Variety (October 1918)

BUYBONDS PRISONERS OF THE PINES. A picture of the Canadian northwest woods, the country of the lumberjack, In which .J, Warren Kerrigan Is starred, made by Jesse D. Hampton and distributed by Hodkinson, I no The story tells the life of the lumbermen, who work in the camps all winter and come to town with the spring freshets to spend their pay checks In two or three nights, over a bar or In a gambling house, and have to go back t the next fall, to go through the same per- formance again, ■- HUalre (J, Warren Kerrigan) Is a French Canadian lumberman, who gets married Just before he leaves his home for the camp. His object is, he tells his wife, to'get a "leetle wad" that they may start housekeeping. Tho story baa a. punch and is unfolded In a simple and convincing manner. The fine play- ing by Mr. Kerrigan carries it along, but it is. true to life and the Interest never lags. The titles occasionally are hard to follow, as they are In broken English and some In the French patois of the Upper Quebec lumber- men, a language very hard to understand (or the average film tan. But the meaning Is generally caught and the quaint humor of. some'of the captions causes many a laugh. The locations are fine and they have i all the characteristics of the camps in the .far northwest. Clever direction adds greatly to the picture. InT'selecting .types, Ernest C. Warde found some pretty rugged 'looking characters, who have all the earmarks of hardened lumbermen. The comedy In the picture Is furnished by "Spudde," tho cook, whose main object In life outside of feeding the camp. Is cutting out the life-size portraits of actresses from the Police Gazette and pasting them around his kitchen. "Prisoners' of the Pines" should be a pro- gram feature of unusual Interest, as It will appeal to 'both young and old. And there are no end of thrills. McClure Productions, Inc., will reissue its "Deadly Sins" series. The distribution will he handled by General Film exchanges, ■ Roy Dennis, of Richmond, Ind., has been appointed manager of the Grand, Hamilton, Ohio, recently acquired by the Broomball & ScMvalm Interests, >' £•*.; >-•' , Sessiie Hayak^wa M ,\.: .<■ :w ? v"--v in •■ ,,- ' ...'■ * > : ■•". "7§£e Temple <f Dusk" Produced by Haworth Pictures Corporation Available October 20 at Mutual Exchanges : Special Pre-release Dale October 13 ■ .■>'"■ >. . WHEN A WOMAN SINS. Ulllnn Murchard, later Poppoa... .Thcda Bara Mortimer West ...... Joaopb Swclkard Augu. tus Van Brooks.; .Alfred Fremont Michael West '. Albert Roscoe UorkIo West Jack Rollens Mrs. West Oenovlovo Bllnn A. Fox feature, starring Thcda Bura, at tho Academy of Music this week. The title is alluring; and wltl catch the unsuspecting, who Imagine they arc going to see a real old' fashioned melodrama o£ the 10, 20,- HO cent Variety, wlioroln vlrtua triumphs in tho Bnal scene and tho be-whiskered villain la thwart- ed by tho doughty uerft - There Is nothing like this In Miss Data's new feature, and after following the picture carefully one feels nlnuist disappointed be- cause there Is no digression from the path' of virtue and the heroine apparently is not even seriously thinking of sinning. Miss Bara assumes the roles of a trained nurse, successful actress and vampire. As the last naqed she la astonishingly mild and Inoffensive, although one youthful Idiot, scion of a wealthy family, does blow out his brains because she refuses to marry him. At the same time she is desperately In love with his cousin, a young Episcopal clergyman, ' Her regeneration from vamplrlng Is brought about through their mutual love and the final scene- shows the pair In a church with the clergyman presenting this modern Mag- dalen—who has not sinned—with water lilies, Miss Bara Is at her best as the successful actress. In these particular scenes there are a number of dramatic situations which are well handled. Having declared she Is - soullesB (Lillian Marchard) Miss Bara, unable to find hap- piness'and the.spiritual comfort, she desires, decides to sell herself to the' highest bidder. With this plan' In view, she calls together five or. six old profligates of her acquaintance and after a wine supper the auction starts. A millionaire. theatrical .manager is the high- est bidder and, Just as they are about to seal the bargain In an osculatory way, In rushes a small boy. with a Bible in whlcb there are several marked passages and a bunch-of water lilies, -from her clergyman lover. This, of course, upsets the whole Proceedings, the diners are dismissed and-•Lillian finds the spiritual comfort for which her soul has been' craving In the Holy Writ and the flowers. Miss Bara Is ably supported by a small, but Intelligent, company, and the settings are unusually handsome. The picture' was made under the direction of J. Oordon Edwards, while. John W. Boyle was the cameraman. Harold LoCkwofld's '.'Pals First" (Metro). It fits Mr. Lockwood. who plays It with *» better grace df eass than usually.,? For play- ting, however, there Is the role taken by James Lacknye, of the Domlnlo, and as an .actor. Mr. Lackaye races away with the picture. "Pals First" was written by Frances Perry Elliott as a novel, dramatised andj now filmed. Its fanciful and light story bat been made holding as a'scenario through the element of suspense as to Identity of Mr. Lockwood as Danny Rowland, first-seen as a tramp, In traveling association with Mr. Lackaye us the Dominie, another tramp. Rowland la an escaped convict, wanted for murder: the Dominie has been cast out of his church. They arrive before tbe gates of the Castle- man home In Tennessee, (And the most mystifying' Incidents of the picture. were whether there were "gates" or a fence open-s ing to*, the home.. One time Iron! gates Were shown,'then a fence, and they alternated in this way until one was Impressed with the be- lief that there might have been a. back.en- trance to'the house that far exceeded in ap- pearance the front.) Richard Castleman, the young owner of the . mansion, was' being mourned as lost. His cousin, a doctor, had messages saying Castleman -bad been lost nt sea- whllo on his way to Australia. The. strlkln* resemblance of Rowland permitted that "bum" to take possession, breaking up the doctor's Intrigues, among which were to . secure possession of the estato and tho girl Castlcmnn loved. . All tbe events transpire In 24 hours. It would seem. Rowland frustrate* hts coustn, who denounce* him ns an Impostor. Rowland finally vflnnulshW him on the rondway, In a hardy fo»«cht. fl*tlc bnftte. wherein -the cousin (an excellent villain by the way, In looks and Action) takes a most dandv knockout nuneh. ■M m ........ < ■■■-'■ ':