Motion Picture News (Apr - Jun 1914)

TH'E MOTION PICTURE NEWS 49 SPECIAL FILM "REVIEWS "The Price of Silence." (KleineCelio. Two reels. March 31.) — There are some very good scenes in this production. The exhilarating sight of a fo.x hunt is portrayed, and done well from start to finish. The last scene, that of the three Raffles lighting on the top of a high cliff, is a thriller. The final plunge of all three of them going over the precipice is a vivid climax. Mollie marries Mitchell, a young man who was hurt falling from his horse in a hunt and taken to her father's house. Mitchell pays his former companions to keep the secret that he was once a crook. They come to the house for more money. Their demands are overheard by ]Mollie and she learns the truth. Mitchell is hurt in a tussle with the men and is attended by Richard, Mollie's former love. Mitchell and his companions go out for a walk to talk things Over. On the edge of a cliff they start fighting and all of them fall to their death. Mollie marries the doctor. "Zingo in Africa." (Warner's Features. Three reels.) — The third of the "Zingo" series, the fourth of which is reviewed in another part of this issue. Arriving in Egypt Zingo and his wife rescue two native girls from a band of savages, adopting them as members of their party. W'liile Zingo is out in his famous patented hunting suit the three girls are captured by a band of gorillas and carried to their nest in the tree tops. Zingo, on his return, follows the gorillas, and remembering his monkey language talks to them and calms them so that they give up the girls. Meeting with several artists who attempt to steal the girls, Zingo is surprised. He is drugged and placed in a coffin and shipped to London as a rare specimen. Chartering an aeroplane, he flies l)ack to Egypt and rescues the girls from the artists, and then with a fond look at the Nile he returns to Europe. "The Drug Traffic." (Eclair. Two reels. -April 8.) — An exposure of the traftic in morphine, heroin, opium and the like, placed in the form of a drama which is sure to please. Curson, a manufacturing chemist, has produced a consumption "cure" in which there is a large amount of morphine. His son marries a young heiress, and together they start a crusade against the sale of morphine by druggists, litle dreaming that their father supplies their market with the raw material. The girl becomes addicted to the habit. Curson, Jr., has the druggist who has been selling her the drug arrested, and swears if he can get the man higher up he will kill him. Soon after his wife dies and he learns it is his own father wlio is responsible for this and many other deaths. A strong finale. serxice. He is reconciled to his father and the story ends happily. "The Fighting Blood." ( Lubin. Two reels. April 1.) — Some excellent scenes lioth on land and water are shown in this drama. The plot is new, or else it has been developed to such an extent that it appears new. There is a thrilling scene in tlie last reel where two men struggle in the water. They both go under, but the hero finally comes up with the dead body of his opponent. The photography is clear and the action rapid throughout. The observer's interest is not lost once during the entire two reels. Some of the wireless and telegraph messages that appear in the sub-titles are a little too indistinct to read without straining the eyes, Init save for this small defect the film is flawless. The adopted son of Colonel Poynte is caught drinking on duty, courtmartialed and discharged. At the saine time Captain Little, commander of a United States revenue cutter, comes to visit the colonel's adopted daughter. The discharged soldier overhears the plans of some smugglers and it is largely through his efforts that they are brought to bay. Captain Little secures a commission for young Poynte in the revenue "The Smugglers of Sligo." ( Reliance. Two reels. .March :IS.) — Owen Moore and ?\liriam Cooper play the leading parts. Mr. Moore might have made more of his role. The story is laid on the coast of Ireland. The finale, a moonlight effect, is well photographed. The romantic parts are slightly contradictory. Danny, a smuggler, and the daughter of an old sea captain are in love. She meets the officer of the King, who is there to find the smugglers. Her father gives up the traffic and Danny is forced to bring in the illicit goods. He is killed by one of the soldiers in attempting to escape. The officer and the girl plight their troth immediately after. "Captured by Mexicans." (Kalem Two reels. April 8.) — .\ wonderful idea of the expansive, sandy, Mojave Desert is afforded in the scenes of this delightful drama, and the awfulness of being lost in its wind-blown wastes is brought home with force. The photography is clear from start to finish, nor is it marred by the least bit of bad acting. There are some thrilling battle scenes between the Mexican Federals and rebels. Don, traveling across the continent with his wife, Cleo, rescues Mexican Pete, who is dying of thirst in the desert. Later Pete betrays his benefactor into the hands of the rebels. In a battle between the rebels and Federals. Don and Pete are cap Scene fiuin ''I'll: Figlitiny Blood" (Lubin — two reels. Released .\ijril 1)