Motion Picture News (Jul-Aug 1916)

456 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 14. No. 3 Director John G. Adolfi gave the picture careful and skillful treatment. Working from a script by Clarence J. Harris, Adolfi introduced a number of touches, both in atmosphere and the handling of players, and these have a lot to do with maintaining interest. The director also went to considerable trouble to secure right locations, and here again he has succeeded unusually well. The exteriors were evidently made in the South, and disclose scenes of real beauty. The camera effects in these are very fine. Finally, the picture won't offend anybody's sensibilities. "THE GROUCH" (Essanay — Three Reels) REVIEWED BY WILLIAM C. ESTY. 2ND THE young man fresh from college who teaches a middle-aged man how to run his office appears often in popular magazines and on the screen. In this film he not only transforms a decaying business into a dividend payer, but he cures the boss of a lifelong grouch. 7 ^ These two miracles are performed in a manner that hardly seems possible, but since the picture is a comedy, this only aggravates the humor. The sheer irresponsibility and spirit of the piece, in contrast to some of the indigestible problem plays, make it welcome. The cast is well chosen for interpreting this kind of comedy. Harry Beaumont is a good-looking juvenile, and Virginia Bowker makes a vivacious ingenue. Harry Dunkinson is excellent in the title role, while Camille D'Arcy and John Cossar are very good in character parts. The settings and locations are unusually appropriate, and the directing throughout was carefully done. Peter Dixon is a thirty-third degree grouch. Because of his -surliness and his old-fashioned methods, his once flourishing "business is going to seed. Jimmie Bradley, with a newly acquired B.A., is in love with Dixon's daughter. He figures that the best way to win the old man's consent to his marriage is to build up the business. Accordingly, he gets a job as sales manager, and in a few days makes the film, a howling success. He then undertakes to make Dixon smile. He bribes the office boy to play ragtime on ^iiiiiiuiiuiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiiiaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^^ iiiiiiii!i!iiiiii:iHiiiiiiiiiuiiiiiii!iiiiiiiii[;^ i CHICAGO BRANCH | j THE ELLIOTT COMPANY | I ADDRESSING MACHINERY | i 259-260-261 MONADNOCK BLOCK | I CHICAGO, November 4, 1915 | I Motion Picture News, | I 110 So. Dearborn St., | I Chicago, Illinois. | I Gentlemen: — | I I find it will be impossible for the present | I time to contir \_e my advertising on the Slide | I Cutting Machine due to certain reasons but | I hope to resume same within a short while. | I You may be assured at that time I shall | I get in touch with you for from one small ad, | I it will interest you to know, we received 1 I eighty-eight inquiries up to the present date. | I Very truly yours, | I JG-MS JOHN GLOVER. | iiniiniiiHiiniiniiinnriiiiiiiimiiiHiiiiiiiHiiiNtiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiiiiiiiiniinimiii^ a harmonica, and when this fails, he teaches the grouch to play golf. This game enlivens Dixon to such a degree that he flirts with all the debutantes, and being caught by his wife, he fires Jimmy. But the youth patches this up, and marries the daughter of the now jolly parent. "GREATER NEW YORK BY DAY AND BY NIGHT" (Four Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE CPOST jMASON has secured some exceedingly interesting • views of New York City for presentation in these four reels which he will release throughout the United States on the states right basis. Not only has Mr. Mason photographed all the major points of educational and general interest in the city, but he has used the sub-titles to instructive advantage and has told historical anecdotes in connection with practically every scene through this channel. Mr. Post's cameraman 'has cranked on scenes from the Battery to the Polo Grounds, from Riverside Drive to the bridges that span East River. Wall Street with its numberless places of unusual interest. Fifth Avenue with its handsome residences and public buildings, beautiful Riverside Driva winding by Grant's Tomb and the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, and Times Square, with its myriad electric signs at night, all come in for a share of film. Benefited by good photography and intelligent editing, these views should prove a boon to the exhibitor in the smaller locality or in the foreign land. New York has a certain glamour about it, a certain immeasurable romance that those who have never been to it glory in. A picture that shows points of interest in such a city without attempting any hotel advertising, that does not attempt the exploitation of any manufacured product is sure to be well received at face value. Those who are acquainted with the highways and by-ways of the great city need have no fear of losing interest in Mr. Post's series of views. The average New Yorker knows less about his city than the average small town man, and many will be entertained by seeing places that they know familiarly. "THE PRIVATE BANKER" (Selig— Three Reels) REVIEWED BY WILLIAM C. ESTY, 2ND THE plot of this film is essentially the perennial murder case, involving the hero's being found near the dead man, and his almost being hung before his innocence is established. The old favorite has been given a brand-new twist, however, and the characters are so unconventional that the spectator often forgets the antiquity of the theme. The players represent Italians, and while some of them do not have the features of that race, they create the Sicilian effect by means of shrugs and stilettoes. The acting is very good, the best work being offered by Edith Johnson and Wheeler Oakman. In their support Leo Pierson, Harry Lonisdale, and Thomas Bates appear. Thomas Santschi directed. The photography and settings are good. Pietro, an Italian laborer, and Tony, an Italian idler, are rivals for the hand of Lucia, a pretty girl of their own race. Pietro is successful, and in his pique, Tony decides to rob his countrymen. He takes into partnership Amato, an experienced confidence man. They open a bank, and the deposits come in rapidly, Tony feels that it is unnecessary to split the booty with Amato, and so robs the safe. Amato sees the theft, and in the fight that follows, Amato is stabbed. Tony flees, but Pietro, seeing him with the satchel of money, trips him, and takes the bag. Tony tells the police that Pietro was the man who killed Amato and stole the money, f'ietro is caught by the fleeced workmen, and they are about to kill him, when Lucia appears on the scene. She proves that Tony was the guilty party, and when Pietro shows the men their money, he is the man of the hour. CARTOON ADS DON T HANDLE ANV LINE UNTIL YOl ; lAVC SEEN MOTO-ADS. CATALOt KREF. BIG PROFfTS FOR FXHIB) rORS AND AGENTS. AMERICAN COMMERCIAL FILM CO. 150 W. Austin Avenue . ' CHICXGO: