Moving Picture News (Jan-Jun 1913)

THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS 3i yon toward the sea, playing softly on a reed pipe, imitating the" wildwood note of the thrush. Starlight and a group of maidens are picking flowers. They have no thought for him, as he is too soft-handed to be a warrior, and too soft-headed for meeting the big urge of life; but the low sweet music moves Starlight mightily and draws her from the vacuous gayety of her companions. In the lodge of her father, the great chief, she sits moodily unanswering the suit of the painted warrior lingering in the shadow of the big tepee, and ignoring his gifts, to the disgust of her doughty father. Dreamer sits by the moonlit waves, playing a sea tune. Here comes Starlight, drawn thither by chance and the magic of his melody. The love motif holds them in its spell; but it is broken by the rude song of warriors, drawing their war craft on the beach. He hides the shrinking girl behind him and plays, in order to disarm the suspicions of the grim savages as they pass, reviling him for his gentle weakness. The desperate wooer of Starlight and the medicine man make an evil compact to win the girl through a love potion. Dreamer is brought before the c' ief and scoffing warriors. For the nonce, weakness leaves him and he combats with the greatest warrior and overcomes him. The medicine man sneaks into the chief's lodge and casts Starlight into a trance. After the victory, Dreamer demands the hand of the chief's daughter, but finds her as one dead, owing to the mischievous incantation of the medicine man. He would play her back to life, but his flute was broken before the battle; so he flees helpless to the loneliness of the woods. The medicine man smugly comes to restore the maiden, but fails ignominious^'. In his solitude, Dreamer recalls the legend that a flute shaped from the thigh-bone of a rival will weave the spell that restores life. As Starlight is about to be laid away in dreamless sleep, her true lover comes running with his flute of rigid bone that has cost him such effort to secure. Playing, he enters the village, and his music lifts from the midst of wailing lamentation the dead. Starlight arises from, her bier, the color of life is restored to her cheeks, and she follows Dreamer away beyond the horizon, to happiness. ITALA THE DREAD OF DOOM. — Sacrifice and sorrow and the grim evil rising from the chance bite of a captive monkey are the primal elements of the tragedy, "The Dread of Doom." How a man hides from those whom he loves, endeavoring to shield his sister from a horrifying suspicion, is the narrative. For twenty years Ermete Zacconi, who, with Novelli, has shared the honor of being Italy's premier actor, has by his art been adding to his name and fame. In his portrayal of the part of Dr. Guido Altieri, he is shown in the quintessence of his consummate talents. His delineations of the death of a man under the effects of strychnine piosoning are histrionically masterful. Men of medicine agree that this depiction is graphically accurate. The element of suspense which keeps the spectator ever wondering what the next foot of film will reveal is skillfully sustained. It brings home to the mind of everyone who sees it the issue which confronts Doctor Guido. Is the man to be greater than the lover? The Christ long since said that there is no greater love than that love of the man who lays down his life for his friend. In this instance Dr. Guido, on the eve of marrying the woman he loves, discovers that into his body there has been introduced accidentally the germs of a deadly disease. He could not manfully go on with his marriage knowing the physical price of such a predestinedly woeful alliance. It is for him to disappear and wait for the death soon to come. His lot would be alleviated if he could but tell his fiance why he could not marry her. But there is one reason why he must leave her unknowing that his reason for breaking off the match was because he loved her more than Love itself. That reason is that his sister is betrothed to the brother of the doctor's bride-elect. If Dr. Guido lets it be known that, he is consumptive, his sister's fiance may suspect that she, too, has tubercular tendencies, which suspicion might separate them. It is, therefore, necessary for him to seal his lips and go away under a cloud, leaving it to be thought that he had backed out of his prenuptial agreement. A powerful story and one whose issues revert again and again to the spectators' minds long after they have seen the picture play. GREAT NORTHERN THE PROFESSOR'S TRAVELIKG ADVENTURES (May 19), — Professor Miller is so completely wrapped up in his books that he is threatened with illness, but, in spite of the urgings of his friends, he refuses to take a needed vacation. It is not until the family doctor appears upon the scene and announces that unless the man of letters takes a rest he will have but a short time to live t^at Miller consents to go on a journey. His faithful old housekeeper packs his valise and the professor boards a train for his destination. In the same compartment is a young woman and an elderly matron, and the latter removes her shoes for better comfort. When the young woman alights from the coach, she realizes that she has forgotten her overshoes, and the professor gallantly throws from the window the shoes belonging to the matron. There is an exciting scene, but the professor makes due apologies and supplies the price of a pair of new shoes. A journey in a stage coach is next in order, and the professor manages to get mixed up in all sorts of complications in his desire to be helpful to his fellow passengers. Upon arriving at an inn, he collides with a bicycle and is thrown into a ditch and is rescued in a sadly battered condition. After signing the register, the professor is shown to a room in which the only furniture is a hard cot and a chair, but as he is weary, he retires, and is about to drop into slumber when a noise under the bed attracts his attention. He investigates and finds a dog. The animal is ejected, but finds his way back to the room by means of a hole leading from the courtyard. Again the intruder is ejected, but when he returns a third time, the professor suspects that he is sleeping over a kennel and makes a protest to the landlord. On the following morning, thoroughly fatigued and wishing for the comforts of his own . home, the professor boards an early train and arrives at his house in time to find his faithful housekeeper entertaining a number of her female cronies at luncheon. . They are dumfounded and attempt to beat a hasty retreat, but the old gentleman is so overjoyed at being home and the prospect of a good meal and his own comfortable bed that he shows no signs of resentment and enters into the spirit of the occasion. VITAGRAPH HIS LIFE FOR HIS EMPEROR (May 16) — The schemes of certain English merchants and politicians require that the Emperor Napoleon be unseated, whether by fair means or foul. Hearing of ex-Captain Lacroix, who has been degraded by Napoleon, they send an emissary to arrange with him for the emperor's assassination. _ Lacroix accepts their money and plans with his cronies to lure the object of their hatred to an empty house, where they intend to kill him. The plot is hatched in the secluded corner of a wine shop, but the conspirators neglect to notice an intoxicated man who is sleeping there. The man is Pierre Duchesne, on official who has been discharged from a government bureau for drunkenness, but who, nevertheless, realizing that he has only himself to blame, bears no malice. Lacroix writes a letter to Napoleon, telling him that valuable maps may be obtained from a disgraced English officer then in Paris, and bidding him to come alone to fetch them. A youth is despatched with the letter and further details of the plot then arranged. Meanwhile Duchesne has remained silent in his corner, but has heard every word of what has passed. He rushes to the place and unfolds the plot to Napoleon, who has just decided to go to the meeting place. Duchesne pleads with the emperor to allow him to go in his stead, disguised to resemble his sovereign. Napoleon consents and, after testing Duchesne to see if he can carry out the part successfully, sends him to the rendezvous, ordering that a band of soldiers shall follow him and insure his safety. TJuchesne enters the house and is slain as he enters, before the soldiers can come to his aid. Napoleon, "The Scourge of Europe," who has followed the soldiers, kneels and kisses Duchesne's dead body reverently as it is laid upon the divan. SOLAX THE AMATEUR HIGHWAYMAN (May 21). — Deacon Winkle reads of frequent holdups in his neighborhood, arms himself and goes out to a deacons' meeting. A stranger on the street asks directions of him. As he leaves, Winkle finds that his watch and fob are missing. He orders the stranger to halt and holds him up and, as he supposes, gets back his watch and fob. He vaingloriously recounts his adventure to his brother deacons and his wife at home. She produces his own watch and fob, which he had left at home. Consternation. Winkle reads that the town is aroused over this fresh outrage, and proceeds to try to return the watch to his victim, a Mr. Shivers. After the deacon tries the registered mail, a messenger boy and the plan of concealing the watch in a loaf of bread, he gives up in despair. Shivers is now thoroughly frightened, believing that someone is trying to kill him with an infernal machine. Winkle decides to force his way into Shivers' house. He does so and is about to leave the watch when he collided with and smashes a piece of statuary. , He hurriedly and hopelessly leaves. The following night he disguises as a night watchman and goes to the Shivers home. Shivers, his wife and his friends are sitting up, variously armed, waiting for a highwayman, a bomb or a burglar. The supposed watchman is welcomed, and when they are all asleep in their chairs, he rigs an ingenious arrangement of pans in the kitchen so that they will fall when filled with running water. When the racket arouses the sleepers, Winkle volunteers to investigate alone. He does so, and creates a terrible combat with a chair that, through the closed door, appeals to their imagination. As they finally rush in, he points to a shattered window and. holds forth Shivers' watch and fob. His man escaped, but he has captured the lost booty. Tableau, and gratitude of all. THE MAN WHO FAILED (May 23).— Alicia, the daughter of a poor man, is very ill and needs to be sent away for expensive treatment. The father appeals to his wealthy employer for aid. The rich man, seeing, a picture of the girl, becomes infatuated with her and agrees to save her if the father will give his word of honor that she will marry him when she recovers. The promise is given, and when Alicia returns cured, she learns of the pledge. She marries the man without love, but he wants her heart and assures her that he will demand nothing of her until she comes of her own free will. He sets out to win her love, but fails, even by giving her fine gifts and making her the queen of society. To get honors to lay at her feet, he STVEC 1 A IN STATE, H.IGHT3? STBCIAL KELLY tS°em EMERALD ISLE THREE REELS With the Famous BARNEY GILMORE in Title Role Advertising matter includes two kinds of one-sheets, two kinds of three-sheets, six-sheets, heralds, lobby displays, booklets, slides and miscellaneous material. Ready for shipment latter part of May. SOLAX COMPANY, Fort Lee, New Jersey In writing to advertisers please mention "MOVING PICTL'RE NEWS"