Moving Picture News (Jan-Dec 1911)

i6 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS Ifflanufacturers* Synopsis of jfilttts A WESTERN GIRL'S CHOICE Champion Release, Wednesday, March 1 Dora Maxwell resides with her parents on their extensive ranch in the West, and her sweetheart is ililton Logan, the ranch foreman. Returning froni a brisk canter, Dora is confronted with a great surprise in the presence from the East of her uncle and a strange young man. ^ Receiving a letter from her Aunt, through its presentation by her Uncle, Dora discovers that the young stranger is intended to be her future husband, and her Aunt also invites her to come East with the two men, when they return. She is urged to renounce the uncultured ( ?) West and adopt the refining environments of the cultured (?) East. In accordance with the wishes of her deceased mother, Dora's Aunt is desirous of inviting the girl to visit New York. The attractiveness of the young Eastern millionaire is evident, and Dora, for the nonce, forgets poor Milton and spends her time in the company of Richard Moore. She soon meets with an opportunity to compare the worth of the two men, and that of the Westerner is so undoubtedly superior to the other she dares no longer hesitate in her choice. In aid of her decision to refuse her Aunt's kind invitation is a dream she has of supposed Eastern civilization. The humiliation suffered through the cowardice_ of Moore, compared with the bravery of Logan, ends the false infatuation she experienced, and throws her, repentant and subdued, into the arms of her Western sweetheart. Moreover, her undesirable suitor returns, chagrined and discomfited, without having remained at the ranch over a day. Writing a courteous letter of refusal to her Aunt, Dora places it in the hands of her astonished Uncle, and leaving them, she hurries to her room, gets into her riding habit, and meeting Milton at the front door, they both canter off with laughter and love in the winter's air. "A MANLY MAN" Imp Release, Feb. 27th Norman Duncan, a civil engineer in the employ of the United States Government, loves Elinor Williams, and they are happy in their plighted troth. Duncan is ordered to the Philippines, to take charge of some important work, and takes an affectionate leave of his sw-eetheart, to whom he promises to be faithful. We see him arrive at his destination, and take in the tropical surroundings. The young engineer is red-blooded, and human. He finds time hanging heavily on his hands, and seeks diversion. He finds it in Lola, a beautiful Filipino girl, with Juno-like form and handsome face. She gives him a passing glance, and Duncan is interested. He seeks the girl, and she is not averse to the attentions of the handsome young man from the States. Petro, her lover, takes in the situation, which bodes no good for the interloper. Lola and Duncan meet, and the love affair is progressing beyond his fondest expectations. Returning from his foray into the swamps one day Duncan is stricken with the deadly fever. He is overcome and his companions desert him, fearing the contagion. Lola finds him and, braving the ravages of the disease, assists him away. This episode is witnessed by the jealous native lover, who curses them, hoping his fickle sweetheart and her lover will both succumb to the dread fever. W'e see Lola nursing Duncan back to life and health, faithful in her duties as a nurse, and glorious in her satisfaction of saving the life of the man whom she loves with all the passion of the Latin women. Slowly Duncan regains his strength, and we see him emerge from the hut supported by the faithful Lola. He is seated out of doors, when Petro appears, and is surprised to see him alive. Stung to desperation in his jealousy, Petro steals up, and is about to plunge a knife into Duncan's back, when the girl throws herself upon him, 'wrests the knife from his grasp, and sends it spinning into the foliage. Petro and Duncan grapple, when a priest providentially makes his appearance, and Petro desists with an abject apology. In a few words, the situation is explained to the man of God, who_, with a keen discernment of right, inquires of the young engineer as to his intentions toward the native girl. He sternly insists tliat honorable union can he the only result of their relations. Duncan ponders, and then his better nature asserts itself, and he assents to a marriage. The ceremony is performed. Later, Duncan, in the garb of a Filipino, is seated in his yard. His boy, the result of the marriage, comes to him. An American appears and questions Petro, who is standing near. The stranger inquires for Duncan, and Petro, alert, his jealousy having not abated by the marriage of Duncan and Lola, points to Duncan. There is a recognition. Duncan is pleased to welcome his friend. He is informed that Elinor, the sweetlicart whom he left in the States, is ov:tside the gate. Duncan is overjoyed. Elinor runs to him, and there is a h;ippy reunion. He is holding her in his arms when Lola approaches, terrified at the sight. She understands, and humbly makes her way to Duncan's s de. He sees her, and is racked with conflicting emotions. His wife and sweetheart — wliich? Sorrowfully, he breaks the intelligence to Elinor, who stands aghast. Slie understands. The woman he has sworn to love and cherish holds out her arms to him. The girl, to whom he plighted his troth, assumes tlie same attitude, less demonstrative. Elinor sorrowfully walks away, and Duncan seats himself in anguish, and then — takes Lola in his arms, and she is supremely happy, and Duncan is content — a manly man. "ARMY MANOEUVERS IN CUBA" Imp Release, March 2d The "Imp" release of March 2d is one of the most elaborate educational pictures ever attempted, portraying the principal feature of the recent fete day in Cuba. The occasion is the recent celebration of the independence of Cuba, the soldiery appearing in army mancenvers, a glittering, bewildering spectacle. The soldiers were photographed on the drill ground, at Camp Columbia, a beautiful stretch of sward, with tropical settings, the barracks plainly visible in the distance. For military precision the pageant is a beautiful spectacle, regiment after regiment, cavalry and artillery, passing in review before the saperior officers. The troops are splendidly uniformed, and the manoeuvers demonstrate that the citizen soldiery of Cuba is a magnificent body of men, capable of coping with a like number on the field of battle, should the occasion reqtiire. After the military demonstration the luncheon scene is pictured, showing many of the prominent citizens of Havana and officers of the Cuban army passing before the camera, the scenes closing with the chief executive of the Island in the opening remarks of his address, congratulating his hearers on the prosperity of the country under the system of independence that has obtained since they were freed from Spanish oppression by the intervention of the United States. The picture is an interesting one from an educational as wel las a scenic standpoint. THE DYNAMITERS Imp Release, March 2d Jenkins, a club man, has a humorous experience that should be a very strong temperance lecture in pantomime. He is returning from a night of it with convivial companions, when he meets a party discussing the woes of the down-trodden laboring classes. Jenkins has taken on a talking jag, and he waxes eloquent, descanting on the subject. He has an anarchist for an auditor, and as the crowd disperses the agitator takes the tipsy orator in tow and guides him to the rendezvous of his co-conspirators. They descend a flight of stairs with Jenkins blindfolded. The members of the gang appear masked, and Jenkins is persuaded to take an oath which binds him to the task of righting wrongs. Lots are drawn and Jenkins takes out the fatal black cube, and is given a bomb with clock-work attachment with the injunction to demolish a manufacturing plant. We see Jenkins tipsily wending his way homeward, lugging the infernal machine. He throws himself on his bed and awakens, thoroughly sobered, with the destroyer on his hands. He hears the ticking of the machinery and knows the hour of the explosion is fast approaching. He dashes out and endeavors to lose the machine, dodging into stores and shops. The infernal machine is invariably returned to the luckless agitator and in desperation, he drops it in a park w-here it is restored to him by an intelligent dog. Happy thought — he will employ the sagacity of the canine to extricate himself from the dilemma. He passes the stairway leading to the habitation of the anarchists and instructs the dog to deposit the bomb below. The dog does so and rejoins Jenkins, and they make a run for it. The dynamite explodes, wrecking the surrounding territory, and Jenkins escapes with his clothing rent, but otherwise intact. It is a ludicrously funny comedy with plenty of action, the canine contributing materially to its success. A CHILD'S PRAYER "Lux" Release, February 24tli This is a very well acted short drama, relating the story of a child's prayer, and how it was answered. A struggling composer, whose talent is as yet unrecognized, receives a notice from his landlord, to the effect that unless he can pay his rent he will have to go. With a sigh, the composer takes up his latest score, and, bidding farewell to his wife and child, goes out, hoping that at last Fortune will smile upon him. He attempts to interview a well-known director of music, but without success, and at length returns home. Hopelessly he tosses his score on the table, and, resting his head on his arm, falls asleep. His little girl enters, carrying her doll, and, falling on her knees, prays for help. Then, catching up the score, she hastens out. Entering the director's office, she is at first refused admittance, but the great man himself enters and listens to her story. So touched is he by her appeals that he instructs his secretary to give the little girl a check, and escort her home. This is done, and the child's prayer turns sorrow into gladness. THE STORY OF A PRAYER RUG Rex Release, February 23 In Turkey, the land of mystery and mysterious romance, there are many strange customs wonderfully weird in the eyes of Occidentals. Amongst them is the "prayer rug" upon which the household kneels when conducting its prayers. Old Hamid has just finished weaving a "prayer rug" and Elraas, his daughter, tells her sweetheart of the event, for an event it is. In the shade of a grove, with the warm sun and blossoms of the sunny land all about them, they plight their troth, these children of the Orient, for the heart is the same the world over, and love is the law of the world. Accidentally, one day while getting water at the well, Elmas is discovered by the Pasha, who desires to make her queen of his harem. He follows her home and offers to buy her from her father, but the offer is refused. Several days later Elmas disappears. Suspicious, the _ father apprises Elmas' sweetheart of the Pasha's offer. The lover determines to find and rescue Elmas and, disguised as a rug peddler, carrying a fair assortment of rugs on his back, he gains entrance to the harem. Amongst the assortment he has taken witli him is the "prayer rug," which he knew Elmas -would recognize at sight, and she does. Think not that the Turk lacks ingenuity, for he is slick and skillful. So when Elmas' sweetheart departed from the harem with his rugs on his back he had, concealed in the packet, little Elmas. He carr-es her a distance before releasing her, and after clasping her in his arms, he points to the sun, the Oriental symbol of happiness, the omen of love.