Canadian Moving Picture Digest (May 1925-May 1926)

TORONTO, ONTARIO. Pictures in Montreal By S. MORGAN-POWELL ONTREAL. — The event of the week in motion picture circles has been the presentation at the Princess Theatre of “The Iron Horse.” This is a film with a definite and clearly assayable historic value. It has seemingly been made with the laudable purpose of visualizing the story of the making of railway history in the United States. It depicts the construction of the Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railways in the sixties. There are excellent reasons for believing that the producers were actuated by a sincere desire to give this production the greatest possible measure of verisimilitude. That they went to the greatest expense in their efforts to be accurate, both historically and atmospherically, it is clear. And the measure of their success is also the measure of their departure from the average and obvious efforts to appeal directly to the widest possible public in the most melodramatic possible manner. x * Ok + “The Iron Horse” deals with an epic theme. The pushing of the railway across the continent was a bigger step in the advance of civilization, from an economic viewpoint, perhaps, than the freeing of the slaves. Yet, like all such steps, it was hampered and opposed by active scheming and by the obtuse stupidity and shortsightedness of many who believed the idea to be chimerical, who thought it 4a wild dream, who deemed the expenditure a scandalous waste of public money, and who had their own private reasons for wishing to stop its consummation. Yet the road was built—built in the face of inconceivable opposition, obstacles both natural and artificial — geographical, topographical, the diffculties of overcoming natural conditions, of fighting the climate, of defeating the scheming of cabals at Washington, of driving off the continual attacks of Indians and the in sidious onslaughts organized by op. » posing cliques who kept in the background. x *¢ * * It was a remarkable achievement. To place this achievement on record in a permanent, visible, illustrative form, for future generations, was the aim of the Fox Film Corporation in making the picture. Three years of time, and over a million in cash, seem little enough, when one regards the gigantic character of the epic to be formed. The ingenious interweaving of a natural romance with the actual tale of the road’s construction, making this seem an integral part of the scheme and its development, lends to the story such interest as serves to hold the attention of those who look no further than the everlasting theme of a love story and of human conflict, either of individualities or of wills. That this romance is not at all convincing in minor details does not weaken the story as a whole, because the vastly greater epic completely overshadows the emotional interests, though the latter are continued through the film with no little ingenuity and serve to lighten anything approaching tedious detail. * Ok Ok One finds at times little solecisms, trifling errors of detail, an occasional explanation of motive or result missing. But the main theme stands out boldly at all times, and in the elaboration of that theme, in the portrayal of a thousand incidents and details and dramatic moments that arise during its development, such care, such attention, and such skill are manifest, that it 1s easy to forgive the minor blemishes. Moreover, it is made manifest, as the film unrolls, that much of the seeming improbabilities are intended to be regarded as a symbolical ilustration rather than an actual matterof-fact portrayal of actual happenings. For instance, the unimaginable speed at which the rails are laid as the work of construction proceeds. As _ for realism, it is here aplenty. The fighting with the Indians, the conflict of personalities, the scheming of villainy and the defeat of machinations that involves loss of life and cruel hardships—all are depicted with a vividness and a convincing quality that lack nothing calculated to drive home the actual truth of the real character of the task undertaken and the real nature of the victory achieved. * * * * The educative value of this film is distinctive. Its entertaining qualities are undeniable. Among those whose work helps to make the story one of engrossing attractiveness may be mentioned George O’Brien, Madge Bellamy, Will Walling, Charles Edward Bull, Fred Kohler, Cyril Chadwick, James Marcus, James Welch, Francis Powers, J. F. MacDonald and Gladys Hulette. The titles, which were written by Page Nine Charles Warnton, dramatic editor, of the New York Evening World, are a welcome relief after the average ungrammatical, artificial, and blatant rubbish that is usually to be found on the screen. “The Iron Horse,” without making any attempt to outdo any other big film in spectacular or elaborate effects, nevertheless surpasses most because it has a theme that is vital, that has helped to make history, and that has taken practical and lasting shape. It would be a good thing if the big producers were to devote more time to similar themes and abandon the hysterical rubbish after which so many millions have been flung in the past. * * * & At the Capitol, Marion Davies appears in “Zander the Great,” a film adaptation of Salisbury Field’s comedy-drama in which Miss Alice Brady made a success on Broadway. It is a tale of two orphans and their adventures, and it provides adventure and action enough to fill two screen dramas. Particularly picturesque and thrilling are some of the far western episodes, in their characteristically western setting. Miss Davies enjoys herself thoroughly in the earlier part of the story, she gives a realistic picture of the pathos of suffering and neglected childhood. Later on, her comedy gifts stands her in good stead. The cast with her includes such competent players as Harrison Ford, Holbrook Blinn, George Seigmann, Hobart Bosworth, Hedda Hopper, Harry Watson, Harry Myers and Master John Huff. It would seem as if the customary bigoted and_ ill-exercised censorship had been unusually busy upon this film. Apparently the censors here will never learn either tact or fairplay. Their judgment is warped by sectarian considerations, and their judgment is the measure of their ignorance of the film—which is obviously an appalling and all-embracing ignorance. One can only hope that in due course this Board of censors will suffer the same complete obliteration as befell the last lot of grossly incompetent political appointees. * ke * * At the Imperial Miss Priscilla Dean is seen in another of those adventurous and thrilling stories in which she won her screen fame. It is entitled “The Crimson Runner,” and Miss Dean plays the part of a modern Robin Hood who worries the Vienna police after the war. She has many thrilling escapades, through which she worries with her usual aplomb and her customary luck. There are many exciting moments, and not the least effective of the scenes is the depiction of fire. It is a typical Dean film. Before Buying Pictures Read The Digest Advertising Pages. Google ee Se ee ie i