Motion Picture News (Oct 1914-Jan 1915)

Jcnuar} 2, 1915. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 8i "FALSE COLOURS" (Boswoita-Paramount — Four Reels) REVIEWED BY E. S. FITLD IN this lilni of Boswortli's. made by the Smallevi, some of the finest interior settings, showing the interior of a large theatre, are presented. Not to mention this deviating from the beaten path of "Prop Scenes" would be slighting the honest efforts of a producer who has gone to greater lengths than the average to make a theatre scene realistic. One of the scenes, taken from the rear of the orchestra seats, shows the entire stage and boxes on each side, over the heads of the seated audience. From viewing the scene one gets th-d impression that with the audience he is seeing the making of a star, and the repeated curtain calls and applause of the audience depicted by wonderfully clear photography only helps in the illusion. Too much credit cannot be given the producers, for this is only one of the good points. Phillips Smalley in the role of Lloyd Phillips plays the part in his own inimitable manner and, supported by Lois Weber, Dixie Carr and a well-chosen cast, he manages to put a fervor and realism into the part that makes a scarcity of necessary sub-titles fade into insignificance. Phillips, a famous actor, whose wife dies just before he arrives at her bedside, cannot bear the sight of his bab} girl, whom he blames for her death. Giving her in charge to his housekeeper and providing for her education and sustenance, he goes away I" forget. Eighteen jears later, the daughter, now a \'Oung lady (Dixie Carr), learning that the funds intended for her were being appropriated by her guardians to support their dissolute son, Berc, in luxury, runs away and goes on the stage under the direction of an old friend of her father. Marc Herbert (Herbert Standing). Courtnay Foote here gives a remarkable impersonation in the character of the son. Mrs. Moore, who all these years has been secretl}' in love with Phillips, is employed in the same theatre, and succeeds in getting HER MOTHER'S DYING REQUEST her daughter Flo in the ?ame cast. But Flo at the instigation of Bert impersonates the actor's daughter when he returns home. Lois Weber plays both mother and daughter. It is all straightened out in the end. Phillips finds his daughter, marries Flo, and a very original and pleasing drama has been produced. ROSKAM RELEASES "ANOTHER GIRL" EDW.ARD ROSK.AM. of Life Plioto. is the proud father of a girl. The little lady arrived in her new home at 12 :45 Monday morning, December 21. Two hours before that time the happy mother, with Eddie, was enjoying a special performance of "The Pit," which was being run at the Playhouse, for Wilton Lackaye. Eddie seems partial to girls, as he now is the happy father of a blonde and a brunette. "THE ITALIAN" (Ince-Paramount — 5,500 feet) REVIEWED BY H. S. FtTLD IN the character of Beppo Donetti, George Bebar gi'.e: a masterly example of what an actor who is alive to his role and can feel his part, can do in the wa}' of holding an audience in sustained tension. By facial expression and the natural gestures with the hands he is capable of depicting so many different phases, so many different emotions, that though the action is onh" on the screen, we wonder wh\' it is said that the screen has its limitation.'-: It is nothing less than wonderful. Coupled with good clear photography, well-chosen interior settings, and a few startling innovations, such as hanging on the running-board of a rapidly-moving automobile, being thrown off bv BEPPO'S VICTIM FOILS HIS REVENGE a kick in the face, and so on, the acting of Eeban makes a rather pleasing and interesting production out of a story whose plot is nothing out of the ordinary. The story of the immigrant toiling in a. foreign land to earn enough to bring his prospective bride to his side from their native land, and their subsequent struggles to subsist on the barest living wage, has been used over and over again. But with the help of about 1,500 feet of film devoted to scenes in the native Italy, and the introduction of the political boss in ihe city of the land of the free, a rather novel twist is given to the ston,-, and it is made a better one than the average. On his release from prison, where he has been sent for trying to get milk for his dying child, Beppo learns of the girl's death and holds the political boss indirectly responsible. Remembering past favors rendered by him to the boss, he had expected help from that quarter onl\ to be literally thrown in the gutter. Learning of the illness of the boss' baby, a few days later Beppo. by impersonating a peddler, secures entrance to the house. He hears the doctor tell the father that the slightest sound or shock will prove fatal to the child, and when the child is left alone for a moment, Beppo attains the side of the crib. Raising aloft the glass shade of a lamp, he is about to dash it to the floor, when a slight movement of the child's arm brings to mind that his own child was wont to make the same gesture. Gently lowering the shade, Beppo steals away. Altogether the scenes in the last thousand feet arc iieart-rending, and the pathos as expressed on the face of Beppn and his wife, Annette (Clara Williams") is enough to move the average audience to tears. The story interests, is well told, and it ■should be well received by any appreciatixe audience. THREE INDIANA THEATRES RAISE PRICES SfTcia! to Motion Pictvfe Xews Louisville. Ky., Dec. 22 THE three motion picture theatres at Princeton, Ind., inaugurated an increase in prices this week of from five to ten cents. The reason given for the raise is that the exhibitors have to meet an increased cost for films and service, generally.