Motion Picture News (Jul-Oct 1914)

68 THE MOTION PICTURE NEWS "TEMPTATION" (Warner's — Three Keels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE THIS is a picture of English make, and the producers have put before the pubhc an exciting melodrama full of sensational scenes well placed, which will keep the spectators' interest whetted throughout. It is a picture in which the villain and the struggling hero battle for supremac}-, and, thanks to the latter's beloved, he is the victorious one. The action of the picture is rapid from the start, nor does it let up at all until the last scene. While the acting may not be of the most excellent variety and the events which transpire are slightly miraculous, still there are not many THE CROOK'S ESCAPE FROM THE TRAIN people that will not enjoy it and be absorbed by its thrilling train of incidents. The story opens showing a young man who is busy on inventing a new variety of torpedo, and he is so enwrapped in his work that he forgets his sweetheart. His rival in love and business attempts to steal his secret but is thwarted by the owner after a fine battle in the dark, but the inventor is severely injured while the other makes his escape. Man}' times after does he attempt to rob Jack of his invention which leads to daring rides on the top of swaying freight cars, a thrilling holdup and an escape from the train, motorboat chases and finally the complete destruction of the villain and his aides by the mechanism with which they planned to destroy Jack and his sweetheart — a powerful bomb. And after it is all over and Jack's invention is a success, he returns to his home village with Lucy and claims her as his bride. This is certainly a stirring film, one that will keep the house breathless, due to the thrilling episodes in which it revels. The photography and scenes are good, and cause each scene to be so much stronger. "THE HEIR OF THE LAGARDES" (Titan Film Corp. — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE LIKE all films of foreign manufacture, this one excels in artistry and photography, and this is the most notable feature of the picture, although the acting is of the best variety and the story a fine one. The scenes of the production, the majority of which are laid with great care and due, in all probability to their great depth, furnish a striking stereoptic eflect, which is none too common in the average motion picture. The figures seem to stand out with unusual clearness, apart from their backgrounds, so that one seems to be looking more at flesh-and-blood persons rather than their counterparts. The picture takes place at the time when Louis XVI held sway over France, and the elegant costumes that the characters are seen wearing conform with the period, and are even as beautiful as the sets and photography. That the production is the finished work of an artistic director is plainly obvious, and that a cast of finished dramatic artists perform is just as noticeable. They come from the best dramatic companies of France, and prove by their acting here that they are worthy of the Comedie Francais, the Odeon and the Sarah Bernhardt theatres. Their performing is of the French variety, but contrary to the usual case, none of the parts are overdone; true, the acting is of the emotional variety, but it is not prominent. In other words, it is acting of the best sort. The cast consists of M. Ravet, Berthe Bovy, Mille Goldstein, Georges Vague and M. Godeau. One of the first public showings that the picture received was at the Tokeneke Country Club, Rowaten, Conn., where a number of club members enjoyed it and appreciated it to its fullest extent. And it is just such an audience that will admire the picture most. Those who love nothing but lightning action and sensational happenings will not be so well pleased with it, as it contains little rapid action. But those who know a well acted picture when they see it, and who are any way artistically inclined, are those who will take pleasure in witnessing it. But it is not entirely devoid of action as several realistic duel scenes are introduced, and some of the actors often demonstrate their abilities as swordsmen in startling and exciting moments. The story: Because of a grievance of a one-time friend the heir of the Lagardes is kidnapped and is thought by his mother to be dead, but after exciting events have taken place and the heir has been through many hands and adventures, he returns to his own amid the great rejoicing of his friends. "SHADOWS" REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE (Imp-TTniversal — Two Reels) A THOROUGHLY safe line of praise to of¥er in regard to this picture is that such a thing has never been attmpted or accomplished with success before the present time. A few years ago, or perhaps even a year back, the idea would have been pooh-poohed and ridiculed as an utter impossibility — that one man should impersonate all the characters of a play in which there are ten. Some years ago an actor in the legitimate field, Henri De Vries. impersonated fine characters in a police court trial play and received universal praise for his cleverness. But his acting, while compelling admiration, was of no higher merit than King Baggott's in "Shadows."' But it has been done with great success by King Baggot. He actually portrays ten different characters, in most every scene, two of which are on together, and one, exceptionally well executed, in which he appears three times. In a way it is the marvelous technical powers of motion picture photography that permit^ this feat to be executed. But in a larger sense it is the great versatility of Mr. Baggot, together with his splendid ability of make-up, character portrayal and individual technical understanding, that is responsible for the realization of this picture. The story is not merely introduced as a side issue, either; it is a good one. The wayward son accused of robbing his father, but at length being exonerated through the efforts of a detective. The entire production is certainly a masterpiece of work both in regard to the art of the photographer and the "cast," both in a technical and dramatic sense. It is a picture that all will appreciate, and realize the amount of labor and time that it must have demanded.