Motography (Apr-Jun 1916)

1056 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XV, No. 19. thieves. He again sees Betty, who is now married to Captain Douglas, and, inspired by a spark of his former self, he successfully weathers the tortures of a struggle to overcome his weakness. A coward, Captain Douglas is killed in the rebellion and the reformed Lowndes is reunited with Betty. Charles Swickard produced the picture, and his treatment of the subject is commendable. Lola May is a charming Betty. Wyndham Standing, H. E. Entwistle, A. F. Hollingsworth and Wedgwood Nowell make up the balance of the cast. The effects in battle, street and desert scenes are striking and atmospherical. "The Secret of the Submarine" First Three Episodes of the "Flying A" Mutual Serial Reviewed by Genevieve Harris T HERE are a number of elements in the plot and in the presentation of American Film Corporation film novel, judging from the first three installments, which are likely to make it a strong drawing card. Timeliness is an important feature. Submarines are receiving close attention at present, _ and such an invention as that dealt with, which, we are told, is not impossible, would be of vital importance in history. The scenes depicting events in the interior of the submarine, in the first two chapters, are interesting in themselves alone, apart from the story. Having selected a fortunate subject, the producers have elaborated it into a swiftly moving, cleverly complicated story. In fact, the story is the important thing in this feature and (Lamar Johnstone), to buy the invention for their personal advantage. The characters introduced and the plots and sub-plots suggested, the story begins with the demonstration of the invention. Dr. Burke, Cleo and Lieut. Hope are in the boat, and the invention is working well. But, unknown to the others, Satsuma is concealed on board and when the others are at lunch, he examines the machine. He is discovered, and in the struggle the invention is disabled. Satsuma escapes through the conning tower. The water rushes into the boat and the others are left to what sems certain death, when the first chapter ends. The second chapter shows their escape when the incoming waters are checked and the air machine repaired and set in motion. Hope recommends the purchase of the invention. Later Morton arrives and tries to purchase the machine for his uncle. Meantime the agents of Japan and Russia, are plotting to capture the plans. That night Sextus and Satsuma break into the house, meet in the laboratory and have a violent encounter. After that Dr. Burke fears for his own life and calls Cleo's attention to the value of his books, should she be left alone. The next night he is murdered. When the murder is discovered, in the third chapter, Morton, who calls at the house, calls attention to a button which he declares is in the dead man' hand. "Hook" has already removed the button and he suspects that Morton himself may have put it there to throw suspicion on Hope. Cleo, left without property, sells her father's books, without examining them, keeping only the Bible. Then, too late, she finds a note in the book declaring that concealed in one of the other books there is a cipher code explaining "the secret of the submarine," and in another there is the key to the cipher. While it seems a little stupid of Cleo to misunderstand her father's remark about the value of his books and to sell them, her act offers a chance for a most interesting struggle for the discovery and possession of the plans. The books are already sold, but the agent has a list of the purchasers. Satsuma learns their value and goes to the city to get the list. Hope and Cleo also go by automobile, and there is a wild race in the course of which leaps a wide gap in a broken bridge. But the Jap arrives first and being unable to secure the purchase list, burns the original. So Cleo and Hope have not even that to guide them. George Sargent is the director of the serial, which is taken from a story by Russell B. Smith. The scenario was prepared by C. R. Hoadley and William Barker. If the succeeding installments are as clear and interesting and well done as the first three the serial will be decidedly entertaining to the majority of puicture theater patrons. while thrills and spectacular events are part of each chapter, they are not allowed to obscure the plot. Rather, they emphasize it. The leads in the drama, Thomas Chatterton and Juamta Hansen as Lieutenant Jarvis Hope, a U. S. officer, and Cleo Burke, the daughter of the inventor, are attractive players and will add to their personal following of film "fans" in these roles. The supporting cast is interesting, and the characters stand out vividly. Necessarily, much of the first episode is used in introducing the important members of the cast. In his laboratory we meet Dr. Burke (Hugh Bennett), studying his various experiments, chief among them one which will enable subsea boats to take their supply of air from the sea itself. His daughter Cleo (Miss Hansen) is the first to be told of the success of the invention, which Dr. Burke then offers to his country. The hero, Lieutenant Hope, is introduced when he is sent to investigate the worth of the reported invention and to buy it for the government, if it proves satisfactory. Other important characters are "Hook" Barnacle, a onearmed seaman with a great curiosity about the invention, an amusing role played by George Clancy ; Satsuma, a Japanese spy, very cleverly portrayed by William Tedmarsh, who learns of the invention through "Hook," his superior, Mahlin (George Webb) ; Olga Ivanhoff, a Russian adventuress in the secret service of her country, whom llylda 1 lollis competently interprets, and her agent, Sextus (Harry Edmondson). These foreign agents at once take steps to gain possession of "the secret of the submarine," and in addition, a wealthy lobbyist, Calvin Montgomery (Joseph Beaudry), sends his nephew, Gerald Morton 'The No-Good Guy" William Collier Scores in Triangle-Ince Comedy Reviewed by Thomas C. Kennedy 4 tTHE NO GOOD GUY" brings William Collier to the screen 1 in a way that one has a right to expect of a comedian who has long held a conspicuous place among the foremost laughmakers of the stage. Aided by a story that serves his purposes well and direction equally strong in this respect, Collier has no difficulty in keeping the spectator amused through five reels of film containing innumerable comical incidents. Mr. Collier is Jimmy Coghlan, who is no good. The title introducing Walter Edwards as Jimmy's valet states that Hawkins has the hardest job in the world, and when Jimmy comes home from the party that night one appreciates the truth of those words. With a rich uncle to supply him with money for really gay parties and a chronic thirst, Jimmy is notorious from one end of the city to the other. In all he does Air. Collier is funny. His work registers and, looked at from all viewpoints, he is one of the most amusing good-for-nothings one could desire. The business is remarkably good. Director Walter Edwards used everything within the grasp of the producer of motion pictures, slapstick and trick photography included, in staging C. Gardner Sullivan's story. In no instance is there recourse to business or incident that would tend to make the actions of a man who takes entirely too much drink anything but comical. In the first scene we learn from Jimmy's rich uncle that the wild one has climbed aboard the water wagon. But driving a water wagon is uninteresting, the seat is uncomfortable and when Jimmy comes to a stone in the road he quits. That evening he celebrates. Just a few minutes before dawn he leaves the cafe, in an auto, which he speeds up and drives through a store window. This escapade lands him in jail, but as uncle has influence and Jimmy promises to go to work his sojourn there