Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

September 30, 1916 MOTION PICTURE NEWS 2055 Three Scenes from Famous Players', " Reward of Patience," Featuring Louise Hoff " THE REWARD OF PATIEMCE " (Famous Players-Paramount — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE <<■ I 'HE Reward of Patience " makes an exceedingly attractive A photoplay, mainly because of the charming personality of Louise Huff in the role of Patience, a little Quaker girl. The story, which was prepared specially for the star, is the work of Shannon Fife. It is a simple "eternal triangle" plot without much elaboration — but in its simplicity lies its chief charm. Robert Vignola has given the story an appropriate and picturesque setting and it is gratifying to note that he has not overdone those scenes laid in the Quaker village. The picture contains many delightful little comedy touches, one that kept a Strand audience in convulsions for a full minute. It came when Patience in her Sunday school class requested a pupil to tell her who led the Israelites into Canaan. And the youngster answers, " Please ma'am, it wasn't me. I just moved here from Iowa last week." If such innocent humor is appreciated so much on the screen, it is a wonder that more of it is not utilized. In addition there is the usual baby and his bath administered by the star, which incident always seems to be greeted by the happiest of smiles. After a chain of light and interesting scenes. Patience is disclosed as serving in the capacity of private secretary in the home of the man she loves. He is married to a society girl, who becomes bored when her husband devotes so much time to his business. The wife elopes with an admirer, the yacht is wrecked and both are drowned, and so Patience at last receives the love of the man she has always so greatly admired. Miss Huff makes an appealing character of Patience. John Bowers is an adequate hero and Lottie Pickford a good heavy. Others are Kate Lester, Gertrude Norman and Adolph Menjou. "THE SCARLET RUNNER" (Episodes Five, Six and Seven — Vicagraph — Two Reels) REVIEWED BY THEODORE OSBORN ELTONHEAD THE fifth episode of this new automobile series is called " The Jacobean House," and as to plot and the manner in which it is worked out, is well up to the standard of the previous episodes. A speeding up of the action would not detract in any way from the attractiveness of these pictures. There are times when they drag considerably but this is more than compensated for in the well known popularity of the star. Christopher Race is summoned to discover the cause of a series of mysterious robberies that are occurring in a large old-fashioned house used as a private hotel. He discovers a secret passage way between the first and second floors and after permitting himself to be robbed waits in this passage to discover the thieves. He captures them as they are hiding their loot in a large chest and forces a confession, thereby gaining great praise for his detective ability. The sixth episode is called " The Mysterious Motor Car," and deals with another slight incident furnishing Race with an opportunity to display his detective ability. A motor car is found in the ocean by a group of fishermen. Race and a policeman believe that it points to either suicide or murder. At the police station they learn that it is the same car that was abandoned on a lonely road only a few days before. Race is commissioned by a newspaper to solve the mystery. He finds the owner of the car but he escapes to London and Race follows. Later it devel ops that the whole affair was only a love spat between the mysterious man and his fiancee, the former hoping that the semblance of an accident would bring her back to him. Race disgusted with his detective ability, decides to devote all of his future efforts to the Scarlet Runner only. In the seventh episode called " The Red Whiskered Man," he is commissioned by a wealthy man to aid in bringing a valuable diamond from the jeweler. There are supposed to be three packages, one in the possession of Jacobs, the faithful servant of the merchant, the other in the possession of the wealthy man's nephew and the third in the possession of the latter's fiancee. By a series of incidents a celebrated diamond thief takes the place of Jacobs the servant. By a trick the nephew and his fiancee are held up by the thief's accomplices while Race escapes. When all the characters are finally brought together again it develops that there were four packages instead of three and that Race carried the fourth one in which reposed the stone. These three episodes have been staged in the same effective manner that characterized the first four and while the action is not so rapid they have been handled in such an artistic and finished manner that this fault is not noticed to any great extent. Earle Willaims in the leading role scores as usual and it is his attractive personality that will do much toward making this series a success. The lighting and photography were up to the usual standard. Those constituting the supporting companies were Zena Keefe, Walter McGrail, Josephine Earle, Harold Forshay, Raymond Walburn, Bettie Howe, Nellie Anderson, Arthur Robinson, Billie Billings, Thomas R. Mills, and Alexander Kyle. THE CHATTEL (Vitagraph — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE BREVITY is one of the most valuable essentials in the art of fiction writing and it is also one of the most valuable in the art of picture making, although few producers seem to realize the fact. The Vitagraph company has realized this fact in " The Chattel," so since the private showing given a while ago they have reduced its footage from something over six thousand feet to something under five thousand. To say that the picture profits by the condensation would be putting the case mildly. " The Chattel " in its abbreviated form takes on a certain life that it did not possess when burdened with so much excess footage. Perhaps the main change effected is the cutting out of many scenes which before followed the climax. In the original production these scenes were tiresomely drawn out whereas now they are enjoyable. The fire scene which, it will be remembered, was introduced to unite the husband and wife and which fell quite flat, has also been benefited by cutting. As a result of the revamping given the picture, E. H. Sathern's first screen appearance may be heralded with more enthusiasm. We mentioned in the previous review that his name was undoubtedly a box office asset. But the exhibitor knows that getting his patrons inside his house is not the only consideration. It's getting them out again without endangering his own life and getting them back the next time that counts some. In its present state " The Chattel " will send patrons away satisfied that they have been entertained, which if our judgment is worth anything, they would not have been when that other reel was scattered throughout the production in minor lengths.