Exhibitors Herald (Sep-Dec 1918)

EXHIBITORS HERALD AND MOTOGRAPHY Mae Marsh in -HIDDEN FIRES" Goldwyn drama; five parts; directed by George Irving; published October 7 As a whole Well produced Story Interesting .Star Good Support Capable Settings Excellent Photography Very good "Hidden Fires," Mae Marsh's first star series Goldwyn picture, presents the little star in a dual role, the first she has ever played. The story is interesting and has sufficient dramatic situations to carry it along to a satisfactory ending. It should please where Miss Marsh's popularity is established. The play has been given a very artistic production with the usual good taste displayed in former Goldwyn pictures as regards sub-titling, tinting and lighting effects. Miss Marsh appears as a hotel newstand girl, Peggy Murray, who is urged to take another girl's place in a wealthy home because of her striking resemblance to a missing daughter. As Louise Parke, she is courted by George Landis (Rod LaRocque), and enjoys the mother love and riches of Mrs. Treadway Parke (Florida Kingsley), who is very ill. She comes upon a wayward girl in the home of a poor family and at once recognizes the other as Louis Parke. From her she learns the story of her downfall, and succeeds in bringing MAE MARSH AND JERE AUSTIN IN A SCENE FROM "HIDDEN FIRES." (Goldwyn.) Stephen Underwood, who deserted her in Paris, to the girl's bedside, where she explains the deception she has been practicing and the betrayed daughter returns to her mother, while Peggy Murray goes back to the newsstand. Happiness is in store for Peggy, though, when young Landis asks her for her hand. Jere Austin, as Stephen, gives a capital performance, and the double photographic effects are very well handled. Vivian Martin in "HER COUNTRY FIRST" Paramount comedy-drama; five parts; directed by James Young; published September 22 As a whole Good Story Pleasing Star Excellent Support Capable Settings Adequate Photography Very good A story from a woman's magazine written by Mary Robert Rinehart furnishes the plot material for this screen play. It is a typical school girl tale, well suited to the vivacious Miss Martin, and tells in a straightforward manner the efforts of Dorothy Grant, daughter of a munitions maker, to aid her country in its world fight for freedom and the uplift of democracy. She forms a girls' aviation corps, and the milkman, a soldier of the Spanish-American war, teaches them how to wig-wag signals. This accomplishment comes in handy when later she is locked in the garage by a chauffeur, who turns out to be a German spy andtis trying to intimidate her into telling the password to her father's mills. She signals the milkman from a window, he brings the police and she is finally happy in the knowledge that her sweetheart has joined the colors. John Cossar portrays Franklin Grant, Florence Oberie is Mrs. Grant, while J. Parks Jones appears in the role of Dorothy's sweetheart. At the Pastime theatre, Ghicago, where the feature was shown last week, it drew good houses and with splendid incidental music furnished by a six-piece orchestra went over big. It is a timely, well staged patriotic play with Vivian Martin at her best. William Russell in "HOBBS IN A HURRY" American-Pathe comedy-drama; six parts; directed by Henry King As a whole Splendid Story Interesting Star At his best Support Excellent Settings In keeping Photography Very good William Russell has a likable roie in "Hobbs in a Hurry," and the picture as a whole pleased Pastime Theatre crowds, Chicago, where it was shown early this week. As the impulsive, wide-awake and resourceful young Hobbs, son of a wealthy New Yorker, Russell gave a fine performance and never let the story lag for a moment. There is an abundance of western scenery, wild riding, and not a few daring stunts atop a fast-moving passenger train. The scene with the village policeman was especially funny. Hobbs Jr. imagined he could put some "pep" into a musical comedy to which he had taken Helen Renshaw (Winifred Westover) by doing a buck and wing dance upon the stage. The manager calls the police. He eludes them and catches a train for the west, whence his father was sending him to buy an ore mine. Being without funds, however, he is put off, but he steals a ride on top of the train until driven off by a detective and then has to ride on the pilot of the engine. Arriving at his destination in New Mexico, he changes his dress suit for a cowboy outfit, buys the mine, and proceeds back home on the same train with his fiancee and her father, who has also secured what he thinks is a bill of sale for the same mine. Changing places with the negro porter, he captures the bogus mine salesman, Willoughby," and claims the hand of Renshaw's daughter. There is no doubt of the story's appeal, and Mr. Russell is given excellent support by Miss Westover, Richard Morris, Hayward Mack, Carl Stockdale, Henry Barrows and others. "The Great Romance," a Metro Play Starring Harold Lockwood, Just Finished "The Great Romance," a Metro play in which Harold Lockwood has been engaged since the completion of the Screen Classics, Inc., production, "Pals First," which Metro published on October 7, has just been finished by Director Henry Otto. 'The Great Romance" is a romantic drama written especially for Mr. Lockwood by Finis Fox, the author of "The Jury of Fate," starring Mabel Taliaferro, and "The Voice of Conscience," starring Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne. Both of these were Metro productions. In "The Great Romance" Mr. Lockwood is cast as Rupert Danilo, who, unaware of the fact that he is of noble birth and heir to a throne, is living happily in the spirit of democracy in America. Danilo is summoned back to his native land, and upon the death of the king falls heir to the throne, but renounces in favor of the institution of a popular and democratic form of government. A colorful love story in which an American girl figures with Danilo is delightfully interwoven. As support to Mr. Lockwood appear Ruby de Remer, Frank Currier, Joseph Granby, Helen Lindroth, Louis Stern, Claire Grenville, Morgan Thorpe, Franklyn Hanna and J. P. Laffey. Arbuckle Emulates Fairbanks and Hart In his latest Paramount-Arbuckle comedy, "The Sheriff," which will be issued October 13, Roscoe "Fatty" Arbuckle has the burlesque role of a western sheriff whose models of action and propriety are well-known motion picture heroes of the athletic and quick-at-the-draw variety. A particular fondness is evinced by the big comedian for the feats of Douglas Fairbanks and Bill Hart, and he seeks to outdo them at every opportunity. "Fatty's" assistants are Luke, his famous terrier, and Snow Ball, a negro boy. 36