Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1912)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 37 THE MANIAC Ambrosio Kelease, June 22 An insane asylum is shown, with various inmates. One of the patients constantly plays chess, and one daj^ makes his escape, carrying his board and chessmen. He boards a railroad train and enters a compartment occupied by a traveler, William Burns, ^ whom he engages in con ^ versation and proposes a game of chess. Burns is agreeable, and the two are soon absorbed in the game. The maniac suddenly startles his companion with a proposition that they play for each other's lives, and Burns then realizes the predicament he is in. His efforts to prolong the game and keep off the madman present tense situations. He finally manages to write a message for help on his cuff, which he drops out of the window as the train is pulling out of a station. A baggage man finds the cuff and rushes to the trainmaster, who wires ahead to the police. The game is finally ended in favor of the maniac, and he gloatingly leaps upon his victim. Burns fights wildly for his life, but is no match for his crazy antagonist, and he is finally overcome. He is near death when the train arrives at the next station, and the police rush into the train and drag the maniac away. HIS PTINISHMENT Bison Belease, June 18 Lieut. Wade has been carrying on a clandestine courtship with Silver Star, a pretty Indian girl. Her father. Black Hawk, discovers that secret meetings are taking place, and endeavors to keep the lovers apart. Wade is promoted and transferred to a distant fort, and the Indian girl is forgotten in the whirl of the military and social life with which he is surrounded. Silver Star dies of a broken heart, leaving an infant. Little Dove, who is brought up by Black Hawk. Wade marries a daughter of a brother officer, the wedding being celebrated with pomp. Twenty years elapse, and the press of civilization forces the Indians westward. Black Hawk's tribe locates in the vicinity of Wade's post, and one day Little Dove comes face to face with her father. Her startling resemblance overwhelms him. and he starts as if a ghost had confronted him. The Indian girl, not knowing the cause of the man's agitation, casts off his detaining hand and goes on her way. Little Dove tells her grandfather of the occurrence, and he relates to her the sad romance of her mother. She becomes incensed, and vows she will avenge her mother's desertion and death. Black Hawk consents to aid her. and she goes to Wade and informs him that the Indians are discontented, but that she believes a demonstration of force will keep them from resorting to violence. Wade falls into the trap, and calling his troops together marches out to impress the redskins. -As they reach a valley the concealed Indians pour a rain of fire into their midst, and the surprised soldiers retreat in confusion. Wade is dragged from his horse and made a prisoner, and is triumphantly _ carried to the camp by the exultant Indians. Led by Little Dove, the squaws torture Wade until he is exhausted, and he is then led onto the blazing desert, and left to die, with his hands tied behind him. That night Little Dove, her vengeance satisfied, realizes what she has done. Wade's accusing eyes seem to haunt her, and, stricken with remorse, she steathily departs from the Indian village and goes to Wade. The still hand of death has preceded her, however, and she falls prostrate and caresses the still form of her father. ON THE WAEPATH Bison Release, June 22 The film opens with a scene showing the old Indian chief, Arrow Head, selling bead work at a railroad station. After the train departs he sits down in the shade and falls asleep, living again in his dream the days of his youth as a Yuma brave._ The Apache and Yuma Indians, as allies. had been waging a bitter warfare against the whites. The United States government massed large bodies of troops in the district, determined to crush out the guerilla warfareThe Apache were willing to make peace, but feared their allies. A conference was held between the Apaches, Yumas and the government representatives, at which the Apaches defied the troops, but the Yumas signed a treaty on condition that the government protect them against the -Apaches. During the conference Arrow Head met Red Feather, the daughter of the Sioux chief, and the two young people fell in love. Red Feather overhearing the plans of the Apaches to attack the Yuma camp, and fearing for the safety of her lover, sent her young brother to warn him. The Yumas, though outnumbered, were thus able to arrange a hurried defense, and the battle raged fiercely. Realizing that they must soon be annihilated by their ferocious adversaries. Arrow Head volunteered to ride to the distant fort and appeal to the soldiers for aid. Mounted on a fleet horse he dashed through the Apache lines, and though sorely wounded managed to elude his pursuers. His horse dropped from exhaustion and he found himself in sight of the Apache village. Red Feather sees him and conceals him in her tepee, where he rests and is given water to quench his thirst. The pursuing Apaches are told by Red Feather that Arrow Head has gone by and they follow the direction she gives. She then brings her pony for her lover, and he reaches the fort without further mishap. When the savages find they have been tricked Red Feather is punished by being staked out in the desert. The rescuing soldiers find her, and then continue their mad gallop to the scene of battle. A fierce encounter takes place, but the Apaches, attacked from the top of the hill by the Yumas, and from the front by the soldiers, are badly defeated. The old Yuma chief, mortally wounded, calls his braves about him, and as a reward for the bravery of Arrow Head hands the latter his head-dress — the insignia of rank — with the consent and the approval of the grateful tribe whose lives Arrow Head has saved. A MAN'S DUTT Reliance Release, July 3 When the Civil War between the North and South was declared it caused great consternation in the home of John Wilson. For while he was Southern by birth and sympathy, his wife was a northern woman and she favored the federal cause. Their two sons were asked which side they favored. John, the elder declared he would fight for the South with his father while Dick, the younger boy, upheld his mother's cause. Wilson became a Confederate Colonel and John a lieutenant under his father's command but Dick left his old home in the uniform of the North. At Union headquarters thers was a call for a spy to enter the Confederate lines, Dick was glad to be given the commission. General Lee, commander of all the Southern forces, was warned of this step and he in return warned all his colonels. Wilson puts a scouting party under the leadership of his son and they search the woods for the spy. Dick in the meantime had overpowered a Confederate soldier and taken his uniforin. The scouts had come upon him and think him one of their soldiers until John riding up recognizes his brother. Then they know he must be the spy they are looking for and he is captured. They bring him back to camp and Wilson has to send his son to the guard house. After the court martial the spy is sentenced to be shot at sunrise. The father's heart is Ijreaking but it is his duty as a man and a soldier. The brother of the condemned boy has one last hope. He will appeal to General Lee for clemency. He rides wildly for hours and finally reaches headquarters. But upon telling his story he is refused; Lee will do nothing for a spy. He leaves, his_ last hope shattered. The sun rising, Dick is led out to be shot. In the meantime, however, Lee, thinking the matter over, has experienced^ a change of heart and he despatches^ a courier with a reprieve. It arrives just in time to save the boy's life. John, riding back to camp, cannot believe his eyes when he sees his brother alive. He is told of _ the reprieve and how his wild ride was not in vain after all. RIP VAN WINKLE Reliance Release, July 6 (Two Reels) This revival in motion pictures of Joe Jefferson's own version of the old favorite "Rip Van Winkle," was made in the heart of the Catskill mountains. The scenery in consequence is not only beautiful, but appropriate. Rip's story is almost too well known to need repetition. How he came home drunk one night during a terrible storm and was driven away from the house by his wife, Gretchen. How he wandered up into the mountains and met Hendrick Hudson and his demons who urged him to drink with them. How he fell asleep after drinking and slept for twenty years, awakening finally to find himself an old man. How his false friend. Derrick Von Beekman, claimed his houses and lands while he was away, by pretending to have a document from Rip turning them all over to him. How Derrick married Gretchen and made her very unhappy. How Rip arrived home after twenty years just in time to save his wife and his home by producing an old faded document from his game bag which proved conclusively that nothing belonged to Derrick. The pretty love story between Rip's daughter Meenie and young Heinrich Vedderman, sweethearts since childhood, carries the same interest it always did. THE HIGH COST OF LIVING Eclair Release, June 18 Mr. and Mrs. Consumer find that they have no food in the house. It is salary day, so they depart for the market which is a monopoly and presided over by a syndicate representing tha goods they controlled. Their motto is: "Our prices, all we can get." This syndicate is composed of Kings, thus divided: Milk, Butter and Eggs; Coal; Bread; Sugar; Meat; Clothing and Tobacco. At this market there is a great gathering which finally thins out to the few who have enough money to satisfy the grasping Kings. The various types of consumers buy or try to buy their necessities at exhorbitant prices. The Kings are greedy and cruel. Finally unable to bear these impositions the people become impatient and resolve to do something to repair their wrongs. The Kings have a reunion and make a mound of their bags of gold which they worship. It is transformed into the God of Greed, around which they group and command the people to cease their complaints. A meeting of the discontented people is in progress when the painting of Justice comes to life and joining them, asks them to tell their complaints, and she, thoroughly aroused, issues an indictment for trial against the wicked Trust Kings. Uncle Sam executes the warrant much to the joy of the consumers. He repairs to the market where the Kings are having a jubilee — arraigns them — calls upon the people to carry out the orders of Justice, points to sign which has changed to "Justice 'Triumphs at Last." The mob seizes the Kings and hustles them off to the bar of Justice. The Kings handcuffed are now arraigned before Justice. Uncle Sam enters as the people's lawyer, and in a short time, (with the overwhelming evidence of their rapacity) has the jury pronounce them guilty and sentenced to hard labor for life. The people destroy the God of Greed and now that prosperity returns a few weeks later give a jollification feast at Mr. Consumer's house. In the meantime, the guards lead the Kings in convict garb to their labors which they do very lightly. They overcome their guards and escape. While the feast is at its height the Kings repair to Consumer's house and like a lot of vultures attack Justice, drag her from the house and make her a prisoner. The noise THE EOS-KINO-BELEirCHTUNGS GESELLSCHAFT No. 1, Fleisclimarkt, Vienna I. (Austria), for the whole Kinematography, desires to obtain THE AGENCY FOR FILMS OF A BIG FIRM OF THE BRANCH.