Motion Picture News (May-Jul 1916)

3434 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 13. No. 22 som. The father has only seventy cents, so the gypsies tic the grirl to a keg of dynamite. Rube. JUadge's sweetheart, has buried his money under jiix feet of earth, and he starts to dig for it Tnadly. The dynamite explodes, hurling the kidnappers into the newly dug hole, and Rube buries them alive. "The Comet's Come-Back." (Beauty. Wed., May 31.) — A cracker-jack comedy has here been evolved by employing a little used device. The first part of the picture was taken by a slowly turned camera, consequently the action is very fast. During the latter part the crank was turned furiously, so the actors barely move. When they jump they stay in the air several seconds. Some of the effects are weird and genuinely amusing. This is the best " Beauty " released for some time. John Steppling, John Sheehan, Carol Halloway, and Dick Rosson are in the cast. Professor Peedeeque deplores the modern tendency to hurry too much. He especially dislikes the speed of the young man who is engaged to his daughter. But a comet comes, bringing in its wake noxious gases that slow up the whole world. The father, daughter, and iiancee watch the strange eflects on athletes, dancers, etc., while they 'remain normal in the professor's oxygen room. But there is not enough oxygen for all of them, so the young man is forced to go out into the slow world. "The Trail of the Thief." (American. Three reels. Thurs., June 1.) — The popularity of the players, the type of story, and the adequate manner of production make this an acceptable offering. While this sort of thing has been done many times, this version diflers enough to be interesting. Winnifred Greenwood, Edward Coxen, and George Field take the leads, with Jack Farrell, George Armstrong, Meta Drinkwitz, and Anna Morrison in their support. Dorothy Baird is a clever woman operative in the detective agency owned by Martin Gale. Dorothy falls in love with Vallon, a crook poising as a society man. One day Dorothy follows a suspicious character to a dilapidated house. When she enters she is gagged and tied. She finds that Vallon is the leader of the crooks. Meantime the gang have started to blow up the safe in a jeweler's shop. Gale captures the crooks and makes them tell Dorothy's whereabouts. He hurries to the house and saves her from being violated by Vallon. The two then go and get married. "A Man's Friend." (Mustang. Two reels. Fri., June 2.) — Not shown for review. " Ima Knutt Gets a Bite." (Beauty. Sun., Jnne 4.)— Not shown for review. " Nailing On the Lid." (Vogue. Sun., June 4.) — Not shown for review. PAT HE EXCHANGE, INC. "The Iron Claw," No. 12. (Path6. Two reels.) — In " The Hidden Face," as this episode is entitled, the mysterious Laughing Mask reveals his identity — almost. As a matter of fact, he reveals it to Margery Golden, but the mask is replaced just as he turns toward the audience. Margery's astonishment at discovering who her mysterious protector is, serves to heighten the mystery. The Mask, having been captured by LrCgar, escapes after signalling the police with an electric light. He flees to the Golden home and asks Margery to secrete him, but she refuses unless he reveals his identity. This he does, and Margery, despite her bewilderment, hides him, after he has assured her that the missing Manley may still be alive. Pearl White, as Margery, Sheldon Lewis as Legar, and Creighton Hale as Manlcy, head the cast. " Luke's Late Lunches." (Phunphilms.) — Luke gives some really laughable comedy as the proprietor of a quick lunch. He provides soup by squeezing out the old dish rag, he furnishes crullers which break the policeman's teeth, he protests when one customer calls his china cracked when in reality there is nothing but a hair on it, and soon a fight starts, which ends only when all the china is cracked. "Leap Year." (Vathe Split reel.) — This is one of the ludicrous Goldberg Cartoons, showing in Goldberg's own way, how Ornhelia Oldfacc attempted to grab a husband. All her victims were saved by a merciful providence, and she was obliged to seize a tailor's dummy and hurry off to the preacher. On the same reel is " How to Bring up a Child." a burlesque on domestic advice, in which real children appear. UNIVERSAL PROGRAM "The Iron Hand." (Red Feather. Five reels. Mpn., May 29.)— Reviewed at length elsewhere in thii issue. "All Over a Stocking." (Nestor. Mon., May 29.) — Because her husband's stenographer wears a pair of stockings just like the pair she wanted to purchase at the sale, wifey throws several fits and causes unearthly eruptions until the stenographer explains. Arthur Mackley wrote this story and it was produced by Al Christie with a cast including Eddie Lyons, Betty Compson and Ethel Lynn. It is one of Christie's good ones. "The Silent Man of Timber Gulch." (Gold Seal. Two reels. Tues., May 30.) — A well rounded drama in which a young girl is the means of bringing her father out of a long isolation, caused by liis intemperate habits in earlier days. Robert Leonard both wrote and produced this, playing the lead opposite Ella Hall. Leonard furnishes the strong scenes and Miss Hall the sympathetic ones, and the result is a nicely balanced picture. Miss Hall, we are inclined to believe, does quite the best work of her career. Others who appear are Marc Robbins and Duke Worne. The scenes and photography are unusually good. "The Fur Trimmed Coat." (Laemmle. Tues., May 20.) — Once more has Rupert Julian risen to unusual heights in a short one-reel drama. The story credited to Irene Haere has as its principal characters the unfaithful wife and the husband who appears to be hard working. The last scene, however, discloses him as equally unfaithful. This is excellently done with a cast including Julian, Douglas Gerrard, Elsie Jane Wilson and Francelia Billington. "The Double Fire Deception." (Imp. Tues., May 30.) — ^Jane Gail and Matt Moore to our notion have no superiors in the portrayal of refined comedy. Miss Gail is the maid in this case and she takes her mistress's position when the latter learns that she must marry a certain man to inherit her fortune. The certain man sends his butler ahead of him and he is mistaken for his master. The results are uproarious. Jay Hunt wrote the story, Norbert Lusk adapted it, and Matt Moore produced it. Clara Beyers and Alan Holubar are others. "Tough Luck On a Rough Sea." (L-KO. Two reels. Wed., May 31.) — This two-reeler has some most humorous action transpiring on a ship at sea while it also introduces a clever contortionist and acrobat who plays the leading role with comical results. The rolling ship movement done by rockers is not always consistent with weather conditions outside, but on the whole is a most satisfactory release. Dan Russell is among the cast. • "The Attic Princess." (Big U. Wed., May 31.) — An over sentimental story by Calder Johnstone has been made into a pretty picture by George Cochrane with his two leads, old Thonias JefTerson and young Zoe Bech. The picture which depicts the harsh treatment meted out to a ward by her guardian and how she was saved from it by a wealthy painter across the way, will appeal more to children than to grown-ups. "Two Mothers." (Laemmle. Two reels. Thurs., June 1.) — This is a most unusual feature of life on the operatic stage, constructed in original style and worked out effectively. An opera singer is married to a man who has divorced another woman of the same profession. The husband tells his new wife the story of his unhappy married life before and that his first Howard Estabrook About to " Shoot the Rapids ": A Scene from " The Mysteries of Myra," International Film Service wife was a flirt and forsook her home and child. The former wife then tells her story and in that the husband gets all the blame. Which is right? The divorcee answers more or less positively when she, at the pleadings of her little son, allows the other woman to assume her role on the opening night. Alfred Allen, Virginia Southern, Dorothy Davenport, Emory Johnson and Gordon Griffith appeared under Lloyd (i)arleton's direction. " It Can't Be True." (Powers. Thurs., June 1.) — Written and produced by Craig Hutchinson, starring Ernie Shields, supported by Marcia Moore, Harry Tood and Margaret Joslin, the last mentioned player once being prominent in Essanay " Slippery Slim " comedies. Shields is seen to good advantage as the penniless boarder in love with his landlord's daughter and how he wins her makes a very funny story. "Brother Jim." (Big U. Thurs., June 1.)— Showing how the faith of a little child regenerated a derelict. An excellent little drama that will appeal wherever exhibited. Thomas Jefferson, Frank Newburg and little Lena Baskett are the principals. Calder Johnstone and George Cochrane furnished the scenario and direction, respectively. " Jim Slocum — 46393." (Imp. Two reels. Fri., June 2.) — A very nice heart interest offering in which a doctor after refusing a hurry call to save a poor man's child, rights his error of omission by giving the fellow a job and a home. It is a good picture of its kind and those who enjoy the work of King Baggot will be doubly pleased with it for he appears in the title role. Edna Hunter and Charles Ogle are chief in the supporting cast. " Good Night Nurse." (Nestor. Fri., June 2.) — Al Christie has unearthed a rather time-worn plot in this number and its laughs will result from conventional situations. An idler seeing a pretty nurse pretends sickness to be near her and after all the nurse is called away. A violent chase results. Neal Burns and Billie Rhodes are the leads. " Peg o' the Ring." (Universal Special Feature. Two reels, fourth Episode. Week of May 22.) — At the opening of this number, Lund and Peg, who are still captives of the Hindu, manage to escape by dumping the lions into the pit of water. The Hindu is led to believe that Peg is out of the way and he reports this to Mrs. Lund. Later at the circus the thug employed by Lund, Sr., who is in search of the mysterious letter to Peg, gets the wrong envelope owing to the alacrity of Flip, the clown. Peg is again made captive by the Hindu and imprisoned in a trunk in the circus tent. Dr. Lund, Jr., is worsted in an argument with the Hindu and in the closing scene the tent is discovered to be on fire. " As In a Dream." (Rex. Three reels. Sun., June 4.) — -This picture was made some time since under the direction of Carl Leviness and has a cast composed of Sydney Ayres, Doris Dawn, Richard Sterling and Olive Fuller Golden. The story furnished by L. V. Jefferson might be described as a political melodrama with a main theme of Capital versus Labor with love and aphasia as side issues. Coincidence plays such a large part in the story's development that it fails quite utterly to convince. The direction is poor, as regards the handling of many players in the important scenes and also regarding the properties which almost always betray artificiality. "The Wire Pullers." (Laemmle. Sun., June 4.) — Another delightful little romance indulged in by Herbert Rawlinson and Agnes Vernon, assisted very ably by Jack Holt and Mina Cunard. The story by Catherine Cart is imaginary and impossible but William Worthington's company puts it over in excellent style. "Tammany's Tiger." (Bison. "Two reels. Sat., June 3.) — Somewhat of an indefinite comedy that starts off as a melodrama but quickly swings to wild humor. Most of the scenes just show the trouble caused by a group of tigers, lions and pumas, who are let loose in a village. After the first few scenes there is no plot and the picture presents just a series of disconnected incidents, quite funny, but handled in rather a slipshoti fashion. Henry McRae wrote and directed a cast headed by Marie Walcamp, Lee Hill and L. C. Shumway. "A Cad." (Rex. Sat., June 3.)— One of the rivals tells the girl that the other suitor has been killed on a hunting trip. After a time she decides to marry the deceiver, but just before the final wedding vows are taken the other bursts in and the truth is known. Ben Wilson, Dorothy Phillips and Joseph Girard are the leads in this, which will prove fair entertainment. " It's Awful to be Jealous." (Joker. Sat., June 3.) — A jealous wife and a jealous husband create the greater comedy in this excellent reel. Business and situations are both sidesplitting. Allen Curtis seems to be improving every day. William Franey, Gale Henry, Lillian Peacock and Milburn Moranti are the principals.