Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

September 23. 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 1891 " THE YELLOW MENACE " (Episodes Seven, Eight and Nine — Unity — Two Reels) REVIEWED BY THEODORE OSBORN ELTONHEAD THE titles of these three episodes in this serial showing the cunning of underworld types of the Orient, pitting their strength against the police and secret service agents of the accident are called " Drops of Blood," " The Time Clock Bomb," and " The Crystal Globe." They are melodramatically sensational throughout and' show in great detail the ruthlessness of the Chinese criminal. There were a number of careless lapses in the direction that could easily have been corrected with a little care and forethought, but on the whole the pictures serve' the purpose for which they were created. The three episodes continue telling the story of the manner in which Ali Singh the master Chinese criminal continues spreading Ali Sisgh Hypnotizes the Princess his reign of terror and the futile attempts of the police and secret .service men to capture him. The first shows a typically Chinese method of compelling an unwilling person to talk. The inventor of a new and powerful explosive is cunningly captured by Ali Singh, and is forced to confess the formula by having his blood extracted a drop at a time, at the rate of a drop every half second. Later he in killed by a gas bomb, when the Chinaman tries to kill Manning and Bronson, the secret service men who are on his trail, its strength. The second one tells of the manner in which the formula is re The Bomb Fails to Work covered and of the attempt of Ali Singh to again kill Bronson, this time by exploding a time clock bomb in his library. This episode depends largely on fortuitous circumstances, and coincidence for the pivotal points of the action and for this reason loses much of its strength. As a result of this explosion, Manning moves his residence to the suburbs at the earnest solicitation of his fiancee. Because Ali Singh has been able to obtain a plan of the eastern coast defenses extra precautions are taken by the government to see that he does not also get possession of the plans of a new gun that has been invented. Nearly all of the action of this episode transpires in a high office buidling but this is hardly understandable as the army officer, who has invented the gun has his workshop in a concealed parapet for underground in Fort Wadsworth. The episode has several other loose ends that are the result of careless production. There is no doubt but what this serial will continue to please those who are not too particular and who care more for exciting mysterious action than for strict attention to realistic detail in the setting. " THE EVIL WOMEN DO " (Bluebird — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE IN "The Evil Women Do," there is depicted a very fascinating story of a woman who makes a living by her wits. An adventuress she is touring the principal cities of Europe and captivating every man she meets by the display of a smooth white shoulder and the use of 'gowns that cling in an astonishingly intimate way. ,In other words this lady of "The Evil Women Do" is a vampire of the deepest dyed hue and Elsie Jane Wilson, who lends life to the role, lends it with a vengeance. After a little introductory episode in which we see the manner in which Ernestine, for that is the lady's name, plays her cards we launch right into the midst of a teeming plot. It teems sometimes convincingly, sometimes artificially, but always interestingly. She captivates a certain Count, very old in reality, who imagine^ himself young, who straightway marries her despite the objection > The Unmasking registered by his daughter and her fiance. Ernstine manipulates affairs with the aid of her two confederates so that she gains complete control of her husband's immense fortune. They spirit away the daughter to a disreputable quarter of Paris and all is going well until the daughter's fiance and an old victim of Ernestine's appear on the horizon and spoil the game. The vampire takes poison and after a while all is put aright. We mention artificially because for some unknown reason the daughter when she is whisked away to the filthy tenement imagines herself a prisoner. Why, we do not know, because she goes out in the street to mail a letter. But otherwise " The Evil Women Do " is a very well told tale of its kind. It is benefited largely by some excellent character portrayals, chief of these being that of the Count given by Rupert Julian. Sydney Dean as another victim acts with feeling and Francelia nillington makes a very pretty and attractive heroine. Hobart Henley as the hero, Douglas Gerrard and C. Norman Hammond as the confederates of Ernestine and Tom Lockhart in a smaller part complete the well balanced cast. The scenario was made by E. J. Clawson from Emil Gaboriau's story, while Mr. Julian directed. His work is as always commendable, while that of his photographer, Steve Rounds, is exceedingly good.