Motion Picture News (May-Jul 1916)

May 20, 1916. MOTION PICTURE NEWS 3093 "THE END OF THE WORLD'' (Great Northern — Six Seels) REVIEWED BY HARVEY F. THEW <tf QPECTACULAR stui¥" of exceptional interest and exceptionally well produced. The end of the world is to be accomplished by collision with a comet, a perfectly logical premise, for every generation has had its "comet scare" and scientists agree that a collision between the earth and a comet is by no means an impossibility. SAVED FROM THE TIDAL WAVE Such a catastrophe would be spectacular to the nth power. In this film the possibilities for unusual photographs have been seized upon and well utilized. The producers appear to have spared no time, expense or labor in creating vastness of atmosphere and view, and not only do they show us the comet in the sky, growing brighter, larger and closer with each day, but on the night of the catastrophe we see a rain of fiery fragments, meteors, aerolites, and what not, with lightning, a great tidal wave and a storm at sea, wherein full-sized freighters wallow helplessly in their yeasty beds. The story of the piece is of secondary importance ; it is the dressing which makes the film important. An astronomer who has predicted that the comet will strike the earth, is used by his cousin, a financier, to precipitate a crash in the stock market, in which the financier profits handsomely. This same financier. Harper, while visiting his mines, meets a village girl, who deserts her fiance and elopes with him. The miners are inflamed against the millionaire by the deserted sweetheart, and plan his death. The girl's sister, Edith, is loved by a sailor, who is obliged to leave on a voyage just as the comet is approaching the earth. On the night of the catastrophe Harper gives a great banquet, during which the miners attack and force their way into his home. With the girl he makes his way into a mine tunnel, where he is followed by the former sweetheart, bent on revenge, but poisonous gases kill the three. Edith is rescued from the tidal wave which follows the contact of the comet, and is reunited to her sweetheart, who is likewise miraculously saved from the fury of the ocean. The cast has been well selected and the entire atmosphere of the picture is of the convincing sort. "THE QUALITY OF FAITH" (Gaumont-Miitual Masterpicture — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY HARVEY F. THEW THIS is an unusual story, well handled so as to bring out its strong features in the best light, and give it an interest which grips all the way through. While the atmosphere and surroundings are those which have been used in many a picture, they aid in this case in building up a story of wide appeal. The impulses of the leading characters are human, and will be readily understood by any audience. From a box-office standpoint the offering is well worthy the consideration of any exhibitor. Richards, a young minister, is in love with Louise v\lvord, daughter of a wealthy mill owner. She breaks the engagement when she finds that her attachment to the minister is only a passing fancy, and turns toward Carlton, a society leader. Trouble develops between Alvord and his employees. Through a girl whom he assists in her distress, the young minister learns of the deplorable conditions in the factory. He goes to Alvord and protests, but is rudely treated. Then the story breaks, and Richards is found aligned with the oppressed employees. On this account he loses his pastorate, and then he casts his lot with the workers. He meets Marna, a woman of ill-repute, once a factory worker, who was driven from her position by ill-health. He assists her to better things, and her confidence and faith in him help him through a period of depression during which he almost touches the gutter. Finally his literary work wins recognition. Better days dawn, and Richards is again on his feet. Then Louise, who has married Carlton, tires of her insipid husband, and again sets a net for Richards. But the faith and affection of Marna have worked wonders in the strengthening of his character ; he casts Louise aside and marries Marna. There are many striking scenes about the factory; riots, the attempted murder of Alvord, which is only frustrated when the millionaire succumbs to heart disease, and scenes illustrating the conditions which impelled the workers to revolt, all are dramatic, and in many cases thrilling. Alexander Gaden is convincing and pleasing as the young minister, and Gertrude Robinson does some finished work in the part of Marna. Others in the cast are Henry W. Pemberton, Lucille Taft, Charles W. Travis, John Reinhard, Alan Robinson and John Mackin. "THE PRIMAL LURE" (Kay Bee-Triangle — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY OSCAR COOPER LAID in the Canadian Northwest, with its background of the wild, this gives William S. Hart another opportunity to play one of his "strong men" parts. As usual Mr. Hart is made the victim of Fate— this time he arrests the girl unjustly because he thinks she is a thief, and is engineered out of his job as manager of the Hudson's Bay Company by a cowardly inspector who is in love with the girl. Mr. Hart gives his usual excellent and appealing impersonation. READY FOR THE SACRIFICE The story was picturized by J. G. Hawks from the tale by Vingie E. Roe, and while it has by no means so dramatic a theme as recent Hart pictures have had, it is a serviceable vehicle. The exhibitor will find the picture, as a whole, entirely salable. Those who are fond of seeing Mr. Hart take command of a, desperate situation, involving the lives of a number of people, will not be disappointed in "The Primal Lure." After he has