Woodstock Ralph Graves Joe Lee.... Warner Richmond Miles Vavanagh Charles Bldrldge Ma let de Carteret Charles Craig Straker. Henry Weal Norah Cavanaglr. Constance Blnney Kitty Cavanagh Fair Blnney Olive de Carteret Wlllette Kershaw The film version of Henry Hamilton and Seymour Hicks' famous Drury Lane melo- drama, "Sporting Lite," made by Maurice Tourneur, Is on exhibition this week at the RIvoH. A play so full ot action lends Itself readily to plcturlslng. It Is full ot suopenslvs Interest, the villains being constantly foiled at the eleventh hour—or rather second. Ex- cellent views are shown of the Earl of Wood- stock's English estate, the Gypsy camp, racing stable, tallyhos, house party, a olgarette- stnoklng vlllalness, the National Sporting Club and list a genuine picture ot the famous Eng- lish Derby at Epsom. A cumulative, suspense- holding scenario was prepared by Wlnthrop Kelley. Lord Woodstock, a young gentleman sports- man, is in financial difficulties, He counts on winning the Derby to recoup his losses. Ho loves one of the daughters ot his horse trainer and the other sister loves too well a young - prizefighter who is a protege ot Woodstock. The vlllalness and her husband scheme to dope the fighter, figuring that Woodstock will be so heavily Involved he will be compelled to scratch hie Derby entry' This is foiled by the stable trainer, but the vlllalness proves to the old man the fighter la the betrayer-ot his daughter and he, broken-hearted, lends himself to the nofarloua plot. Woodstock dub challenged tor the fight In tho name ot an un- known and, as a last resource, takes the fight- er's place in the ring, winning. "I have not yet named my man—I name myself." Ills horses are walked across London In a fog, a collision is "framed" and Lady Love, the Derby candidate, is spirited away 'and hidden In the cellar of a public house. His fiancee starts out to recover the equine and a won- derfully effective "shot" showing tho cellar, the saloon and the upper story of the public house Is flashed. Villain: "If be falls to ap- pear at the track we can claim he is dead and have bis horse scratched." Meanwhile the doped fighter goes to the vlllanness's apart- ment and says: "Never shall you trick an- other, man as you did me," and chokes her, rushing oft believing he has killed her. He hides In the Gypsy camp with his mother. ■ While there he overhears and sees the con- federates of the villains kidnap Woodstock. He rescues him, they rush oft to the track In an auto and arrive Just as the horses are led to the post The villain bad already protested Woodstock's entry and It seems certain Lady Love won't be permitted to run. But Lady Love wins and everything ends happily for all excepting the plotters. Ralph Graves Is a good type for the Earl, Charles Craig and Wlllette Kershaw are the classy pair of plotters who are foiled and the Blnney Sisters (newcomers) are the daughters of the trainer. The young girls will be liked In pictures but there Is nothing In their work In the present feature to Indicate they will develop Into world-beaters as screen stars. 3''4Js| AU things considered, "Sporting Life" will make an attractive special release and will give satisfaction to any audience. Jolo. John Col ton baa been employed by the Ga?l Kane Productions to write scenarios for the remainder of the pictures for the present series now being produced by Miss Gail. COMING! The Triangle Distributing Corporation announces the early release of "Tony America 91 with a notable cast featuring Francis McDonald as Tony, the Italian lad, whose starved soul battles the verdicts of the master merchant and finds solace in paternal love. Directed by Thomas N. Heffron McDonald's masterful interpretation of the star role in this picture, rich in pathos and sentiment, assures a box- office attraction that will boost your profits. Invest your savings in W. S. S. Triangle Distributing Corporation 1457 Broadway, New York