Motion Picture News (Oct 1914-Jan 1915)

44 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 10. No. 25. "THE TRUTH WAGON" (MasterpieceAlliance — Five Reels) KEVIEWED BY J. C. JESSEN MAX FIGMAN was seen on the screen of the Butterfly Theatre, Monday evening, playing the part of John Ross, the Little Joker, which he created for the original New York presentation of the Hayden Talbot play, "The Truth Wagon," when the second Masterpiece Film Manufacturing Company's production for the Alliance program was given its first screen examination in Los Angeles by members of the company, guests, exchange men and exhibitors. The release date for this subject is, at the present time, fixed for December 14. This play, founded on "the sober truth," to use the words of tlie author, a newspaper man, deals with political conditions, the bridling of the public press, and takes for its leading character a son of the rich, who through his early life wiles away his time and his father's money in playing practical jokes on his friends. His last act of this kind was to "kidnap" all the men from a social function given by his family and take them to a barge where he staged an amateur prize fight. The jests of his friends of "Why don't you tell the truth and go to work" induce the young man to buy a fast dying newspaper. The Truth, which will not he, from William Dean, fat'ner of Helen, a newspaper woman. Under the management of Young Ross, The Truth exposes political intrigues, causes his father to resign from the gubernatorial candidacy, elects the former editor of the paper, lands a knock-out on the political ring that has controlled the state, and wins for the "Little Joker" the hand of the daughter of the governor-elect, Helen Dean. The production was filmed under the personal direction of Mr. Figman, who appears at his best as the dashing, quick-witted and impulsive young millionaire, who makes a winning fight against odds which include the members of his own family, his circle of friends and the powerful ring of politicians. .A.1 W. Filson appears Master Key mine to the Chinese quarter of San Francisco. There is always something unusually horrible and mysterious about a story which is laid in the Chinese quarter of any great city, so when Ruth Gallon, the heroine of this story, is imprisoned in a Chinese den, the greatest anxiety for her safety is evidenced. John Fleming Wilson has developed the story to a great extent in dramatic force and intensity, so that even though there are no hair-raising feats accomplished or performed by the principals of the story, tiie interest of the spectator is always held at its height throughout these two reels. It will be remembered that in the preceding episode Ruth fell RUTH IS TAKEN TO THE CHINAMAN'S DEN A LULL IN THE OFFICE OF "THE TRUTH" as Francis Sullivan, the ward healer, and H. A. Livingston as Forbes, the double-dealing reporter addicted to the morphine habit. Lolita Robertson impersonates the role of Helen Dean — which she played in the original stage production — the guiding hand at the steering wheel of the vehicle of truth on its trip over rough, journalistic roads. The scenario was prepared by Elliott J. Clawson and photography was in charge of George Rizard. "THE MASTER KEY" (Universal Special — Fifth Episode) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE WI-IILE nothing in the way of sensational thrills, or risk of life is present in this, the fifth episode of "The Master Key," the story advances oyer a considerably large space, growing, so it seems to the observer, more tense and more engaging as each foot clicks its way through the machine. The scene of action is shifted, for the time being, from the into the hands of Alme. Darnell and Crane, parties working in cooperation with Wilkerson. In the first reel of this chapter Ruth discovers that these people are not her friends, as they professed to be, but in reality her worst enemies. She attempts to escape from the hotel where they are holding her prisoner, but is unsuccessful. So, taking no risks, Wilkerson takes her to Chinatown, putting her in the care of a former partner in some sort of crime. By this time, however, Dore has come to the city and learns that foul play is the order of the occasion. He happens to take the same room in the hotel which Ruth occupied, and in the drawer of the bureau he discovers the deeds of the mine. These the conspirators are searching for, and when they do not find them in Ruth's satchel they are furious. The photography and scenes of these two reels deserve a very good word. The film is tinted appropriately and all the scenes are photographed with decided clearness. The exteriors of the Chinatown scenes are of course realistic, and the interiors are deserving of the same praise. FOUR GRACEFUL DANCERS AT EXHIBITORS' BALL FILM stars were not alone in dazzling the dancers at the exhibitors' ball at the Grand Central Palace. The purely commercial feature of the industry was represented by young women who would be anything but a discredit to the screen. For instance, one can well imagine Joseph A. McKinney, general manager of the United Film Service, trembling with apprehension lest such valuable office allies of the company as the IMisses Feinman, Fried, Janover and Horwitz (two of ihem) should desert their revolving chairs for the revolving film. All of these young women were present at the ball and were the center of much admiration. WAR TAX CLOSES SMALL KENTUCKY THEATRES Special to Motion Picture News Lexington, Ky., Dec. 15. OWING to the new war tax, which became effective December 1, one of the two moving picture shows in Hazard, Ky., in the mountain county of Perry, 110 n\iles east of Lexington, has closed indefinitely. The same is true of several other film houses in the smaller mountain towns, where small pat'roilage ■will -not admit of the increased strain on the profits. '