Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1920)

2190 Motion Picture N en m'i The Fiction A Service Department for Producers and Studio Executives The Man Without a Tongue By Chas. Felton Pidgin Character of Story: Detective story. Theme: Black Hand. Characters : (Juincy Adams Sawyer, Detective; Gates, Police Inspector; Pietro Escalio, the man without a tongue; Florence Armstrong, Sawyer's assistant ; Francisco Staganaro, Italian merchant ; Le Loup, the leader of the Black Hand; ■ police, bandits, etc. The Plot: As Sawyer is deploring the lack of active business in his private detective agency, Gates, police inspector and Sawyer's friend, arrives with an Italian wrapped in a long cloak. Sawyer and Gates question him without result. Gates says that he found the man on the street, apparently crazed with fear at the sight of another Italian with a hand-organ and a monkey and he believes that this man, now in custody, may know something of the Mafia which has been terrorizing the Italian colony. Investigation discloses the fact that the man, Escalio, has neither hands nor tongue but can trace his name by means of a pencil fastened to his wrist by Sawyer. While they are in conference Miss Armstrong looks up their records and finds that this man was in some way connected with a kidnapping case in which the father of the kidnapped child grew frightened and paid the ransom demanded and refused to give further evidence against the kidnappers after calling on the police for help. Another case of kidnapping is reported and Sawyer asks the dumb man if he will assist them in finding the lair of the Black Hand, correctly surmising that this man has been a victim of the vengeance of the blackmailers. Escalio, by signs, gives his assent. Miss Armstrong asks to be permitted to take an active part in the case but is told there will be too much danger in it and is instructed to take care of the office. Escalio leads Sawyer to the house of Le Loup, or " the wolf " as he is called, the leader of the band of criminals. Sawyer forces his way in, leaving word that if he does not reappear in an hour the police are to break in. He finds his way from a narrow passage into another where he is seized and brought into a square room with a big cage like a gigantic chicken coop in the center of the room. This cage is covered with a canvas. Le Loup greets Sawyer with the information that he is expected and asks him if he thought they would have permitted Escalio to betray them? He then declares _ that the purpose of the blackmailers is to maim the little daughter of Stagnaro, now in their hands, in such a way that it will be a warning to other parents who may think of calling on the police. He orders the cage uncovered and Sawyer sees that it contains a great ape. Le Loup explains that the method of silencing Escalio was to let the ape bite oR his hands after which they removed his tongue so that he could not talk, write or speak with his fingers. Sawyer struggles to get at Le Loup, but is struck down from behind. He is then bound to the cage with his hands inside the bars for the ape to bite them off, but just as the brute approaches him a shot rings out from a hole in the wall of the room and in an opening appears the face of Escalio, who has a shot gun tied to one arm and the stump of the other arm thrust through a loop attached to the trigger. The ape is killed and Escalio threatens the others with his gun. Following this a band of police led by Florence Armstrong enter and rescue Sawyer, arresting the blackmailers. It then appears that she had found her way into the house and had so been able to guide the police to the spot which they could not otherwise have found. Locale: Any American city. Picture High Lights: Thrills. The Key Without a Lock By Chas. Felton Pidgin Character of Story: Detective story. Theme: Crime. Characters: Quincy Adams Sawyer, detective; Gates, Police Inspector; Florence Armstrong, Sawyer's assistant; Captain Randall, football player; Peter Harrington, a master criminal ; Coach Williams ; Margaret Randall. The Plot: Captain Randall, head of a foot BOOKS AND STORIES RECENTLY REVIEWED BOLTWOOD AT YALE, by Gilbert Patten; issue of January 17th. The Owner of the Lazy D, by Wm. Patterson White; issue of January 17th. Beau Rand, by Charles Alden Seltzer; issue of January 17th. The Devil to Pay, by Francis Nemo Greene; issue of January 17th. The Texan, by James B. Hendryx; issue of January 17th. The Single Track, by Douglas Grant; issue of January 24th. The Talleyrand Maxim, by J. S. Fletcher; issue of January 24th. The Coast of Opportunity, by Page Phillips; issue of January 24th. Bloom of Cactus, by Robert Ames Bennet; issue of January 24th. Tessie of the Rainbows, by Seward W. 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Locke; issue of February 14th. ball team in a neighboring college calls upon Quincy Adams Sawyer and tells him the story of a mysterious key which was entrusted to him by a cook on a farm in Minnesota, where he worked during a summer vacation. This old cook was a silent sort of man and told nothing of himself to anyone until he gave the key to Randall saying that he felt it no longer safe with him and that he feared it would fall into the hands of certain yellow men who were following him. The night after the key came into Randall's possession the cook was murdered with a Malay kris. Since Randall's return to college two Malays have been sent to the football team as trainers and while he has been unable to fasten suspicion upon them, his effects have been rifled several times. He does not know the significance of the key, which is covered with numbers and little squares; he does not know what lock it fits. He wishes Sawyer to solve the mystery for him. Sawyer learns that the Malays have been sent with expenses paid by Peter Harrington, an alumnus of the college and a man of wealth, whose income is somewhat mysterious. Sawyer accepts the case. The next day there comes to him Coach Williams, who tells him that in addition to having been assaulted with a sandbag, Randall has dis appeared. Randall's wife has likewise disappeared. The detective is at a loss to know which way to turn when he receives a note from Randall stating that he has been kidnapped and that his captors desire the delivery of the mysterious key. The note, in giving directions as to the whereabouts of the key really tells the location of the house in which Randall is confined. Sawyer and Gates seek out the house and force their way in through a window on the lower floor. They find their way to an upper floor where they discover Randall a prisoner. Concealed, they listen to the leader of the kidnappers telling Randall that they will pay him $5,000 for the key and that if they do not get it they will torture his wife, Margaret, who has fallen into their hands. The leader also states that this key will lead them to the secret formula for a drink which contains a more powerful drug than any now known and that with this drug in their possession they will be on their way toward making millions of dollars by selling it to those who can profit by its peculiarly demoralizing efTect upon morals. At the moment when the criminals are about to torture the women, Gates and Sawyer are attacked from the corridor by guards who have discovered them and shoot at them with Maxim si lencers on their revolvers. At th" time, however, the rescue party of breaks in and captures the c ' Sawyer finds that the marks on show that the lock is behind one bricks in the fireplace in this very and there, in a secret hiding place finds a book of formulas conccs by Clifford Harrington, grano Peter Harrington and a noted ci^tir Sawyer determines to destroy book lest the contents again be evil. Margaret is restored to her Locale: Any city. Picture High Lights: Suspense and action. Pierre Vinton By Edward C. Vena Character of Story: Society drama. Theme: Jiivorce. Characters: Pierre Vinton; Marcella ton; Mrs. Axon; Stewart Dewar; land Brown; Barbara Gilbert; Louise. The Plot: Pierre Vinton and his wife, cella, have been divorced upon grounds of incompatibility of They continue to move in the same of society and to know the same and Vinton soon finds that he shake off the memory of his He makes the acquaintance of Gilbert, a beautiful actress, but take* interest in her other than that of a p ing acquaintance. Other women equally uninteresting to him. his aimt he learns that his wife bai cided to go in for a musical career he agrees with his aunt that this wc not be a good thing for her. He her to protest against this step and replies that it is necessary because has no other means of earning money is now financially embarrassed. To Vinton replies that everything he hat hers as it was when they were She says that the law does not now mit her to claim it since they are dr Vinton says that this makes no diff Marcella, however, refuses his help accepts that of her uncle. yinton_ i finds Stewart Dewar cultivating his quaintance. Dewar is a small man is so stooped that he suggests def" He is clever but queer. One night ing bridge with another guest at D home Vinton sees a letter from M"_ to Dewar and recognizes the handwri Dewar stuffs it into his pocket Later Vinton learns that Dewar and cella are going about together and late mutual friend, Mrs. Axon, tells him Dewar and Marcella are to be man Vinton now feels that this must not permitted. Marcella is his wife and must not marry anyone else — es revolting is the idea of seeing her to such a man as Dewar. Vinton Dewar and tel's him that he will not mit the marriage. Dewar declares he intends to marry Marcella and nothing Vinton can do will stop hi that Vinton has forfeited the right to after her affairs or even to take the erty of calling her by her Christian n; Vinton cal's Dewar's attention to the that he could easily throw him out of window and that he is in a mood to dc Dewar declares that the law will pre this. Vinton says, no, the law will pu but will not prevent it, and if he, Vin were to be arrested for thrashing D< how could the latter expect to overc the humiliation which would fol Dewar savs he will be married if he r have officers of the law at the altar. _ ton retorts that this would make hm ridiculous that no woman would m him. Exasperated by Dewar's attit V'inton knocks him down and msta regrets his lack of poise. Dewar savs he feels for the first time m his as' though he would like to kill a man this, in a measure, helps him to ur stand Vinton's attitude. Vinton goe Marcella and tells her that she is hi the sight of God because he still 1< her and that there is no such thing divorce. She savs she has ceased to him but does not want to hurt his 1 She will not marry. Vinton goes ab where he is tempted to take up witl adventuress but restrained by the s feeling that his marriage is sacred He convenientlv slips in the Alps wakes to find Marcella nursing him. has heard of his "accident" and realizes that she still loves him. Locale: New York and Switzerland. Picture High Lights : Emotional scenes I