Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1916)

2061 — 1 Tabloid Reviews for tlie Busy Exhibitor PRODUCTIONS FROM ALL PROGRAMS GENERAL FILM PROGRAM " Rival Artists." (Kalem. Fri., Sept. 29.) — Frank Howard Clark is the author of this singlereel Ivy Close comedy which has several amusing situations depending largely on the contrasts in temperament between an artist and a house painter. Ivy Close pleases as usual and the comedy element is in the capable hands of Henry Murdoch. Others in the cast are Arthur Albertson, Robert Ellis and William McKey. The photography and liffhting are up to standard. "Battle in the Dark." (Eighth Episode in "The Girl from 'Frisco ' series. Kalem. Wed., Sept. 27.) — Reviewed at length elsewhere in this issue. " Bumping the Bumps." (Kalem. Tues., Sept. 26.) — Ham and Bud pursue their amusing adventures in this single-reel comedy, this time as rivals for the affections of the same young girl. Bud is successful, but Ham, nothing daunted, procures the outfit of a phrenologist and when Bud's prospective father-in-law insists that he have his bumps read before he will give his consent. Ham is right on the job, and has Bud sent away to an insane asylum. The unexpected return of the phrenologist straightens things out and Ham is sent away in disgrace while Bud reclines in the arms of the fair young lady. "The Death Swing." (Kalem. Sat., Sept. 30.) — Another one of the daring exploits of Helen Gibson supplies the sensation in this single-reel offering of the " Hazards of Helen " railroad series. This time in order to catch a runaway freight train she hangs suspended from a rope over the track and as the train passes beneath drops down to the roof of a freight car. The train is stopped just in the nick of time to avert a head-on collission. The picture has been produced under the capable direction of James Davis. " The Honey Moon Car." (Vim. Wed., Sept. 20.) — Rosemary Theby and Harry Myers are effective in this single reel comedy dealing with a pair of newlyweds who are forced to take a chaperon with them on their outomobile wedding tour. Several amusing incidents happen on the road in which the chaperon is made to play the goat. Artistic Atmosphere. (Vim. Sept. 27.) — The most effective bit in this single reel offering, featuring Harry Myers and Rosemary Theby, is a baby that can be made to laugh or cry at will. The picture has been well staged with some effective settings and clear distinct photography. The comedy situations are brought about by a young wife who believes that it is necessary to instill an artistic atmosphere in the home, but when this self same atmosphere is responsible for her husband losing his position, he goes to an orphan asylum and adopts a baby, saying that she can devote her artistic energies to the cultivation of the baby's voice. INTERNATIONAL " Beatrice Fairfax." — (International 7th Chapter.) " A Name for a Baby." — This Episode is not a strong story, neither does it contain the rapid action so noticeable in the previous chapters. It has interest, however, and wil no doubt satisfy a female audience as it deals with the unforunate girl who has fallen by the wayside burdened with a child whose father is about to marry another woman. The theme has been treated both delicately and artistically. The situations are cleverly worked up and had a stronger story been written this would have been a really good chapter. "The settings and photography are excellent, so too is the interpretation rendered by Harry Fox and Grace Darling. Possibly this will get by, but more attention should certainly be paid to the building up of stronger stories. Hearst-International News Pictorial, No. 73. (Tues., Sept. 12.) — Citizen sailors of Boston, Mass. ; manoeuvers of Utah Battery, Nogales, Ariz.; Hughes in New England towns; new life preserver tested, Chicago, 111. ; track meet, Newark, N. J. ; fashions ; baseball game. New York, between Giants and Yanks ; President Wilson says good-by to prominent Washington people leaving on vacations, Washington, D. C. ; scenes from Salonika. Greece; sailors killed on wrecked cruiser Memphis brought to National Capital for burial. Hearst-International News Pictorial, No. 74. (Fri., Sept. 15.)— $50,000 fire. South Boston, Mass.; Missouri National Guard' on border; Hughes at Lewiston, Me. ; fashions ; football training at Harvard and University of California; views from Salonika, Greece; outdoor opera, San Francisco, Cal. ; locomotive smash-up for entertainment of crowd, San Diego, Cal. ; scenes in connection with New York City's traction strike. MUTUAL PROGRAM Tangled Hearts. (Centaur. Sat., Sept. 16.) — An exceptionally strong story which has been well directed and acted. The situations are well worked out, the photography is excellent and it is a picture which will please any audience. Margaret Gilbert, who is about to elope with the son of a millionaire is expelled from school. Nan her elder sister tries in vain to make the young girl mend her ways but without avail. Al does not wish to follow in his father's footsteps and become a lawyer, so in anger one day his father informs him that unless he resumes the study of the law he must not expect any further support from home. Disregarding his father's wish, Al secures a job as a chauffeur in the house of William, Nan's fiance, who is about to spend a week-end at his sweetheart's house. Here Al again makes love to Margaret but is detected by William and dismissed. Margaret confesses to William that Al is her husband, and with pity for the girl William takes her in his arms. Nan seeing this seeming affectionate pose is distressed, but all troubles are eventually smoothed away by William. The cast includes Margaret Gibson, William Clifford, Alva Blake, Nan Christy. Doctoring a Leak. (Vogue. Sun., Sept. 17.) —This is one of the best comedies seen for some time. It has everything to commend it and Ben Turpin is exceptionally good. Ben who has come to mend Dr. Kripples broken pipe wastes his time making love to the maid. He goes downstairs to turn the water off. A {ew minutes later another plumber arrives and thinking that the water is turned on proceeds to turri it off though in reality he is turning it on again. Instead of getting on with their work Ben and Rube pose as the doctor, finally the real plumber arrives and opening a sewer outlet in the cellar washes Ben and Rube right off the house. The cast includes Ben Turpin and Rube Miller. Reel Life. (Mutual Magazine.) — These pictures show various points of interest along the historical Alamo River, the mission at San Antonio where the revolutionists intrenched themselves early in 1836-and -fought to their death for Texas' independence, monuments erected in memory of David Crocket and Col. James Bowie, famous Texas pioneers, and various others connected with the early history of the section. Learning the inside of baseball," a subject that might be called a " Special sporting section," forms another part of this popular release. Such masters of the great American pastime as Christy Mathewson and Jeff Tesreau show how the bait is held in flinging their elusive curves and drops. There are also pictures showing the right and wrong way to run bases, field various batted balls, and the correct methods of standing at the plate when facing a pitcher. " See America First." Gaumont.) — Pictures taken along the new Columbia River Highway comprise this, the fifty-second issue of See America First. The construction of this highway opens to tourists one of the most beautiful stretches of scenery in America, a combination of river, forest and mountain views that are picturesque in the extreme. On the same reel is a comic cartoon in humorous fashion with the antics of a shark and whale, animated by Harry Palmer. "Jerry and the Blackhanders." (Cub. Fri., Sept. 15.) — This is just an average comedy and one which is certainly not up to the usual Cub standard. Here and there one may get a laugh, but there is nothing to commend the production. Having stolen a blind man's accordion, Jerry sits under his sweetheart's window and serenades her. The girl's father siezes a vase and hurls it at Jerry's head, but unfortunately it falls upon the head of Hank, the innocent gardner. In fleeing from the irate father Jerry falls into the hands of the " blackhanders," and he is compelled by them to carry a blackmailing letter to a wealthy merchant. After many tussles Jerry is finally blown into the air by one of the infernal blackhander machines only to land in the path of two policemen who are searching for him. The cast includes George Ovey, Jefferson Osborne, Janet Sully, Claire Alexander, George George, Abe Lincoln, Gordon MacGregor. Unconscious of All But Love " from " The Honeymoon Car " (Harry Myers and Rosemary Theby — Vim)