Motion Picture News (Jan-Mar 1918)

1764 Motion Picture News nothing with whom Nan used to fi^ht in the streets. He is in trouble with ■ woman, and refused money by his father plans to steal the formula for a leather dye that Dan has invented. It is through Nan that this plan is prevented. Clark seeks forgiveness, and Dan's patent is bought by the factory owner, which puts him on easy street and enables him to make Nan his wife. " The Floor Below " [Goldwyn — Six Reels) Reviewed by Samuel D. Palmer MABEL NORMAND makes her second appearance as a screen star under the banner of Goldwyn in " The Floor Below," a comedy-drama in six parts by Elaine Sterne. The production maintains the Goldwyn standard — which should be a sufficient endorsement to satisfy the curiosity of exhibitors. There is an abundance of humor in the piece, ranging all the way from the most delicate subtleties right up to the boundaries of refined horseplay, and through it all the little star goes rollicking along in her inimitable, irresistible way. Nor is her performance untinctured with those little heart throbs which on past occasions she has demonstrated that she is so capable of conveying to her audience. Be it said, regretfully, that the title, " The Floor Below," means nothing, or if it does mean anything the average spectator will hardly sense it. There is an upstairs and a downstairs in the Rescue Mission building where some of the action takes place, and there is a similar arrangement in the home of Hunter Mason, but nothing necessarily suggestive of the title is revealed. The usual Goldwyn lavishness of production and attention to detail are in evidence, the direction being that of Clarence G. Badgar. Tom Moore, in the leading male role, is at once attractive and convincing as Hunter Mason, whoee hobby it is to salvage human wrecks, and Wallace McCutcheon creditably portrays the crooked secretary. As the managing editor Willard Dashiell presents a type which fortunately is rare, else there never would be any danger of an overcrowded newspaper profession. The remainder of the cast is fully adequate. THE STORY AND PLAYERS Patricia O'Rourke (Mabel Normand) is a copy girl in a newspaper office and gets into a scrape which leads to her discharge. But she is given one more chance when the managing editor (Willard Dashiell) sends her to the Star of Hope mission, conducted by Hunter Mason (Tom Moore) to follow up a police clue concerning a series of robberies of rich homes and thereby secure a beat for the newspaper. She enters the place quite unceremoniously and is taken by Mason and his secretary, Latham (Wallace McCutcheon), to be a crook in need of reforming. She is taken to Mason's home and placed in the care of his mother. There she meets Louise Vane (Helen Dahl) who, though making a bid for Mason's affections, is secretly in love with Latham. There is a benefit dance in the Mason home for the mission and a contribution box, containing much money, is hidden in a book case for safe keeping. Latham is wsuTied that the police are after him and late that night persuades Louise to steal the money for him before he makes his get-a-way. She is caught in the act by Patricia and tries to throw suspicion on the girl. The arrival of the police and the arrest of Latham, however, sets her right with everybody, especially Mason. " The House of Hate " (Pat he— Third Episode) Reviewed by Peter Milne THE action in this number entitled " A Woman's Perfidy " is entirely taken up in casting Harvey Gresham, the hero, in a light thfit reflects to his discredit with Pearl. Pearl's three relatives, all anxious to gain control of the Waldon works, being jealous of Harvey's favored position, plan a frameup. It is evident that he is not the poor experimenter he pretends to be. Naomi visits his town apartment knowing that Ezra and Haynes plan to bring Pearl there. She leaves her muff lying on a chair and when Pearl sees it her faith in Harvey is shattered. Later in a fit-'hl with the Hooded Terror, Harvey gets the worst of it. He is left lying unconscious with the black robe about him. Pearl finds him and is convinced that he is her father's murderer. The mystery is heightened by the constant suggestion of the author and director t!i:it rithcr Ezra or Haynes may be the Hooded Terror. " Brace Up " ( Bluebird — Five Reels) Reviewed by Peter Milne <<DRACE UP" features Herbert Rawlinson as a young man D who loses his nerve until he hires several people to practice a New Thought scheme with him as the objective, and when it works he is able to clean up a whole room full of villains and save the heroine from their chief. A glance at the synopsis would indicate that Elmer Clifton originally prepared this idea in comedy form and if such was the case it was most praiseworthy. The possibilities in showing various and sundry people in the city thinking of the hero as a tower of courage at a certain hour with the consequence that he becomes such to corhpletely vanquish a horde of adversaries and surprises all who refused to believe in him are numerous and suggest an almost unbounded supply of humor. However, Mr. Clifton in his capacity as director has failed to follow out his ideas as an author. " Brace Up " is played in serious vein, and as a consequence action that might have been funny and which is intended to be sustaining is somewhat dry and uninteresting. The picture gets away to a lively start and promises to develop into thrilling melodrama, but the punch is lacking, largely because Mr. Rawlinson, clever actor though he is, fails to delineate his character as either a coward or a hero. It is only the subtitles that inform us that he has lost his nerve. The hazards that he undertakes indicate that he is one of the bravest of the brave. That is the main trouble with " Brace Up." It is not definite in its character and so is aggravating. And then too there is considerable padding toward the end when the action should have been speeded up. Claire Du Brey, Alfred Allen and Satn De Grasse are the other principals. THE STORY AND PLAYERS Henry Court (Herbert Rawlinson) playing his last football game at college loses his nerve when he realizes that the members of the opposing team are dong all in their power to disable him. He is taken out. His father. Colonel Court (Alfred Allen), holding a high position in the Secret Service of his country, is quite disgruntled over this, but decides to see if his boy will make good in a more hazardous undertaking. Jim (Sam De Grasse), a smuggler, is known to have thirty thousand dollars' worth of radium concealed on his person, and Henry is commissioned to procure it. His fiancee, Ellen (Claire Du Brey), unknown to Henry, is also in the Secret Service, and is commissioned on the same job. She uses woman's wiles on Jim, and as a consequence Henry gets jealous and quits. Jim secrets the radium in the heel of one of Ellen's slippers. Later she also is forced to confess failure, though she still remains on the job. She visits a country place operated by Jim in a further effort to find it. All the time she pretends to be in love with him. Henry, realizing his fault, heeds the advice of the family doctor, and seeks out a number of men, and gives them order to think of him as exceedingly courageous at midnight. Midnight finds him prowling about Jim's house, and he enters just in time to save her from the villain who has discovered her identity. In a fight the house catches fire, and Henry carries Ellen to safety. And to prove his nerve he returns to rescue the unconscious Jim from the flames. The doctor's trick has worked. As for the radium that has been placed in the hands of the head of the department by Ellen's maid, also a member of the Service. " Woman and the Law " {Fox — Seven Reels) Reviewed by Peter Milne THE De Saullcs murder case and the trial of Blanca De Saulles, a gruesome slice of two lives, the tragedy of which lay in their contrast, has been made the basis of William Fox's special picture, " Woman and the Law." R. A. Walsh in making his scenario followed closely evidence brought out at the trial. That is apparent in more places than one. He has not sought to improve on a melodrama which might have been struck off for the special use of the motion picture director. And as a result " Woman and the Law " is a thrilling and sustaining picture, the climax of which, though known to the first night audience which attended the Lyric, came with a crash of power because of the craft of Walsh, the writer and director. It is in truth a picture that will hold one absorbed throughout its length so well is it presented and acted. All through the many dismal episodes that comprise the married life of Jack "La Salle " and " Blanquctta " the premonition of impending disaster works to heighten instead of to dull the interest. Much of this is due to the excellent work contributed by the principals. Miriam Cooper in her portrayal of the harassed Blanquctta gives a performance of wonderful appeal. The writer has often before claimed that Miss Cooper has no superiors in rendering a character suffering under the strain of too long suppressed emotion. And as Blanquctta, the Chilean beauty, whose environment and teachings have molded a temperament in exact juxtaposition to that of her husband, she scores a tremendous personal success. Ramsay Wallace, whose first appearance on the screen was made in " The Grain of Dust," and whose success there immediately marked him for bigger things makes the Jack La Salle of the picture the typical rounder, the " good fellow " of Broadway which usually means the " bad fellow " of the home. For pur