Motion Picture News (Oct 1915)

October 30, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 99 she can fight. After a while she wakes up, and is delighted to find that it was only a dream Ruth Stonehouse plays the part of Freckles, supported by Marion Skinner and Frank Dayton. Charles E. Ashley directed the picture. “Dreamy Dud Up in the Air.” ( Essanay .. Split reel, with scenic. Wed., Oct. 27.) — Animated cartoon by Wallace A. Carlson. “Fun at a Ball Game.” (Essanay. Thurs., Oct. 28.) — Not shown for review; the story follows: The storekeeper is a baseball fan, but on his way to the ball park a beautiful blonde captures his bank roll. To gain admittance to the grounds, he gets a job selling peanuts. He soon encounters the girl who took his money, and demands its return. Instead she summons two ball players, who give him a scientific beating. _ Jewel Mendel and Marjorie Reiger are the principals. “Broncho Billy’s Cowardly Brother.” (Essanay. Fri., Oct. 29.) — Broncho Billy and his brother are both in love with the same girl, but she decides to marry Billy’s brother. One Sunday morning an outlaw causes a panic by shooting up the church. The sheriff, who is the girl’s father, is shot when he attempts to arrest the outlaw. Broncho Billy’s brother is offered the. sheriff’s star, but he is afraid to take it. Billy takes the badge, and at the risk of his life captures the outlaw. He then turns the badge over to his cowardly brother, and the girl, thinking that he effected the capture, admires him more than ever. Supporting G. M. Anderson are Marguerite Clayton, Lloyd Bacon, Harry Todd, and Lee Willard. “The Lighthouse by the Sea.” (Essanay. Three reels. Sat., Oct. 30.) — Not shown for review ; the story follows : Jack Collins, a sea captain, is in love with Mary Harper, daughter of the lighthouse-keeper. Miguel Fernando, a Portuguese trader, being jealous of Jack, induces the crew to mutiny on his next voyage. The captain is cast adrift in a row boat, and lands on a desert island. Two years later he returns home to find that Fernando has betrayed and deserted Mary. To save her good name. Jack marries her. A child is born, and shortly after Mary dies. Years later Fernando returns to claim his child, and only the memory of his dead wife prevents Jack from killing him. The principals are Darwin Karr, Betty Brown, Harry English, and Richardson Cotton. “Broncho Billy Evens Matters.” (Essanay. Fri.. Oct. 21.) — The story was detailed in the issue of Oct. 23. Nothing revolutionary is ever expected of a Broncho Billy film, and if anything, this release is more conventional than usual. It concerns the favorite old theme of the heartless landlord, the auction of the old homestead (in this case with a store attachment), and the opportune intervention of the hero with the necessary money. The heavy attempts to combine the roles of villain and comedian not with entire success. G. M. Anderson and Marguerite Clayton will not disappoint their admirers, however. “The Net of Deceit.” (Kalem. Three reels. Mon., Oct. 25.) — Reviewed in the issue of Oct. 23. “By Whose Hand.” (Kalem. Wed., Oct. 27.) — A clever “crook” story. A youth and girl are found in a room by a policeman who has heard a shot. The man has been wounded, and the girl (Marguerite Courtot) tells a touching story of how she followed him to the house, and pleaded with him to right the wrong he had done her. shooting him in her desperation after he had scorned her. The young man admits his guilt, and the policeman is about to accept the story when the real master of the house breaks out of the closet where the two had locked him, and tells of how the pair entered to rifle the house, and surprised him. Harland Moore, Richard Purdon and Robert Vaughn are also in the cast. “The Knaves and the Knight.” (Kalem. Tues., Oct. 26.) — Bud’s pal, Shifty, gets a job as butler, in order to annex the Vandergrift silverware. Bud, seeing himself counted out, sneaks into the mansion and dons an ornamental suit of armor. He frightens Shifty out of the silver after it has been annexed, but gives himself away, and Shifty takes him to task severely for spoiling the robbery. Bud Duncan, Rube Miller, Martin Kinney, Ethel Teare, Charles Mulgro and Owen Evans compose the cast. The Rescue of the Brakeman’s Children ” 'Kalem Sat., Oct. 30.)— An episode in the Hazards of Helen senes. A discharged brakeman, in revenge, starts a flat car and box car running wild down the track towards the President’s special. He does not know that his two children are playing on the flat car. Helen learns of it, and with the mother, jumps into an engine cab’ and starts pursuit on a parallel track. She runs alongside the flying cars, leaps from the cab to the car sets the brakes and by means of a rope attached to the throttle, and run through the cab window, stops the engine just in time. Helen Gibson is the Helen. “The Lonely Fisherman.” (Lubin. Mon.. Oct 18.) — The young ward of the hunchback fisherman prefers a hale and hearty young man to her adopted parent and in time the poor man realizes the futility of his desire. This drama contains many inconsistencies that materially mar the interest otherwise created. Melvin Mayo is slightly too robust for a hunchback. Dorothy Barrett and Jay Morely are the other principals. “Cutting Down Expenses.” (Lubin. Tues., Oct. 19.) — Adventures of a couple on their honeymoon, lacking in humor and laid in an indeterminate plot. There are some few laughs, but the intervals between them are long. David Don and Mary Charleson are the leads. “Nell of the Dance Hall.” (Lubin. Three reels. Wed., Oct. 20.)— A minister takes it upon himself to save Nell from her immoral environment, and then when he is cast out by the trustees of the church for his charitable deed she furnishes him with funds to get a new start. There is good suspense in this offering and quite a portion of heart interest action. The reunion of the twain staged in the midst of cabaret merrymakers is gratifying, although strained. Edythe Sterling, L. C. Shumway and George Routh are the principals and render good performances throughout. “When Youth Is Ambitious.” (Lubin. Two reels. Thurs., Oct. 21.)— Reviewed at length elsewhere in this issue. “A Woman Reclaimed.” (Lubin. Fri., Oct. 22.) — A feminine raffles gives herself up to save a detective’s honor. Although this story is endowed with an unusual amount of suspense, its conception of a heart of a thief is quite unnatural. Lilie Leslie, Joe Smiley and Alan Quinn do very good work in the important parts. “Playing Horse.” (Lubin. Sat., Oct. 23.)— Billie Reeves runs away -from his sweetheart and becomes a hypnotist and more or less of a fakir, but friend sweetheart is not so easily forgotten and she pursues and captures rampant Bill. Reeves makes a better showing in this comedy than he has in his two releases immediately previous. Epes Winthrop Sargent prepared the scenario and has given the star a good part. “Beached and Bleached.” (Mina. Thurs., Oct. 21.) — Constance Talmadge and Bill Parsons are the leads in this comedy, which is the best of the Mina product that we have seen. The boss dreams of taking the stenographer to the beach and rescuing her from a desperate villain. He takes her to the beach in reality, and there is no villain, but there is a fiancee who proceeds to cut Bill out of the party altogether. “Shoo Fly.” (Selig. Two reels. Mon., _Oct. 25.) — Reviewed at length elsewhere in this issue. “The Race for a Gold Mine.” (Selig. Tues., Oct. 26.) — Not shown for review; the story follows: John Meade, a prospector, offers his claims for sale, thinking that they arq valueless. _ Griner, a Mexican, makes secret tests of the mine, and finds pay-ore. Tom Cummins, who is in love with Meade’s daughter, Nell, gets a three days’ option on the mining property, and rides off to get the money. He is not back at the expiration of three days, and Meade is just on the point of signing a bill of sale giving the mine to Griner. After an exciting ride, Tom gets to the house just in time to get the mine. He makes Meade his business partner, and Nell his partner for life. Tom Mix is the director, and plays the part of Tom. Victoria Forde, Sid Jordan, and Pat Chrisman comprise his support. “When California Was Wild.” (Selig. Sat., Oct. 30.) — The story was written primarily to bring in the wild animal situations, and on that account is not wholly coherent. The hand-to-hand fights with bears, lions, and other jungle creatures do not thrill as much as they should, possibly because of the plethora of that sort of thing. John Foster, a trapper, has just prepared a bear trap, when he is attacked by a large bear, and is only saved by the opportune appearance of Tom Howard, a hunter. When Foster dies of the wounds inflicted by the beast, May, his daughter, takes her father’s place as a trapper. One day Tom is set upon by a mountain lion. May rushes to his assistance, but falls into the bear pit. Tom kills the lion, and returns to the Foster home. May does not appear, so Tom searches for her, and finds the girl just in time to save her from the clutch of a gigantic bear. Thereafter, Tom does all the hugging. Fritzie Brunette plays the part of May, while others in the cast are Charles Murphy, Lillian Hayward, and Harry Linkey. William R. Daly was the director. “The Prince in Disguise.” (Vitagraph. Mon., Oct. 25.) — With Bobby Connelly, a picture of one reel length is bound to be appreciated, because little Bobby is one of the big favorites of the day. Here he scores another striking success and lifts an ambling and preachy plot to a pleasing level. Frances Connelly as his mother does some good work, as does Helen Connelly. “To Cherish and Protect.” (Vitagraph. Three reels. Tues., Oct. 26.) — Reviewed at length in the issue of September 11. When reviewed it was four reels in length. “Itsky, the Inventor.” (Vitagraph. Wed., Oct. 27.) — This is one of C. Jay Williams’ productions, written by C. Graham Baker. It is a very good picture, one that can justly claim a place in the ranks of real comedies. Hughie Mack and Harry Fisher are the leads and do unusually funny work throughout. “The Unforgiven.” (Vitagraph. Thurs., Oct. 28.) — This is by Frank Lawrence and is sometimes reminiscent of “Jane Eyre.” Charles Wellesley, Zena Keefe and L. Rogers Lytton are the leads. The husband dreams that his wife has forsaken him and that her lover is possessed with an insane wife. He awakes in the middle of quite an intense moment to find his wife is still with him. This is a strong picture, popular with most picture-goers. “A Case of Eugenics.” (Vitagraph. Fri., Oct. 29.) — Mrs. Newlywed adopts a baby, much to her husband’s disgust, so he feigns sickness and later emulates the actions of a raving maniac in order to rid his house of the child. Mr. and Mrs. Sidney Drew and Bobby Connelly are in this comedy, which is all that is necessary to say. “The Shabbies.” (Vitagraph. Two reels. Sat., Oct. 30.) — This is truly an excellent comedy due in almost every instance to the clever cast. Lillian Walker, Evart Overton, Paul Kelly and Karin Norman are the leads. The sidesplitting adventures of the Shabbies, once rich but now quite poor, through the body of the picture supply most of the action. Happily lacking anything vulgar, “The Shabbies” presents a most pleasing appearance throughout. MUTUAL PROGRAM “Out of the Ashes.” (American. . Two reels. Mon., Oct. 25.) — Although a bit illogical at times, this is a strong drama, powerfully presented. George Field does a particularly good piece of character work as the half-wit, while Winnifred Greenwood and Ed Coxen acquit themselves creditably in their respective roles. Charles Bartlett did the directing. Dr. Thorne, after a night’s vigil with a sick baby, takes a stiff drink as a bracer, and is immediately called upon to perform an operation. The head nurse believes him to be drunk, and he is disgraced. He goes West, and accepts a position as bookkeeper. There he becomes interested in Madge Turner, whose drunken, brutal husband makes life miserable. Madge’s child is run over, and an immediate operation is necessary. Thorne stations a half-witted boy outside the room to prevent interruption, and successfully treats the baby. Madge’s husband, hearing that the doctor is with his wife, comes home in a rage, and is killed by the insane boy. Later Thorne marries Madge. “Tillie the Terrible Typist.” (Falstaff. Mon., Oct. 25.) — Tillie angers her employer by her gumchewing and general inattention to work, and he is glad when she leaves a few minutes earlier to dress for the ball. At tfie ball, she becomes involved, through a mix-up in hired dress suits, in trouble between her sweetheart and the wealthy man she is being forced to marry. As a result, she finally casts off both suitors, and marries the costumer himself. “Hobo Nerve.” (Novelty. Mon., Oct. 25.)— Not yet shown for review. “The Conscience of Juror No. 10.” (Thanhouser. Two reels. Tues., Oct. 26.) — Not yet shown for review. “See America First — Keeping Up with the Joneses.” (Gaumont. Split reel. Tues., Oct. 26.) — Admirable views of the national capital. All the important public buildings of Washington are shown, with several views of street life, and a number of noted officials. In the cartoon. Pa McGinnis decides to go on a vacation to escape domestic annoyances, and when practicing the tango in his room in an expensive hotel, he is confronted by Ma McGinnis, who, on a shopping trip, has taken the adjoining room. Pa sinks into the floor, with the remark “Never Again.” “Touring with Tillie.” (Beauty. Tues., Oct. 26.)— This is an unpretenious comedy-drama that is diverting. Neva Gerber, Frank Borzage, and Lucille Ward are the principals. Tillie and her Aunt Pansy are touring through California in an automobile. Cliff Burridge, a ranch owner, resolves to follow and protect the itinerant women, especially since Tillie interests him. The girl resists his advances with greater and greater reluctance, and when he finally saves them from tramps, she decides to become a halfowner of Burridge’s ranch. Table of contents will hereafter be found every week opposite inside back cover.