Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1912)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 47 She might if it were a matter of only her own self, but the thought of an instant takes her to a little room above where two big blue eyes are closed in the peaceful slumbering childhood ; then it is that the great spirit of sacrifice comes upon her and she accepts without remonstration the denunciation of the ill sinner. And thus does she pass out of their live? — their savior, yet — a woman of no importance. THE STOLEN LETTER Reliance Release, February 7 John leaves his wealthy sweetheart. Belle, in the country and comes to the city to make good and secure enough money to start a home on. In the city he enters a contractor's office and is soon assigned to some strenuous building work. At the boarding house where he stops he meets May, a pretty little stenographer. They are mutually attracted and he is gradually weaned away from Belle. He makes good and feels in honor liound to write Belle and remind her of her promise. May learns of it and is heartbroken. When Belle's answer comes, ^lay finds it first, and fearing lest Belle had written for him to come to her, she steals the letter. Later her conscience bothers her so that she goes to John and giving him the letter makes a confession of the wrong she has done him. She goes to her room and starts packing up. when John, opening the letter, finds it a polite note from Belle telling of her forthcoming marriage to another man. Seeking out ]May he tells her. the good news and both find happiness in each other's arms. BEDELIA'S BUSY MORNING Reliance Release, February 10 Bedelia is the culinary authority of the Jones family and the scene opens with her emphatic protest against the cuckoo clock awakening her. The shoes she throws at that modest bird in an endeavor to submerge its morning call, fall shy a few feet and disappear out of the window to find lodgement upon the head of a passing policeman. After passing the time of day with that worthy gentleman, she leisurely dresses and repairs to the kitchen, arriving there a bit ahead of time through the medium of a -ake of soap inadvertentlj placed upon the stairway. The stove blows up, from which she is saved by the milkman n'ho is making violent love to her, and he finds himself enmeshed in the flour and dough Bedelia has prepared for a more thorough kneading. As the door opens, thinking it the milkman, Bedelia lets fly the remainder of the dough. This meeting the surprised countenance of the lady of the house, instead of the milkman, precipitates an argument in which Bedelia voices her protest by breaking the china and making a hasty but dignified departure. Tony O'Sullivan is inimitable as Bedelia. The Natural Historv Series, which completes this reel, consists of the method of catching deadly snakes, treating the poisonous bite and in showing how the Kind snake, the enemy ot the deadly poisonous snake, sheds its skin. A BURGLAR'S LOVE Great Northern Release, February 10 Two men, one a typical housebreaker, and the other but a young fellow who looks as though adverse circumstances alone had led him into his present state of life, are seen in the privacy of their room preparmg for a raid upon their more fortunate neighbqjrs. Equipped with ,the ,*necessary implements carefully concealed from the public gaze in a bag, they make their way to a field selected for their operations. Arriving at the large ornamental iron gates leading into the grounds, the elder tries, but without success, to unlock the fastening. There is nothing else left but for one of them to climb over, and this falls to the lot of the younger man. The bag is passed over to him, and while his confederate keeps guard, he cautiously creeps up to a window. Assuring himself that all is quiet, he climbs in and looks about for plunder. He opens a drawer and congratulates himself on finding a number of valuables which he calmly places in his bag. A slight stir startles him, and looking about, he finds that he is in the bedroom of the daughter of the house, and that she has moved in her sleep. He looks at her and is so struck with her beauty that he cannot find it in his heart to rob her. He turns back to his bag, and taking the trinkets out, replaces them in their former resting place. Gathering up his belongings, he once more bends over the girl, and then going to the window, jumps out. At the gates, he tosses the bag to his "pal," and following it, is eagerly asked the extent of the spoil. He replies that he has none, and not in a fit mood to talk to his mentor, shrugs his shoulders and walks on. The next day the young fellow longs so much to see the girl, that arrayed in his best, he waits at the gate of her house. Luck is on his side, for she comes out, and fumbling with the handle, happens to drop her handbag, whihc Jack immediately picks up and returns. A week later we see the young lady waiting on a seat for her lover, for such Jack has now become, and when the object of her thoughts walks up, and upon making her a small gift, is presented with her photo. Later, Jack calls upon her at her home, and, after speaking to her parents, who have no objection to his paying court to their daughter, takes the latter aside, proposes and is accepted. Returning to his room, Jack's happiness is marred by the sight of a communication addressed to him from his old confederate. It reads that next day the races will be held, and that there is every chance of doing good "business." The ne.xt day dawns and Jack feels compelled to answer the summons. At the races the two thieves get to work. Jack steals a lady's bag, unaware that behind him a cinematograph machine, pointed at. the race course, is also registering his every action.^ Some time after. Jack takes his fiance to a picture show, and there to his horror and to his infinite disgust, sees himself stealing the bag. The girl, almost heartbroken, leaves him, and the next day, when he pleads with her, absolutely refuses to hold any further communication with him. Jack wanders to a seat by the roadside, and there sees a gentleman drop a wallet of notes. Honesty and dishonesty fight within him, but the thought of the girl decides him, and hurrying after the gentleman, he returns the notes and is given a substantial reward. At his lodging the other thief turns up and tries to get Jack to help at another robbery. The youngster refuses, and stares lovingly at the photo of the girl. The man, seeing this, snatches the likeness from his hand, and flings it on the floor. This is more than Jack can stand, and catching hold of the villain, he kicks him out of the room. Some time after. Jack is instrumental in saving his sweetheart's house from being robbed by his former companion, who, as he leaves the grounds, runs into the arms of a waiting policeman. Jack now having proved his worth, once more presents himself at the "Hall," and after pleading with the girl of his heart, their former sweet relations are resumed. MRS. CRANSTON'S JEWELS Solax Release, February 9 Good psychological stories are not only the most difficult to get, but are the most difficult to produce. While manufacturers are always only too willing to produce a "psychological," they are not always very certain whether they have succeeded in transmitting to the screen all there is in the story. It is very hard to show the working of a mind, or a number of minds, by a series of pictures. In the Solax production of "Mrs. Cranston's Jewels," the release of Friday, February 9, we see two cultured and perhaps trained minds working along the same lines, and arriving at diametrically opposite results. The husband of Mrs. Cranston is in tight quarters. He is caught both "short" in funds and in stock. In order that he ma} be able to cover up his margins, he decides to rob his wife's jewels. He zealously plans to do so, but his wife anticipates him and steals the jewels herself; she having reason to believe that he would attempt the crime in a moment of weakness. The husband, when he finds that his wife's jewels are missing, raises a "hue and cry," and the police take up the case. After considerable investigation, the crime is traced to Mrs. Cranston. How do you think the story ends? Order the film and find out. It is released Friday, February 9.