Cinema News and Property Gazette (1912)

September, 1912. FILMS.— Supplement to THE CINEMA XVII. SELIG. Gekrard Street, \v. " IN EXILE."— Released September 15th, Length 1,028 feet. Count Romanoff is a Russian nobleman who learns that the police will raid a political meeting of his Nihilist friends. He warns them and escapes as the police appear. With his wife and infant daughter he gets to California, where he hires out to Harrington, an orange grower, as a fruit packer. Olga Romanoff grows up into a beautiful girl, and at the death of her father takes his place in the packing-house. Herbert, the son of Harrington, is put in charge of the place on his return from college, and his father plans to have him marry Margaret, the beautiful daughter of an old chum, now a rich banker, and she is invited to visit the Harringtons. Herbert meets and falls in love with Olga. The foreman, als:> in love with her, complains to the millionaire. Herbert confesses his love for the orange packer to his father, who threatens to disinherit him if he does not leave her and court Margaret, now a guest, but Herbert refuses. A reception is held in honour of Margaret. To disgust Herbert with Olga, Harrington commands her attendance. Olga, bewildered, appears in her plain attire and is suddenly presented to the social gathering by the old schemer as Herbert's intended. Olga is much distressed, but Herbert defends her and leaves with her. As they start through the grove, Olga's mother comes hurriedly in search of her. A wealthy French relative has left a fortune to Olga. Herbert escorts Olga and her mother back to the house, where he proudly introduces them as the Countess Romanoff and her daughter and the Harringtons and guests hasten to welcome them. "THE ADOPTED SON." — Released September 12th. Length 1,025 feet. Mrs. Terry, a poor widow, cannot bear to s;e her baby go hungry and leaves it with a note in the auto of rich Mrs Kenyon, who has just lost her own baby. When the baby is found one of its little shoes is missing. Mrs. Kenyon decides to bring up the baby as her own, and puts its clothes, the shoe, and the note away. The missing shoe is treasured by the baby's mother, who never forgets to pray for her lost baby boy. Twemy-two years pass by, and Hugh, the adopted son, comes home to the Kenyons. He is now a splendid young man and has become a lawyer. Mr. and Mrs. Kenyon are delighted with him and Mr. Kenyon turns over to him a fine law office. Mrs. Terry by coincidence is the office charwoman. Hugh is kind to her. The beautiful Elinore Pierce becomes Hugi's sweetheart. He prospers and wins many great lawsuits. Accidentally Hugh discovers the old baby clothes, and the note and the shoe, and Mrs. Kenyon reluctantly tells him their story. One day the charwoman becomes ill while working in Hugh's office, and he takes her home. While there he accidentally finds the missing shoe and realises that this poor woman is his own mother. The next day he brings Elinore, his fiancee to the home of his mother. Mrs. Terry is overjoyed to find her son, and Elinore, without hesitation or thought of possible social exile, kisses her future mother-in-law. SOLAX. J. F. Broikliss. " MIGNON, THE CHILD OF FATE. "—Released September 18th. Length 1,120 feet. In the good old days of patch and powder, nifties and lace, there lived an Italian nobleman, Lotario, happy with his wife and little daughter. One day, when Lotario is away from home, brigands burst into his house, and when he returns he finds his wife dead, and his little girl, Mignon, stolen. This double bereavement costs Lotario his reason, and for years he wanders in his madness through the mountains. Coming one day to the market-place of a village where a fair is in progress, he discovers a number of gypsies illtreating a pretty girl, some nineteen years of age. The girl is Mignon, but Lotario does not recognise her. He see merely that a woman is being badly used, and he, frail and infirm as he is, steps in to protect her. For a moment it seems that his interference is going to cost him dear, for the bullies close round him with menacing gestures, but just at this time a man, speaking with a voice of authority, commands the men to fall back. It is Guglielmo, a man of noble family and great influence. Taking a fancy to Mignon, he buys her freedom from the gypsies, and in gratitude, Mignon begs to be allowed to follow him, disguised as a page. This request is granted, and, for a time Mignon is happy enough in the service of the man whom she had learned to love. Guglielmo, however, is one of the number of suitors for the hand of Philine, the reigning bsauty of the season, and, attended by Mignon. he goes one day to pay her his court. Mignon is jealous, and thinking that it is Philine's beautiful clothes that pleases Guglielmo, she dons one of the fashionable beauty's dresses. Meanwhile, a quarrel has arisen between Guglielmo and another of Philine's suitors, and Mignon, in her newly found finery, is just in time to prevent its resulting in a duel. Philine enters the room almost at. the same moment, and taunts and insults the poor girl who has dared to help herself to her wardrobe. Mignon flies from the house, and meeting Lotario tells him of the manner in which she has been insulted. Lotario plans a mad revenge, and sets fire to Philine's house. Unaware of what had been done, Mignon runs back to the house to bid a last farewell to Guglielmo. She is overpowered by the smoke, but is rescued from the burning building by her erstwhile master. Piqued by the manner in which Guglielmo has risked his life to save Mignon, Philine jilts him, and Guglielmo discovers that he cherishes a very real love for Mignon. The shock of the fire restores Lotario's reason. He discovers that Mignon is his daughter, and Guglielmo is told that his bride-to-be, far from being the poor gypsy girl he thought her, is the daughter of a family o' as noble blood as his own. TYLER. Tyler Film Co., Ltd "EARL WILLIAM IV." Released September 5th. Length 2.250 feet. Johanna loves Gerrit, but her betrothal is forbidden by Johanna's brother John because the two families belong to rival parties at enmity with each other. Gerrit is an officer in the army of William IV. of Holland, and though forbidden to see his lady, he sends a message to her by his squire, who goes disguised as a minstrel. He obtains access to the castle, and is admitted to the presence of the ladies, succeeding, in spite of the entrance of John, in delivering a note and getting a reply. The " business " in this scene is admirable. Yielding to her lover's wish, Johanna escapes from the castle and meets him at night. They mount horses and ride off to Gerrit's camp. But John has discovered his sister's absence, and pursues the flying couple, having, however, finally, to abandon the chase. Arrived back at the castle he makes a proclamation of his grievance against Gerrit, and sends this as a challenge to the enemy's camp. Gerrit on his part replies with a counter-challenge. John, with his friend, Henkin of Gent, decides to carry off Johanna from the camp. Their attempt is successful ; John gallops off with his sister on the saddle in front of him, while Henkin remains behind. John reaches the castle, and in spite of his sister's pleadings he locks her in a dungeon. Naturally, Gerrit goes in pursuit, and while the camp is deserted Henkin tears down William's standard, snaps the pole across his knee and stamps the flag into the dust. Gerrit having abandoned the chase, returns, and witnesses this desecration of the flag. There is a fierce duel of swords, resulting in the death of Henkin. The corpse is borne away, and at that moment there sounds upon the ear the signals of William's approach. Towed along the canal are two immense barges rising high out of the water, and carrying William and his retinue. The stately vessels are moored. William lands with his troops, and riding to camp is informed bv Gerrit of the desecration of the flag. He decides to attack the castle. The attack and subsequent events provide us with some most interesting historical spectacles. The warriors, in their curious dress, operate the ancient engines of attack, including the old stonethrowing catapult and battering rams. These ancient weapons have been most faithfully reconstructed, and as the castle attacked is an authentic fortress, with drawbridge and moat, the total result is a complete success. Before the attack begins, a herald summons the castle to surrender. There is a consultation of John, his father and the knights in the hall, and then the warriors mount the battlements and defy the attacking force. The sight brings vividly back the great battles of old times, as we watch the dispositions inside and outside the castle. The siege is successful, and after a fruitless defence the enemies are driven back into the spacious hall. There Johanna's lather and John himself are