Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1916)

1032 ■■III MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol.13. No. 7. ' lllllllllillllllHIIliliii ____ ... ; I . ■ i > ;; TABLOID REVIEWS FOR THE BUSY EXHIBITOR PRODUCTIONS FROM ALL PROGRAMS iiiV:.. .IS! ,i!l!j: GENERAL FILM PROGRAM "Just Gold." (Biograph. Mon., Feb. 14.) — This reissue is of highly dramatic character. Three brothers leave home for the_ gold-fields. The fourth remains to care for his parents, and is despised by his sweetheart until she realizes the sacrifice he is making. One of the brothers strikes gold ; the second drives a mine and it caves in on the man beneath him, who he later finds was his brother. The third is driven mad by privation in the desert, and attacks the surviving brother ; both are killed. The three have given up their lives for gold, while the fourth lives for love. Lillian Gish, Lionel Barrymore, Charles H. West, Alfred Paget, Joseph McDermott, Charles H. Mailes and Kate Bruce are in the cast. "Pique." (Biograph. Three reels. Wed., Feb. 16.) — There are some excellent character studies in this picture. Out of pique Mabel weds Arthur Standish, and later discovers that Raymond Lessing, whom she really loves, seeks to marry her stepmother, Lucille, for her money. She quarrels with her husband's parents and tells them her real reason for having married him. Lucille spurns Raymond, and he turns again to Mabel, but she has meanwhile fallen in love with her husband. He hires men to kidnap her child, out of revenge, but there is a fight and he is killed. The child is rescued and Mabel and her husband reconciled. The cast includes Thomas Jefferson, William Russell, Gretchen Hartman, Franklin Ritchie and Isabel Rea. "The Primitive Strain." (Essanay. Three reels. Sat., Feb. 5.) — Reviewed at length elsewhere in this issue. "The Man in Him." (Essanay. Two reels. Tues., Feb. 8.) — Not shown for review; the story follows. When John Stone becomes engaged to Margaret Houston, his rival, Harry Gardiner, plots his undoing. Gardiner steals some gems at a dance, and puts them in Stone's pocket. When they are found there, Stone is sent to prison for a long term of years. He comes out a haggard. wreck, and happens to go to the home of Margaret, now Mrs. Gardiner, to beg an overcoat. She gives him one of her husband's, and in it he finds a letter proving Gardiner's guilt. He is about to expose his enemy, when thoughts of Margaret cause him to leave without proving his innocence. In the cast are G. M. Anderson, Ruth Savillc, and Lee Willard. "Gold Dust." (Essanay. Two reels. Tues., Feb. 15.) — Not shown for review. "Vernon Howe Bailey's Sketch Book of Chicago." (Essanaj. Split reel, with scenic. Wed., Feb. 16.) — This animated cartoon not shown for review. "Politeness Pays." (Essanay. Three reels. Sat., Feb. 19.) — Not shown for review. "A Molar Mix-Up." (Kalem. Wed., Feb. 16.) — A Bud comedy concerning a grand mix-up caused by the flirtatiousncss of three couples. It is staged in a dental parlor and the latter scenes, in which Bud crosses the wires, causing everything metallic in the house to be charged with electricity, are the funniest in the piece. However, the entire reel is much too silly to be very funny, and while those who heavily crave comedy will find some enjoyment in it, the person who discriminates will be unlikely to appreciate it. "The Guiding Hand." (Kalem. Fri., Feb. 18. ) — A one reel drama that is really a treat to see. It is based on brotherly antagonism and brotherly love brought about by an old servant in the employ of the two young men. It is one of the best one rcclcrs seen in many a day, being at once sympathetic and strong. Howard Irving Young wrote, the scenario, while Robert Ellis, Arthur Albertson and Richard Purdon appear to excellent advantage in the leading parts. "The Perilous Swing." (Kalem. Sat., Fchv 19. ) — This has a thrill, and a good one, measuring up to the very finest of previous "Hazards of Helen" offerings, but the story is very poorly put on. The action is slow throughout, and some of the important situations are not handled to good effect. The thriller is executed in fine style by Helen Gibson when she swings from the top end of an open drawbridge, suspended by a rope. The bank robbery which opens the reel starts the story off well, but its slowness is marked. "A Modern Paul." (Lubin. Three reels. Thurs., Feb. 3.) — While this picture has a most satisfying and appealing character some of its phases will fail utterly to convince because the time has past when a modern healer can restore whole arms for broken ones by the mere touch of the hand and make his action appear anything more convincing than a passing whim of the author. However, "A Modern Paul" is most pleasing, due to the change which religion works on a murderer, a thief and a woman of the dance hall. Melvin Mayo, director, also appears in the title part and acts well, but his wig is bad. Others are Helen Wolcott, George Routh, Alan Forrest and Jay Morley. Julian Louis Latnothe prepared the scenario. "The Election Bet." (Lubin. Sat., Feb. 5.)— Billie Reeves rolling a walnut down Broad Street, Philadelphia, in payment of an election bet is a funny enough sight to cause this comedy to rank way above his usual output. The story, cleverly evolved, is by Mark Swan, and Reeves and James Cassady carry the burden of the action. "The Diamond Thieves." (Lubin. Mon., Feb. 7.) — A story of diamond thieves and how they were captured in time to keep the good name of a physician secure. The story is rather elementary, although its excitement runs high many times. It will appeal strongly to the lovers of crook stories. L. C. Shumway, Ronald Bradbury, Helen Wolcott, Francelia Billington and George Routh are the principals. "The Last Shot." (Lubin. Two reels. Tues., Feb. 8.) — George Terwilliger has added a novel incident to the story of the defeated rival, being moved at last by his former sweetheart's little children, but the novelty of it refuses to convince one of its possibility. However, the two reels are well acted, gorgeously set, and decently photographed, while the acting of Earl Metcalfe, Ormi Hawley and Arthur Matthews is pleasing. William H. Turner registers effectively in the Italian s small part. "The Black Orchid." (Selig. Three reels. Mon., Feb. 14.) — Reviewed at length elsewhere. "Making Good." (Selig. Sat., Feb. 19.)— This is a typical Western of the Tom Mix variety. The outstanding feature is the excellent horsemanship of the players. The story is not unfamiliar. Old man Wilson will not hear, of a marriage between his daughter Vicky and Tom, a cowpuncher. He changes his mind when Tom, with Vicky's assistance, captures some bandits who have robbed him. Supporting Tom Mix are Victoria Forde, Joe Ryan, and Pat Chrisman. WEEKLIES Selig-Tribiinc, No. 7. — New battleship Oklahoma at speed tests on Rockland course ; Lillian Russell honored by newspaper men at San Francisco; Signor Suarcz Mujica, Chilean Ambassador, prepares to leave Washington, after resigning his post; soup kitchens in the fields at Liege, Belgium ; 300,000 parcels of clothing distributed on Chicago bundle day; Ilucrta's body lies in state at El Paso, Tex. ; Duke of Connaught, with the duchess, opens parliament at Ottawa; scenes of the war in Flanders and South of France; new motor sled is run by girl at Portland, Ore. ; Emincline Pankhuist reaches New York to raise funds [or Serbian relief; week-end party in Yosemite Valley to stimulate interest in the region. Selig Tribune, No. 8. — Chicago offers $2,500 reward for bandit who killed policeman ; dead bodies of bandits who killed Americans are put on exhibition at Juarez; $5,000,000 in South African gold is transferred from ship to express train at Charlestown, Mass. ; gifts from Belgian school children are presented to President Wilson ; Joseph Leiter, held up on his yacht at New Orleans, gets new crew ; hockey at the Boston stadium ; New York newsboys thank mayor for helping raise $500,000 club fund ; new gun shown at Nancy, France ; flood scenes at Joliet, 111. ; SeligTribune feature picture. "Selig-Tribune Weekly," No. 10. President Wilson's campaign for preparedness ; Allies' antiaircraft guns for repelling Zeppelins ; James Whitcomb Riley at Miami, Fla. ; Secretary Daniels asks Congress for $150,000 to restore the old frigate Constitution. Hearst-Vitagraph News Pictorial, No. 9. — Louis D. Brandeis nominated for a Supreme Court Justiceship ; Canadian volunteer regiments in camp and practice drills ; thousands of Arabs working on a strategic railway across the Sahara ; the royal palace guard at Stockholm; Ralph Coffin, of the Washington Hunt Club rides a ponyover an automobile as an obstacle ; gas well on fire at Portland, Texas; "Daredevil Jack" Murphy plunges one hundred feet into ice-filled river : latest Fifth Avenue fashions ; President Wilson starts speaking tour in New York; comic cartoon by T. E. Powers, and other interesting views. MUTUAL PROGRAM "Jerry's Millions." (Cub. Fri., Feb. 11.) — George Ovey is given another fast eighteen minutes in this comedy. As Jerry, he finds himself unable to square his boardbill, and in trying to escape becomes involved with his landlady and two policemen. He vanquished the policemen, but not the landlady. Then a letter comes. The landldy opens it, reads that Jerry is heir to $3,000,000, and immediately proposes to him. Jerry grabs the letter and flees. He reaches his sweetheart's home, but papa is on the job, and he hides in a closet, where he finds a burglar also hiding. Papa fires through the closet door, and runs squarely into the arms of the two policemen aforementioned. "Life's Blind Alley." (American-Mutual Masterpicture DeLuxe. Five reels. Mon., Feb. 14.) — Reviewed at length elsewhere in this issue. "Ruth's Remarkable Reception." (Falstaff. Tues., Feb. 15.) — This is a somewhat unusual comedy, in which the action is supplied by a crowd of boys, and they furnish plenty of it. The boys are from the toughest part of the city, and are the guests of a spinster, who has given them a party at her home in spite of the warnings of all her acquaintances, and the police. The boys have a good time, the aged butler is plugged behind the ear with a slung-shot, some valuable statuary is broken, and the chandeliers are pulled from the ceiling, when the little toughs spy on the steps of the adjoining house a studious, bespeckled lad reading Ruskin. They lasso him and drag him over to the party, where, in a burst of anger, he trounces the whole crowd. The little desperadoes are quickly converted into admirers of Ruskin. "A Modern Sphinx." (American. Three reels. Tues., Feb. 15.) — Reincarnation is used in this drama with very good effect. The settings are in good taste, and the players seem to enter into the spirit of the times they are supposed to live in. Winnifred Greenwood is unusually good, and her support is praiseworthy. The allegory is not only ellectivc as such, but it also serves to introduce a ballet of attractive girls in classical draperies. This is a very good program release. Asa, the daughter of a sorcerer, lived three thousand years ago. She was willful and selfish, and so her father decided to put her in the twentieth century to learn the secret of unselfish love. For years she lives without knowing the meaning of love, but finally a young musicians wins lu r affection. But she learns that he is married, and so must give him up. When she discovers this, sh,e takes poison, and her father recalls her soul hack to its former existence. Supi'oi 1 i 1 1 1: Winnifred Greenwood are Charles Newton, Nan Christy, King Clark, Edward Coxen, Ella Morrison, and George Field.