Exhibitors Herald (Dec 1919)

EXHIBITORS HERALD a man wronged who seeks and tinally administers a just punishment upon his enemy. The story has a war-time angle but this need not detract from its power to entertain. It has a consistent story, is well developed and reaches a logical conclusion. A strong supporting cast consists of Jane Novak, Wallace Beery, James Gordon, J. P. Lockney and others. SYNOPSIS: Oscar Krug is looked upon with suspicion by his neighbors because of his name and when the United States is drawn into the war with Germany, a group of citizens attack Krug. They are met with strong opposition, however, by Krug and they decide to leave him alone. "Bill" McTavish, his greatest opponent, becomes his closest friend and they travel the seas together as captain and first mate. Krug marries Alice Morse, against her father's wishes and she is driven from home when the truth is known. She goes aboard her husband's ship and during a submarine attack she is snatched from Krug's side by a German officer. Krug lives thereafter only to avenge himself upon the captain of the submarine and when the opportunity finally presents itself he wreaks a terrible vengeance upon him. Gladys Brockwell in THIEVES Five-part drama; Fox. Directed by Frank Beal. Published in December. OPINION : Crook plays are popular. Honest people like them. Crooks do not. Honest people are all that need be considered as making up the screen audience. Which sidelight upon human nature explains much. It explains, among other things, the casting of Gladys Brockwell, a personable actress and an able one, in the many crook melodramas that have appeared upon the Fox schedule with her the featured player. The first one might have been an experiment. The continuation of the practise proves the experiment a success. In the current publication the star begins as a crook, is reformed through kindness and repays her benefactress by the employment of her crafty talents in the interests of justice. The outline is familiar. The story depends for interest upon its incident body and the acting of the players. Both are worthy of the responsibility. Fox production standards are maintained throughout all departments of the composition. The action is orderly arranged, the result of a well written scenario. Photography is clear and natural rather than spectacular. Direction is of uniform excellence. SYNOPSIS : Mazie and Jimmy, crooks in the employ of one Hartland, supposedly a member of society in good .standing, deliver to him valuable bonds they have stolen, whereupon he refuses to pay them as promised and incurs their enmity. Jimmy, disgusted with the life he has led, obtains employment and reforms. Mazie continues in her accustomed ways until caught in the act of robbing the home of Allison Cabot, a young lady whose kindness in declining to turn her over to the police wins her gratitude. Under Allison's care Mazie reforms, finally learning that Allison's fiance has been imprisoned for the theft of the bonds which she and Jimmy delivered to Hartland. Mazie recovers the bonds from Hartland's safe and the ending is of the usual satisfactory nature. Antonio Moreno in THE INVISIBLE HAND Fifteen episode serial; Vitagraph. Directed by William J. Bowman. Published in December. OPINION : Vitagraph's latest serial "The Invisible Hand" featuring Antonio Moreno is of the type that will cause 11KIMSL.EY SHAW Who plays the part of the mysterious stranger in the new Vitagraph serial, "The Invisible Hand," starring Antonio Moreno. the serial fans to come back for more thrills each week. Moreno plays the leading role — that of a detective, endeavoring to run down a gang of crooks — with considerable skill. He acts like a regular human being and avoids the tiresome "posey" methods of many melodramatic heroes. The story is the joint work of Albert E. Smith and Cyrus Townsend Brady and is fast and thrilling with a logical and interesting plot. It concerns a gang of crooks who have invaded the west anil work from headquarters located under one of the busy streets of San Francisco. John Sharpe, a famous den-dive is put on the trail of the outlaws. Unknown to him, Anne Crawford, a prominent woman crook, is also put upon their trail. During the early episodes the gang of crooks get Sharpe into their clutches but their efforts are unavailing and he defeats them time and time again. Pauline Curley has the role of the lady crook-detective. Florence Billings in THE HEART OF A GYPSY Five-part drama; Chas. Miller-Hallmark. Directed by Harry McRae Webster. Published in December. OPINION : Splendid photography marks this Charles Miller production distrib uted by Hallmark. Florence Billings, the star, is well cast in the role of Rosalind Dane and gives a superb performance, She is ably assisted by Corliss Giles, Franklyn George and Bradley Barker. The plot is rather complicated and depends upon the long arm of coincidence in many places to help it along. Director Webster has resorted to the "cut-back" quite frequently and many of the love scenes are almost too rapid to be convincing. However for audiences that have a penchant for stories of gypsy life, and there are many such, "The Heart of a Gypsy" should fill the bill. There is enough material in the play for two screen stories and the whole has been cleverly handled for the most part. SYNOPSIS : Rosalind Dane, a widow with a little girl, falls in love with the chief of a gypsy band. Later her bus band appears and threatens to divorce her and take the child. Rosalind threat ens to kill him rather than give up her baby and when, later, he is found dead she is accused of the deed. She is tried and almost convicted, being saved when a witness to the murder appears and explains that her husband was a traitor to England and in the pay of the Bolshevists. When he refuses to do the latter's bidding an agent kills him. A gypsy who had fought with the husband was also about to avenge himself and saw the real murder committed. This witness saves Rosalind. Katherine MacDonald in THE BEAUTY MARKET Seven-part drama; First National Directed by Colin Campbell. Published in December. OPINION: "The Beauty Market," Katherine MacDonald's second production for First National, is a story of present day social life, taken from Margery Land May's story "The Bleeders," and under Mr. Campbell's careful direction the finer points of a much discussed theme stand out and make very accepable screen entertainment. In staging the spectacle no expense has been spared. The furnishings are most elaborate and the costumes of the women will hold the female devotees of the screen spellbound. Miss MacDonald's remarkable beauty stands out in a play of this character and she gives a splendid portrayal of the young lady who feels compelled to marry for wealth although anxious also for love. Miss MacDonald dominates the part and proves herself a genuine actress. Kathleen Kirkham, Winter Hall, Roy Stewart, and Wedgewood Nowell appear prominently in her support. SYNOPSIS: Amelie Thorndike, having made up her mind that she must marry wealth, is thoroughbred enough to admit it. Kenneth Laird, one of society's new recruits admires Amelie's frankness and does not believe she is quite as artificial as she would have people believe. However, she decides to marry Ashburton Gaylord, a man of considerable wealth despite her fondness for Laird. Christine Appleby, a widow, also plans to marry Gaylord and the rivalry between the two women loses Gaylord to both of them. Laird, believing that Amelie has tricked him, forces her into a marriage with him. She is shamed by her action and leares Laird to make her own way in the world and prove herself worthy of his love. 118