Educational film magazine; (19-)

Over the Hill is most decidedly a tribute to mother as well as a sermon directed at all who fail in their duty to her. Unfailing love, patience, and courage dominate every act of the mother in this picture, from her first appearance when she is shown waking up the canary, happily coura- geous at the beginning of a new day, to her last, when her forgiving spirit dictates a reconciliation between her good son and her cruel one. The many times when "mother under- stands" are genuinely affecting and make one profoundly thankful for the good mothers of the world, particularly one's own. The difference between the childish dependence upon a mother's love and help and the later years when the son or daughter can regulate his or her own life is very poignantly expressed. The point which seemed especially emphatic to the re- viewer was that something should be done about mother— that mother should not be so deprived of her life and health and strength by the demands of her early years, as to be- come the victim of circumstances in her later years. The reviewer was fairly seething with ideas about legislation, which should provide proper compensation and opportunity for the homemaker, after seeing Over the Hill. Mother should be paid in love, but she should also be paid in the material expression of that love and appreciation—she should have justice, at least. To be sure, the film makes one want to go home with gifts and the tenderest thoughts for one's own mother—but that is not enough. We must think also of our kinship with and duty to all mothers and do something about it. WHEN WOMEN WORK T CAN do anything you can do, Smarty," says the little girl who has proved that she can drive nails straigh'er than her little brother. And so she can—even ten years later, when they are working side by side in the same fac- tory, drawing the same salary, and helping support the family. Rosa, another girl, whose brother has been injured in a factory, is not so fortunate. While Molly and Jimmy, the brother and sister, work in a modern, convenient fac- tory, Rosa, "sixteen and frightened," has taken the first position offered, which is in an unsanitary and uncomfor- table place, and then another of the same sort, only worse. Long hours, uncomfortable chairs and lights, no dispen- sary, and cold lunches brought from home make work a hardship of almost unendurable difficulty. Molly, on the other hand, enjoys the privileges of a rest room, a lunch room, a dispensary, all sorts of fatigue eliminating and safety devices, and short hours. When we see Rosa finally a member of the up-to-date factory family, we have become convinced of the value of fair play for women in industry. Their wages should be based "on job, not sex." And since "America will be as strong as her women," it is the vital concern of every citizen that working conditions for women should be made right. This is an excellent film, well arranged and interesting. Every "shot" goes to the point, and the message is clear and definite. This may be highly recommended to all interested in welfare work. When Women Work. Produced and distributed by Carlyle Elli« 2 reels. . / - • A MARK TWAIN STORY AS a picture in itself, this Fox production of Mark Twain's "Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court" is clever and amusing. The original story of the man who woke up in the year 528 and betook him- self to many towered Camelot is furnished with a prolog and epilog. Marlin Cavendish, the son of a Connecticut gentleman (Mark Twain made him the son of a black- smith), is in love with his mother's social secretary, but engaged to .marry Lady Betty Gordon. As the day ap- proaches his interest in the marriage decreases alarmingly, and finally vanishes altogether. He becomes absorbed in Mark Twain's book and while he is sitting up very late to finish it, he encounters a thief who has come to rob the house, and is knocked out in the combat. He wakes up in Arthur's England, and his experiences furnish the main story. The epilog tells how he decided to marry the sec- retary, who was the lady of his heart in the days of Arthur, and shows their elopement. Martin's adventures in the sixth century are titled in the most up-to-date slang of the third decade of the twen- tieth. In this version they run something as follows: Martin wakes up under a tree with the knight Sir Sag- ramor standing over him. He is conduc'.ed more or less forcibly to the King's castle. He is about to be executed when he recollects "what most of us do not," that there was —is—an eclipse of the sun at noon of that day. He claims to be a powerful magician and threatens to blot out the sun if he is put to the stake. The eclipse comes on as scheduled, just in time to save him, and he is proclaimed "Sir Boss," the magician to the king and second in power. He proceeds to make use of it by establishing factories (with time clocks), a telephone system and other improve- ments. He tries his "magical" strength with Morgan Le Fay, and wins, by such devices as gunpowder and other things of which he has never known. He releases the dam- sel Alisande from the dungeon of Morgan Le Fay. (It seems a pity to miss the real Mark Twain incident of res- cuing the noble ladies held in duress vile who turned out to be swine, to the "clack-clack" of Sandy's tongue.) In the last adventure, he is imprisoned in the castle of Morgan Le Fay, and he escapes by the arrival of his knights, not on bicycles, but on motorcycles with a "flivver" in the lead. He blows up the castle of Morgan Le Fay. The story has been "adapted" indeed. Dramatic unity has undoubtedly been given to it, especially with the pro- log and epilog as they are. It delighted a large optience at its first showing. It is beautifully staged and some of the parts are well done, the best piece of acting being that of Morgan Le Fay. It is not to be criticized except by a question of artistic ethics, but it is vastly different from Mark Twain's story. The depth of feeling which under- lies the book is absent from the film, as is much of the historic comparison of social conditions. It may be termed a comedy; a fantasy, but it is not the genuine reproduc- tion of life which Mark Twain gave in A Connecticut Yan- kee; yet it is an enjoyable comedy for all that. A Connecticut Yankee at King Arthur's Court. Produced and dl«- tributed by Fox Film Corp. * * How to get a new motion picture projector Absolutely Free! Read page 32 — then write our Subscription Depart- ment for particulars. 19