Motion Picture News (Nov-Dec 1917)

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4042 MOTION PICTURE NEWS Vol. 16. No. 23 " The Mate of the Sally Ann " (Mutual-American — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY LISLE M. ALBRIGHT IT has been a long time since Mary Miles Minter played in a picture that carried the charm of this one. Besides having a beautiful sea background and a story that is different, there are a lot of subtle touches that make the " Mate of the Sally Ann " one of the most delightful pictures of the season. And the real hero of the story — if one may judge by the being about whom the most human interest lies — is not a man, but the cleverest dog that ever cast a shadow. The things he can't do and doesn't do are scarcely worth doing and the audience that can resist him has just had a glimpse of the snaky locked Medusa. Perhaps it sounds unfair to give a dog such praise before the work of Alan Forrest, George Periolat and Jack Connolly is even mentioned. They all give Mary Miles excellent support, but so does this dog. And when the shaggy rascal picks up by the tail a pup that is having trouble navigating up a gangplank and deposits him on deck at the feet of his mistress one can scarcely keep from giving him a hand. Miss Minter, as the little wild flower of the seashore, whose crotchety old grandfather won't let her go near other people, never did better work than as Sally. Henry King, who directed the production, deserves a lot of credit, for it's mighty hard to pick flaws in any part of the picture. It's a specimen of MutualAmerican work that will give exhibitors who have switched to Mutual in order to escape the fifteen-cent per reel tax a feeling that they made rather a good move in getting such a picture for their patrons. THE STORY AND PLAYERS Captain Ward (George Periolat) is the skipper of an old beached tub, and Sally (Mary Miles Minter) is his granddaughter and first mate. Sally is the victim of her grandpa's tyrannical guardianship, the old man preventing her from meeting anyone because of his hatred of society as the result of his daughter's death at the time of Sally's birth. Each day the captain vows vengeance on Sally's father, whoever he may be. Jack Gordon (Jack Connolly) and Hugh Schuyler (Alan Forrest) live in a big house by the sea, the latter reading law with the judge. One day Judge Gordon's dog runs away and makes up with Sally, who is playing on the beach. When the dog leaves her she follows him back home. In the mansion of the judge Sally meets a pair of admirers and friendship and love both ripen. Impressed by the resemblance between the girl and the woman he secretly married and lost through a miscarriage of letters, the judge finally goes to see the captain and finds that Sally is indeed his own daughter. The romance is completed when she consents to marry Hugh Schuyler. " The Judgment House " (Blackton-Paramount — Six Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE ^T-HE JUDGMENT HOUSE," a photoplay bearing .on the •I eternal triangle, is J. Stuart Blackton's first contribution to the Paramount program, adapted and personally directed by the producer from Sir Gilbert Parker's novel. A distinguished cast which includes Conway Tearle, Wilfred Lucas, Violet Heming and Paul Doucet was assembled to portray the various characters in Sir Gilbert's lengthy and involved story. These very qualities of the original work evidently led Mr. Blackton into an attempt to simplify his picure by various elisions. Situations, sometimes by-plots themselves and characters more or less prominent between the covers of the book have been -deprived of a corresponding position on the film. That this pruning was of good intent is obvious. But in wielding the pruning knife the producer has not only shorn the plot of the unnecessary twigs but has seriously wounded the trunk. As a result " The Judgment House " is seldom clear enough to be interesting and the characters are not definite enough to meet anything approaching enthusiastic response. The continuity is practically lost and the action muddled. The production which Mr. Blackton has given the picture is adequate and the photoplay and camera effects in general are worthy of unstinted praise. THE STORY AND PLAYERS Jasmine (Violet Heming), impressed with the strength of Rudyard Byng (Wilfred Lucas), a man who has made his millions in South African diamond mines, marries him though really loving Stafford (Conway Tearle). Byng dissipates and after three years Jasmine's life is miserable. Stafford, too much of a man to return her renewed love for him, learns that she has a suggestion of an affair with Fellowes (Paul Doucet), Byng's secretary. He prevents Byng from killing Fellowes by arguing him into believing that his wife is innocent of any breach of faith. The Boer war breaks out in South Africa and Byng, regaining his hold on himself, leads •a British regiment. Stafford also partakes in the war, while Jasmine acts as a Red Cross nurse. Byng distinguishes himself by various heroic acts and at length rescues Stafford from the thick of the fight. Dying, Stafford 'Urges him once again to pardon his wife, and so Byne goes to her repentant. Crazy Thunder, an Indian, Florence Deshon and Luciel Hamill are seen cn supporting parts of more or less prominence. " Gift o' Gab " (Essanay-Perfection Pictures — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE IN this light comedy Jack Gardner is seen in a George M. Cohan type of role, talking or " gabbing " himself into success to the tune of a considerable number of thrilling stunts. In the first scenes of the picture one is treated to the sight of Mr. Gardner in football togs making the winning touchdown for his college in the last three minutes of play. Then comes the celebration which eventually discloses the star driving about in a sea going hack, jumping from his high perch to a limb of a tree, from there to the top of a passing automobile, from there to the roof of a trolley car and from there to the roof of still another. These stunts, executed with the right touch of dash and easiness, throw a new light on Mr. Gardner's abilities. Subsequent to the celebration there is his unsuccessful business career as an inventor, followed by his ultimate success as a salesman because of his inborn gift of gab, and a happy ending to his love affair. The contents of the five reels is pleasing as a whole. The action moves at a good gait and there is a plentiful supply of comedy to keep the laughs coming regularly. The director has given the picture good staging in every respect. Helen Ferguson is a charming heroine and Frank Morris a very human looking and acting college boy. THE STORY AND PLAYERS Tom Bain (Jack Gardner) discovers that he must have something more than a fine record at football to provide for the needs of Peggy Dinsmore (Helen Ferguson), sister of his college chum (Frank Morris). Riding up and down grades on a railroad train gives him the idea of inventing a machine to bore tunnels through hills. He interests local capital through talking, sells his machine with more talk — and the machine is a glorious failure. But the president of the railroad company is so impressed with his gift of gab that he gets a job as a salesman and so is enabled to claim Peggy as his bride. "The Hidden Hand" (Pathe — Third Episode) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE AT the opening of this episode, entitled " The Island of Dread," the Hidden Hand is about to open the secret packet with the locket he has stolen from Doris. Her captors release her for the moment to see what the packet discloses. Doris quickly upsets a retort of powerful explosive which is standing on the table and the den is soon afire. The explosion knocks the Hidden Hand to the floor and before he is able to recover himself Doris has seized the packet and fled. After more exciting interplay between the various parties, Doris, accompanied by Ramsey, the detective, sets out for the Whitney summer home on an island. The Hidden Hand has loosened the propeller on their launch and when far out on the water it slips off. A storm comes up and wind and rain drive the boat ashore. Doris and Ramsey take refuge in an old shack. When night falls Doris reclines on the bed, while Ramsey (his sense of virtue evidently getting the better of his common sense) seats himself on the shack's step in the pouring rain. The Hidden Hand and his aides arrive. Ramsey hears noises and going to investigate is attacked by the band. He flings the packet from him as he sees himself overpowered. They bind and leave him on the shore. Doris is then captured and taken prisoner to the enemy's launch. Far out on the water she leaps overboard and hides under an upturned rowboat. Doris Kenyon, Sheldon Lewis, Mahlon Hamilton and Arline Pretty continue in the leading roles. " Her Silent Sacrifice " (Select — Five Reels) REVIEWED BY PETER MILNE «<T_TER SILENT SACRIFICE," Alice Brady's first picture under 11 this banner is an adaptation from Henry J. W. Dam's play " The Red Mouse," made by Eve Unsell and directed by Edward Jose. Miss Brady has the type of part with which she has long been associated and which as a consequence she knows full well how to play. The character of Arlette, the misabused girl from Brittany who promises to sell herself to an old roue when he has made a success of the man she loves, an artist, gives her ample opportunities to display her emotional talents. And she performs with such sincerity that some few inconsistent situations in the course of the story's run are given a shading of strength that would otherwise be probably lacking. The plot, with its constant playing up of the pursuit of the girl by the roue and its wealth of pointed subtitles, shoots its bolt somewhat further than the boundaries of strict propriety define. It is the bartering of virtue for shallow worldly success done in