Motion Picture News (Oct 1914-Jan 1915)

December 12, 1914. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 49 "The Mystery of the Yellow Sunbonnet." (Kalem. Two reels. Wed., Dec. 9.)— An adventuress who turns out to be a heroine is the leading figure of this excellent melodrama. Her part is played by Alice Hollister, with Harry Millarde as her sweetheart. The adventuress is aiding a foreign spy in an eflfort to steal some government plans from a naval officer. She falls in love with her intended victim, and repents sufficiently to save the papers and risk her life for the officer. Of course she marries the officer. "The Abyss." (Selig. Wed., Dec. 9.)— A tragedy which points a moral by means of a story full of interest. A wealthy young man becomes infatuated with a girl, and the couple live together without the formality of a marriage. Both become addicted to drink. They go to the wilderness in an elTort to throw off the habit, but there they meet death together. Thomas Santschi and Bessie Eyton are featured. "Sophie's Sweetheart." (Essanay. Thurs., Dec. 10.) — Sophie's father announces her engagement to Mustang Pete, while her mother sends out a similar notice regarding Slippery Slim. Meantime Sophie goes off and marries a third man. A Western comedy of the regular series featuring Victor Potel and Margaret Joslin. "The Man From the Sea." (Lubin. Two reels. Thurs., Dec. 10.) — A ghost story in which a dead man comes back to claim the girl who was stolen from him by a crook and murderer who posed as his friend. The two rnen had agreed to draw one poker hand, the winner to be left alone to court the girl. The crook cheats and later kills his rival. He keeps receiving wireless messages from the dead man to the effect that he will be with him on his wedding night. On that night the ghost appears, the girl is killed when her auto plunges_ into the sea, and the murderer commits suicide. The cast consists of Kempton Greene, Earl Metcalf and Anna Luther. "Pure Gold." (Vitagraph. Wed., Dec. 10.)— This story introduces the favorite situation of a man who is bitter towards society, and particularly towards women, and has his whole character changed by contact with a woman of high ideals and noble spirit. The man is a miner, and the woman is a dancer from the nearby mining camp. Anne Schaefer and William Duncan play the difficult parts of the woman and the man. "One Kiss." (Selig. Fri., Dec. 11.) — A farce comedy dealing with the way in which Col. Pippin finds himself tricked by his son and the son's sweetheart Tri.xy Bliss. The colonel is opposed to his son's marriage and cuts off his allowance. Trixy has a friend who runs a manicure establishment, and who induces the old gentleman to become so regular and attentive a patron of her place that he is forced to grant forgiveness as the price of silence. "The Bold Banditti and the Rah Rah Boys." (Kalem. Fri., Dec. 11.) — An entertaining comedy in which some students^ plan a fake blackhand outrage at the same time that some real blackmailers start their work. Strange complications follow. The comedy nature of the film excuses the lack of proper college atmosphere. Lloyd Hamilton and Marshal Neilan are featured. "On Moonshine Mountain." (Lubin. Fri., Dec. 11.) — A fast-moving melodrama of the Southern Mountains. A revenue officer and a reporter on. a vacation become rivals for the hand of a mountain girl. The officer is so overcome by jealousy that he seeks to win out by calling the reporter a revenue oflicer. A hanging is narrowly averted. In the cast are Edgar Jones, Louise Huff, Robert Whittier and Tom Walsh. "A Strand of Blond Hair." (Vitagraph. Thurs., Dec. 11.) — The comedy in this film is of a rather original nature. Bunny gets a lock of blond hair in his pocket as the result of a practical joker's prank. His wife sallies forth and tries to match the hair to that of all the blonds she meets, with surprising results, but no success. Later she comes upon Bunny actually in company with the blond in question, and there is almost a riot. Bunny is quite innocent and finally explains. Jay Dwiggins is seen as Bunny, with Flora Finch as his wife. "The Stenographer." (Edison. Sat., Dec. 12.) — A girl needing money to care for her sick sister consents to take a place in the office of a rival of her employer, and act as a spy. She thus gets two salaries. She is suspected by the intended victim, and is given false information which leads to trouble for the other man. Ashamed of her course, especially when her new employer pays her much attention she confesses. He comforts her and tells her of his love. A simple but interesting story, which is well acted. Gertrude McCoy is seen in the title role. "The Soul Mate." (Selig. Sat., Dec. 12.)— A foolish laundry girl believes in soul mates and as a result will not accept the honest attentions of a young man of her acquaintance. Also she narrowly misses serious trouble at the hands of an unscrupulous fellow. Finally she is informed forcibly of her foolishness, and finds happiness with her humble but worthy lover. "Broncho Billy's Dad." (Essanay. Sat., Dec. 12.) — When Broncho Billy becomes sheriff his father tells him to do his duty no matter what happens. Later Billy has to arrest his own father for a shooting. It turns out that the old man fired in self defence, and that his victim is not fatally hurt. G. M. Anderson and the usual cast are featured. "Sam and the Bully" and "The Fresh Air Cure." (Lubin. Sat., Dec. 12.) — Two slapstick comedies with the fast action usual in such production, and in the first-mentioned a rather effective plot. "How to Do It and Why," or "Cutey at College." (Vitagraph. Two reels. Sat., Dec. 12.) — The first half of the title would have been sufficient as this picture has nothing to do with anything that suggests any college. It is, however, a fair piece of comedy. Cutey seeks financial support in some of his pleasures by making his uncle believe he is a serious investigator in the realms of spiritualism. When the uncle unexpectedly appears to attend one of his nephew's seances there is trouble right away and it lasts for some time. Wally Van, Cissy Fitzgerald, Harry Morey, Albert Roccardi, Alice Lake and Arthur Cozine are in the cast. "The Flying Freight's Captive." (Kalem. Sat., Dec. 12.) — Another in the series depicting the "Hazards of Helen." Helen tracks the jewel thieves who had robbed the express messenger in the preceding story. He captures her arid throws her into a freight car in which he is making his escape. She gets him unaware, and after wounding him jumps from the train and sends a wire ahead which leads to his capture. Helen Holmes is featured at the head of the usual cast. UNIVERSAL PROGRAM "The Empire of Illusion." (Victor. Two reels. Mon.. Nov. 23.) — This is the second episode in the adventures of Terrence O'Rourke, Gentleman Adventurer, a part ably portrayed by J. Warren Kerrigan. In this he completes the feat he commenced in the first chapter. His mission takes him to the Sahara desert, where he is successful in saving the Princess' brother from establishing an empire, a wild idea that the boy has conceived at the instigation of the Princess' plotting husband. The Prince meets death in this chapter, and thereafter O'Rourke and the girl are free to love as they will. These two reels are full of e-xcitement, there are battles, plots and all the other accompaniments of a thrilling tale. "His New Job." (Sterling. Thurs., Nov. 26.) — This picture concerns for the most part a hotel mixup, in which the prominent figures are the new janitor, who creates havoc by brandishing a floor mop with amazing carelessness, two gentlemen much the worse for frequenting the bar, a waiter and a young lady. The gyrations ^ of these persons are fairly funny, but not excruciatingly so. They might have a more humorous effect if they were less rough, and literally cleaner. The waiter, who appears seldom is the funniest and best comedian of the lot. "The Girl Stage Driver." (Eclair. Two reels. Wed., Dec. 2.) — Virtually a one reel subject, and so it appears a little lengthy as two. A little too much escaping and recapturing occurs to sustain the interest. The scenes and photography, however, are faultless. Leaving out the introduction the girl stage driver is robbed of a bag of gold by two Mexicans. After a number of adventures the girl's sweetheart, the sheriff aided by the girl, lierself succeed in making the two men captive. Edna Payne and Norbert Miles are the principals. I A GOOD RESOLUTION IS I I AS GOOD NOW AS IT WILL I j BE JANUARY 1— I Why not start your subscription | I in time to get | 1 THE CHRISTMAS ISSUE OF l MOTION PICTURE NEWS | I Out December 19? | "Love, Luck and Candy." (Sterling. Thurs., Dec. 3.)— The actions of the principals of this reel are hampered by a plot that was assigned the back door some time since. The man poisons his sweetheart, then discovers she still loves him. In the end the poison turns out to be sugar. If we were permitted to suggest improvement, we might say a little less of the close-up, facial contortion idea. Max Asher seems to be the chief offender in this matter. "The Higher Impulse." (Eclair. Sun., Dec. 6.) — Rather disagreeable, too much brutality and bloodshed. The reformation of an inebriate is only brought about after his wife and son have suffered terribly because of his craving for drink. "Fido's Dramatic Career." (L. Ko. Sun., Dec. 6.) — A collection of well trained dogs, with a monkey, a goat, and a few other animals perform in this picture and will furnish great amusement. "The Lion, the Man and the Lamb." (Rex. Two reels. Sun., Dec. 6.) — Dealing with the psychological development of man and produced in a telling manner by Joseph De Grasse. Pauline Bush, Lon Chaney and W. K. Wilson are well cast. In conclusion we are given to understand that stone age methods are about cast off, and that force is no longer a ruler. The director has fitted the remote past with the present in a fine way, and the two reels are always entertaining. "The Inn of the Winged God." (Victor. Two reels. Mon., Dec. 7.) — Terrence O'Rourke appears in his third venture, and as it is along another line than the one which he completed in the last one, it forms a complete story, so that anyone will understand it, even though they have not seen the preceding chapters. At the request of Adolph Chambret, the legal advisor of the Princess, O'Rourke goes to the aid of another Princess, a character played by Gretchen Lederer. After helping her out of her difficulty she persuasively invites his love, and, being a care-free soul, Terrence is about to succumb to her charms when a vision of the other Princess arises before him, and, summoning all his strength, he refrains. "Billy's Charge." (Sterling. Mon., Dec. 7.) — Billy the Sterling juvenile lead returns to the film after quite an absence. Those who appreciate the kid . comedies will enjoy this. The whole thing might be more enjoyable if the baby, who is continually appearing, had less jam on its face, wore cleaner clothes, and again if the director had practised "swatting the fly" before filming the picture, as the flies that swarm over the characters, especially the baby, are not any too pleasant to see, nor are they exactly necessary in the story. "Vivian's Cookies." (Crystal. Split reel. Tues., Dec. 8.) — On the same reel with "Whose Baby." This reel might appear laughable if handled by capable players, but in its own state it so far misses its intended mark that to call it a comedy would be little less than ridiculous. The wife of the nominee for judge bakes some cookies, into which a child pours some external application for rheumatism. When she presents the nominating committee with some of the cookies, and when they taste them, very naturally hubby loses his nomination. "Whose Baby." (Crystal. Split reel. Tues., Dec. 8.) — On the same reel with "Vivian's Cookies." About on a par with its reel-mate in regard to funraaking qualities. The plot is not quite as good. To teach her nurse a lesson, the mistress steals her child. It is then stolen from her, and a great mixup ensues. Why the characters are so grotesquely made -up is beyond the imagination. "The Widow's Last." (Nestor. Tues., Dec. 8.) — Murdock MacQuarrie in a character portrayal supported by Helen Leslie. This time he plays the role of an old shoemaker, who is taken ill. The widow comes to his shop with the purpose of upbraiding him, but instead nurses him back to health. "The District Attorney's Brother." (Gold Seal. Two reels. Tues., Dec. 8.) — The wierd tricks that the remarkable resemblance of two brothers played, ending with the death of one and his impersonation being carried off successfully by the other, are well portrayed here. Francis Ford directs the picture and plays the brothers. Grace Cunard appears opposite him. Several good double exposures appear, and some realistic fights are staged. "The Genii of the Case." (Joker. Wed., Dec. 9.) — Ernest Shields again in a perfectly ridiculous picture, but very funny. He dreams and is transported back to some odd counties, perhaps in Egypt. The trick photographi*_ will afford much amusement. The picture is a laugh throughout. "The Three Men Who Knew." (Imp. Two reels. Thurs., Dec. 10.) — Frank Crane, Alex