Motography (Jan-Jun 1917)

1072 MOTOGRAPHY Vol. XVII, No. 20. Brief Stories of the Week's Film Releases To Oblige a Vampire— Nestor — May 14. — With Eddie Lyons, Lee Moran and Olive Adair. Harold and Willie are broke. Harold finds a Russian dancer's purse and returns it to her. She takes quite a fancy to him. When he refuses a reward, she offers him a rose. Harold is delighted, but Willie is disgusted. The next day the boys are invited to the home of the dancer. She shows Harold the picture of a man whom he is to kill for her. Harold manages to stab the man, is chased by the servants, but escapes them and returns to the dancer. Here he finds her making love to Willie. She tells Harold to fade away. The boys begin to fight, and then Harold wakes up. It has all been a terrible dream. The Voice on the Wire — Episode 10 — May 14. — With Ben Wilson and Neva Gerber. This episode is full of excitement. Polly is in the hands of the crooks. Shirley learns that "Red" has taken Polly to "Frisco" Ida's gambling house. With his men he starts for the place. As the picture closes we see Polly lying exhausted on the bed. Slowly the mysterious hand appears and starts toward her throat. She stirs restlessly while the fingers of the hands extend toward her. Such Is Life in South Algeria — Powers — May 13. — This is a Travelaugh with Hy Mayer through some of the unfamiliar spots of Southern Algeria. We see a view of the Bogharie Road, which changes into a cartoon of a family outing. Then we see a street in Sidi-Okba, and the famous oasis of Biskra, the first of the desert cities. Dances of the natives to the music of a drum orchestra are shown. A squad of cavalry in the picturesque Spahi rides by, and then we see a group of Nomads traveling towards the south. The gorges of El-Kantara finish the picture, which is interspersed w;th amusing cartoons from the clever pen of Hy Mayer. Flames of Treachery — Imp — May 10. — With Clyde Benson, Lois Wilson and Lee Hill. James Ford is the Western representative of a big concern. He has been carrying on some crooked work, and treats the new clerk with scant courtesy. Working in the office is Ruth Chalmers, and Ford makes love to her. One night Ford asks Ruth to work late. Hatton comes back to the office to find Ruth fighting for her honor. Ford is angry and discharges Ruth. He tells Hatton that the head office will take care of him. He puts some marked bills in Hatton's desk and then brings the officers to arrest him. Hatton then causes the arrest of Ford as he is the head of the concern and has found the evidence of fraud that they sought. Breaking the Family Strike — Victor — May 17. ■ — With Matt Moore and Jane Gail. Mr. and Mrs. Carter have a falling out and she goes on strike. Refusing to sign the "demands" of the Wives' Club, she leaves him. Upon request, the manager of the Strike-Breaking Bureau sends him a girl from a burlesque troupe to act as strikebreaker until wifie gives in. When wifie sees the blonde beauty she rushes at her and there is a regular hair-pulling time. Hubby threatens to have his wife arrested, but she succumbs and tears up the "demands." Then she dismisses the blond strike-breaker. The Puzzle Woman — Imp — May 17. — With Francis Ford and Grace Cunard. Cliff meets two crooks, Shorty and Slim. They flirt with a girl, whom they persuade to come with them. The crooks pull off a safe-robbing scheme, and use Cliff and the girl as unconscious confederates. They hide the money in a box of candy and give it to the girl. She passes it to Cliff to hold for her. Cliff finds the money and goes to the crooks, who tell her that he has_ been used as a tool. Detectives, overhearing this, enter and arrest the thieves. They are about to arrest Cliff, too, when he pulls out a card, with "Phil Kelly, Detective," on it, and asks them to meet his wife, who is responsible for a large part of their joint success. Casey's Border Raid— (Two Reels) — Bison — May 19. — With Neal Hart and Janet Eastman. Casey is with the troops on the border. He is such a blunderer that he is made to do the dirty work around the camp. The sergeant's sister tells the boys that she will marry the one who secures for her the Mexican blanket worn by the leader of the bandits. They all start out bravely, but are licked by the Mexicans. Casey determines to make good. He arrives at the Mexican camp, finds the guard asleep and puts the Mexican blanket under his coat. Casey stands the abuse of the bandits until they start to trample on the girl's handkerchief, which he has long treasured. He knocks down the lot of them and runs to the gun, whirls it around, turns it loose and captures the entire Mexican army. He makes them pull the gun across the border to the American camp. The Mexicans are turned over to the captain. The girl falls in his arms when she learns that he has brought the blanket. Fat and Foolish — Victor — May IS. — With Ed. Sedgwick and Violet Eddy. Bill finds a note in a bottle from an old maid saying that she will marry the finder. _ As she is rich, he consents. Bill sees Roger's girl, and stealing the old maid's purse, goes off with the girl. The dude tells Roger where they are. The old maid discovers the loss of her purse and goes after Bill. They all end up in the water, where a cop arrests both Roger and Bill. The dude rescues the women, gets the old maid's money and the girl's heart. Universal Screen Magazine — Issue No. 19. — The reel begins with a demonstration of the making of cut glass. Then we see the school of aviation, with the army of birdmen who are preparing for war service. Compared to the European armies, our air service is almost negligible. Next is shown a modern Paul Revere, who guards the "Death Avenue," the most dangerous thoroughfare in Greater New York. His flag warns pedestrians away from the trains which run in the street. The reel ends with a "Miracle in Mud," a cartoon in animated sculpture by Willie Hopkins. Her Great Dilemma — (Two Reels) — Laemmle — May 18. — With Louise Lovely, Lee Hill and E. N. Wallack. Mary Blaston was one of the best nurses in the_ Mercy Hospital. A young interne of the hospital, Marc Grayson, came into her life. When he took up private practice and prospered he and Mary were married. Mary did not tell her husband of her past life. She had been raised in the slums and had become the wife of Red Shang, a notorious underworld character. When she read the report of his death, she renounced the old life and entered the hospital. Red's reported death was incorrect. Tracing Mary to her home, he demands money. Wishing to get rid of him, she gives him a necklace. As he is crossing the street he is knocked down by Dr. Grayson's automobile and seriously injured. His death means much to Mary, but she bends every effort to bring him through the operation that is necessary. The doctor tells her there is no hope that he will ever recover from the anesthetic. _ Marv sinks into her husband's arms with a silent thanksgiving for her deliverance. The Brand of Death— Big U — May 18. — A small party of surveyors invade the solitude of the Hooi country. Singing Pine, an Apache and a graduate of Carlisle, was the life of the party. He meets Laughing Water and they fall in love. Singing Pine returns to the life of his people with the Hopis. After the wedding Laughing Water discovers the brand of the Apaches on Singing Pine's shoulder. According to Indian tradition, the marriage of an Apache and a Hopi meant death to both. Singing Pine is seized and bound to the stake to await his death, but he is rescued bv Great Bear, his friend from childhood, just in time. A Good Little Bad Boy— (Two Reels) — T.-Ko —May 16. — With Phil Dunham and Merta Sterling. Phil is the black sheep of the family. He is finally kicked out, and he wanders into the cruel world. Phil meets Salvation Liz, who starts to convert him. Then Lil, the villainess, flirts with him. Phil has quite an exciting time. As the reel closes we see Phil rescuing Lil out of the safe just as a train comes and crashes through station and all. The Case of Doctor Standing — (Two Reels) — Imp— May 20— With Charles Ogle, Frank O'Keif and Marie Wierman. Standing and Hammatt are two young surgeons. Hammatt is a drug fiend and neglects his business. Later they both meet Betty. To disgrace Standing, Hammatt puts dope in his glass. Betty thinks he is intoxicated and shrinks from him in horror. In a quarrel with Hammatt, Willard is stabbed. Suspicion falls on Standing and he is found guilty. Later James escapes. He arrives at the home of the judge who convicted him. The judge promises to help him if he, as a surgeon, will operate and save his daughter's life. James performs the operation successfully. In the meantime, Ben, in a fit of insanity, confesses. James and Betty are reunited. The Honor of an Outlaw — (Three Reels) — Gold Seal — May 15. — With Harry Carey and Claire du Brev. The president's daughter starts on a trip for the West. "Cheyenne" Harry, under a sheriff's guard, is on the same train. A band of outlaws hold up the train. They recognize Harry and free him. The girl is taken to their shack in the mountains and held for ransom. In trving to protect the girl, Harry is forced into a fight with the outlaws. He is about to lose his fight, when the girl's father and a posse arrive and place the men under arrest. The girl tells her father of the bravery of "Cheyenne." He offers Harry a position. As the time passes the young people grow very fond of each other. He realizes that the girl could not be permanently happy with a reformed outlaw, so lie rides back to the wilds, hiding his disappointment in his heart. The Gift of the Fairies — Rex — May 17. — With Baby Earle and Elise Albert. Marion was a little crippled girl who lived with her grandmother. One day the grandmother told her a story about a little lame boy who was healed by the fairies. Marion went out to look for the fairy queen to heal her. She entered a garden and asked the girl if she was a fairy, telling her the story of the lame boy. The girl made a plan to help the little girl. The next time she_ came there was a man with the girl, whom Marion took for a magician. He gave her a flower to smell and she went to sleep. When she awoke she found that she could walk. Marion returned to her grandmother and said that the fairies had made her well. In reality, the magician was a famous doctor, who had cured her of her lameness. The River of Lost Souls— (Split Reel) — Powers— May 20. — With Dr. Dorsey. The Yangtze river is the busiest in China. It flows through densely populated regions. Special types of steamships are built to navigate its dangerous waters. Thousands of Chinese junks are operated by the natives. The rapids are so strong that not one man in a thousand who falls in ever comes out alive. For a hundred and fifty miles the river flows through rocky gorges. On the same reel is: When Does a Hen Lay an Egg? — Zippy buys a hen, thinking that he will have fresh eggs every day. The hen refuses to lay. Six months later a professor recognizes the hen as a rare specimen of an almost extinct breed. He wishes to buy it and will give $1,000. Zippv invites the professor to dinner. He thinks that this will be a fine time to get the worth of the hen. It is killed and served for dinner. When Zippy learns that he has lost the thousand he has a fit. The Overland Disaster — (Two Reels) — Railroad Raiders Series — Signal — May 14. — Featuring Helen Holmes. There is a new general superintendent of the "K" railroad system, Thomas Desmond by name and investigative by nature. Hence the recent robberies that have drained the system of all profit are looked into. Burke, disgruntled and dissatisfied employe, falls under the cloud of suspicion and is trailed to the rear office of Lowenstein, pawnbroker, where he was overheard in a criminal conspiracy by Helen Holmes and Desmond. The latter confronts him with proof of his guilt, and third-degrees him into betraying the rest of his gang. Burke is the evil genius who contrives to wreck the private train of the railroad president, causing the death of the president. The president's son, Roy, is saved only by the wit of Helen. The gang of raiders, seeing no hope of escape from the narrowing circle of the law, plan revenge against Helen and her friends, but Helen is right on the job and for their every plot she provides the thrill of a counterplot. When Betty Bets — (Two Reels) — Mutual — May 14. — Starring Marie Cahill. Hopeful John is in love with Mabel, the sister of Bettie (Marie Cahill). His rich uncle has some objections to the marriage and Bettie attempts to fix things up. Uncle tells her she is useless except as a spender. Betty wagers him that she can make $1,000 in thirty days and Uncle takes the bet. If she wins Uncle consents to the wedding; if she doesn't, the stuff is all off. Betty arranges an ingenius svstem of family blackmail by which she compels Uncle to come through with more than the thousand, and he is glad to say, "God bless you, my children." Trixie of the Follies — (One Reel) — Caulfield — May 16. — Billie Rhodes and Tay Belasco featured. To cure her husband, Jack, of flirting, wifie impersonates an actress and he accosts her. He recognizes her through the disguise, but rushes home to make sure. She beats him home in a faster car and he thinks the lady of his flirtation is really Trixie. He writes to Trixie and they arrange for her to visit his home. Wifie is out for the evening. Wifie's friend, Jim, impersonates the husband of Trixie and Jack is pretty badly scared. His cure is complete and wifie embraces him. Jerry's Finishing Touch — (One Reel) — Mutual— May 17. — George Ovey comedy. Jerry learns the motion picture business in a short time