Motography (Apr-Jun 1916)

1112 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XV, No. 20. Newton, as Tommy, adds a bright note to the play. Robert Klein plays an important role as Cooper, Sherman's private secretary. "The Quality of Faith" A Five-Part Gaumont-Mutual Masterpicture Released May 1. Reviewed by George W. Graves ALEXANDER GADEN and Gertrude Robinson are featured in this picture, which has to do with the experiences of a courageous minister who dares to "smite the hand that feeds him." Both of the leads do impressive work, although they have the hardship of working in a scattered story. The latter, however, presents some tense situations which are treated strongly by the director, Richard Garrick. Several labor and strike scenes especially are to be commended for realism. Alexander Gaden makes a fine type for a clergyman and does his part entire justice with virile acting. The acting and the production of this offering keep it up to the Masterpicture standard but the multiplotted story, which does not make a compact five-reeler, is to be regretted. Besides these already mentioned, the cast includes Lucille Taft, John Reinhard and H. W. Pemberton. Albert Richards, pastor of a wealthy church, loses his position there because of his attacks upon Alford, a member who owns a factory in which inhuman conditions exist. Alford has just caused one of his employees to be sent to prison for instigating labor trouble. The pastor has rescued a girl, Marna, from a shameful life, and this, together with strained relations with her father, cause Louise, Alford's daughter, to break her engagement with Richard. Louise marries Carlton, a worthless fop, with whom she is soon most miserable. She still has a strong affection for Richards, made more acute perhaps by his sudden prosperity as an author. By her artful plotting, Louise almost ensnares Richards, but his strength in the hour of temptation saves him from her wiles. Richards finds that in spite of everything it is Marna he loves, and the two marry. Alford, through reaction of his sin-laden mind, dies of heart failure and when the man whom he had sent to prison comes to wreak vengeance, he, the ex-convict, finds that his work is already accomplished. "Blazing Love" Six-Reel William Fox Play Featuring Virginia Pearson. Reviewed by Genevieve Harris EVENTS in the life of Margaret Walsh during a period of over twenty years form the theme of this drama. The plot is not very closely woven. The play is rather a series of plots having the same leading character. Unless this character is especially interesting, there is danger of such a play growing tiresome. But in this case, Virginia Pearson is an artisan of sufficient skill to hold the attention and as Margaret Walsh she wins interest and sympathy. The role yives her an excellent opportunity to display her skill as an actress and her consistent, artistic interpretation of a woman at three stages of her life is worth close attention. She ap^ at the beginning of the play as a young girl. Later she is a mature woman of the world, and in the last scenes she is waging a losing fight against age. Each impersonation is true and distinct. The first plot deals with the first love of Margaret and her engagement to Arthur Graham, an explorer who leaves on an arctic expedition with Russell Barridan. The party meets with misfortune. Barridan escapes, after he has killed Graham, and returns to civilization. After learning of Graham's death, Margaret marries a friend of her father, Morgan Delafield, a man much her senior. They live together happily for ten years and then Barridan, a thorough villain, enters Margaret's life. When she shows her contempt for him, he tries to injure her good name. She is defended by Stephen Bond, a 3'oung man who has never met her. Later the two meet and fall in love. When her husband learns that the younger man has won Margaret's, love, he commits suicide, leaving a letter for Margaret in which he gives his reason. Margaret and young Bond are married. There is another lapse of ten years. Then the story deals with the sorrow which comes to Margaret when she finds that a young girl has won her husband's love away from her. She realizes then that her first husband had suffered as she is now. This turn of the story is rather a surprise, for we had been led to think that Margaret and Bond were near the same age. Louise Huff plays the part of the young girl, Jeanne Clark, and she is an effective contrast to Margaret. After trying in vain to right the situation Margaret follows Graham's example and kills herself. While the story would have been more effective and satisfying in an artistic sense had the various events been more closely united, it is perhaps more true to life and less artificial as presented. Miss Pearson's excellent playing is accompanied by skillful work of her supporting cast, headed by Wilmuth Merkyl as Stephen Bond. Frank Burbeck plays Morgan Delafield, the first husband, and Frank Goldsmith is the rascal Barridan. Lew Stern and George Shelby appear as Margaret's father and first lover, respectively. Special mention should be given Matti-e Ferguson, who as the colored mammy supplies in a skillful manner the needed touch of humor. She also is responsible for a most poignant bit of pathos, when in the last scene after Margaret's death, which will unite Stephen and Jeanne, Mammy, who has always been the source of merriment, is alone, weeping for her mistress. "The Wheat and the Chaff" Three-Reel Lubin Drama Released May 11. Reviewed by Genevieve Harris 'THIS play contains an unusually interesting story, one 1 which catches the attention in the first scene and holds it closely until the last flash. The suspense is very well built up and sustained. Not until the last scene do we know how the events are to work themselves out. Aside from the clever story, written by Josephine McLaughlin, the spectator is held by one character, the halfwitted boy Jerry, a vivid and pathetic figure excellently played by Allan Forrest. He dominates the play, although he is not pushed into the foreground. In fact, he is out of the picture much of the time, yet he is the one who holds our sympathies. The play opens with a reception at the Torrance home. Charles, the elder brother, is a prominent lawyer and is building up a circle of influential friends, among them John Conway and his daughter, Margaret. Jerry. Charles' half brother, a stupid boy, mingles with the guests until taken to task by Mrs. Torrance, who angrily tells him that he will ruin his brother's career. Jerry is very much attached to his brilliant brother and, rather than endanger his career, he goes away, taking his dog with him. In another part of the city Jerry meets a group of boys who try to take his dog from him. He is defended by Allan Woods, who takes him home with him. Allan's sister, Peggy, is a cabaret singer. She meets and falls in love with Charles, the other brother, but when Charles has a chance to strengthen his own political standing by marrying Margaret Conway, he breaks oft" his affair with Peggy. After an interview with Charles, Peggy commits suicide, leaving a note telling her reason. Charles, hearing the shot, returns and takes the note. He escapes, but Jerry has seen him. Later he reads of the accusation of a half-witted boy, Jerry, with the murder of Peggy Wood. Although he could clear his brother, Charles knows that the scandal would ruin his chances for governorship. In the meantime, Jerry continues to shield his brother,.