Cinema News and Property Gazette (1913)

BRUARY 12, I913. Supplement to THE CINEMA. 12, Gerrard Street, W GERRARD FILM CO., 'Phone : "THE BROKEN DOLL." (Gallia.) Nelly is the village beauty and is secretly engaged to Dr. Donville. Morgan, a well-known scientist, has been ordered rot in the country, as his brain is likely to give way under the -tram of his studies. He comes to live in the district, and Dr. Donville is asked by his colleague to visit and keep an 11 the scientist. Watching Morgan in his study, we see the first symptoms of a brain diseased. Following the doctor's advice, he goes for long country walks. During one of these he meets Nelly — an extremely pretty incident and setting — and is given refreshment by her father. A short time later Donville formally asks Nelly's father for her hand, but is refused on the score of poverty. Morgan has fallen violently in love with Nelly, and, proposing for her hand, is at once accepted by her father because of his wealth. Donville writes a warning letter to Nellyjs father concerning the mental condition of Morgan, but no notice is taken of it. Six years have passed away, and the scientist is still in a doubtful mental condition, lie is only happy and restful when with his little girl. Nelly and the child out walking meet another little girl, who carries them off to be introduced to her papa, no less than Dr. Donville, now a widower. Thus the old-time lovers are brought together again. Morgan's little girl Germaine is taken suddenly ill during the night, and her father, coming for a last look before he retires, is alarmed at her condition. Dr. Donville is hastily summoned, decides upon an instant operation, and succeeds in saving the child. As a result he is frequently invited to Morgan's house, and the two little girls become fast friends. In his laboratory Morgan completes the discovery of a new and powerful explosive. Delighted with his success, he hurries off to tell his wife the good news, and seeking her in the garden discovers her in the embrace of Donville. Before he reaches them they wander off into the grounds. He follows them stealthilv, and thev come to where the children have been playing but have quarelled. Germaine has broken the other child's doll. Whilst Nelly and the doctor are soothing the child Morgan advances, and picking up the doll handles it for a moment, and then one sees he is struck with an idea for a fiendish revenge. He indicates that he will repair the damage. v doll, he decides to fill it with the explosive, so that when it has opened and shut its eyes twice the explosive will go off and kill Donville's child. With a madman's cunning he intends that his wife shall take the doll. He has just completed filling the doll when Germaine enters the 'tory, and, attracted by the beautiful plaything, wishes to take it away. Her father refuses her, and sends her out. lie leaves the laboratory, and Germaine, determined not to be baulked, steals quietly in and runs off with the doll. On her way out she passes her mother, who is entering the house. Morgan discovers the loss of the doll, and learns from his wife that Germaine has it. Frantic with anxiety, he runs out into the garden and follows in the steps of the child, who is going to take the doll to her little companion. They are rejoicing over the treasure, and it has actualh' opened its eyes once, when Morgan rushes up, catches the doll from their arms, and runs off leaving them petrified with astonishment. Donville, who happens to be near, follows. In the flight an explosion takes place, and Morgan is mortally wounded. It falls to Donville's lot to explain the sad circumstances to Nelly, but one can guess that in the future Nelly and the doctor will enter on their long-deferred happiness. Released March 9th. Length 2,200 feet. " A WOMAN'S HONOUR." (Dansk-Kino.) Mary, the parson's daughter, makes a pretty picture framed in the branches of an apple tree as she helps to pluck the fruit in the orchard. Captain Trenton, a friend of the family, visits the parsonage. Later he and Mary meet again as they are out duck-shooting on the marshes. The fruit of the acquaintance is a marriage, which seems in every way a happy one. Five years later Trenton and his wife are visited by a friend of his, Lieutenant Hudson. He visits their home, and they also meet him at the military club, where a ball is held. Hudson takes Mrs. Trenton to the refreshment rocm, and while they are alone attempts to embrace her. She repulses his advances, and her husband entering she leaves the room on his arm. Hudson is apparently repentant, and some time later again visits Mrs. Trenton. He asks her to play to him, which she does. Under the influence of her music and singing his passion again masters him, with the result that he is ordered the house. Trenton has not been witness of either of these episodes, and is in ignorance of Hudson's feelings. He receives a command to attend upon the Prince of Siam, and his wife and child see him off at the station. He returns sooner than he had anticipated. His wife, not expecting his return, has written him an affectionate letter expressing a longing for his coming back. That same night, in response to an urgent request from Hudson, she grants him an interview. Again he loses control of himself, and when Trenton unexpectedly enters the room he sees his wife and Hudson apparently embracing each other. In a mad .rage he orders his friend from the house, and will not listen to any explanation from his wife. He flings her roughly from him, and she, in despair, leaves the house to seek her way alone in the world. She applies for, and obtains, an engagement at a theatre. Some little time after Trenton sees an announcement in the newspaper that his wife is to appear at a music-hall. The letter she had written him is returned to him, and he learns how she had been longing for him to come back. He determines to visit the music-h&ll. A fashionable throng is assembled in the dress circle, amongst whom is Hudson. Trenton enters, and is the subject of remark. In the dressing-room the captain's wife receives a card from Hudson telling her that he will wait for her at the stage door. She determines to put an end to this persecution. Picking up a revolver she passes out of her room behind the scenes. Trenton has made his way from his box on to the stage with the object of preventing his wife's appearance. He enters her dressing-room, apd finds the card sent by Hudson. The dresser finds him there, and requests him to leave the room. He does so, and goes in search of his wife. She, through a peep-hole in the curtain, has surveyed the body of the theatre and caught sight of her persecutor. She takes steady aim with the revolver and shoots Hudson as he lounges in the circle. Then dropping the weapon she goes back half stupefied to her 'Inning-room. Immediately after Trenton in the scene, discovers the weapon, and through the peep-hole sees the confusion in the theatre. He grasps the situation and determines to take the blame on himself. He is discovered by the company in an incriminating position and is arrested. In leading him away his captors pass his wife's dressing-room. She observes them approaching, stops them, and confesses what she has done. The police are puzzled, and the upshot is that both husband and wife are put on trial. They are acquitted. The incident has served to bring them together again, and Trenton learns how grievously he has wronged his wife. Needless to say a reconciliation forms a pleasing ending to this strongly emotional drama. Released March 15th. Length 2,400 feet. "THE OLD DUTCHMAN'S QUARREL." (Radio.) Pierre and Jean are two old cronies who enjoy their drinks and smokes, and find pleasure in the love idyll of their son and daughter. Jean's son receives a letter from a town-bred friend, William, who is coming to pay him a visit. William arrives, and his flirtation with Pierre's daughter results in a quarrel. The old men take sides, and become bitter enemies. They are both perfectly miserable in the absence of their old comradeship. One day Jean's son catches William with Pierre's daughter in the woods. He goes for the intruder, and succeeds in driving him from the place. Then the lovers contrive secret meetings. Pierre goes to complain to Jean of these secret meetings, and after a stormy opening the interview results in the old fellows agreeing to wink at the lovers' innocent deception, and in plotting a stratagem for bring about a final reconciliation. They succeed in surprising the lovers as thev walk through the woods, and after a pretence of anger, the quarrel is patched up, and all ends happily. Released March t6th. Length opo feet.