Moving Picture News (Jul-Oct 1913)

42 THE MOVING PICTURE NEWS ZUMA THE GYPSY {Continued from page 21) try still bearing its fangs. Zuma is advised of this and requested to remove them before the dance. She sets out to do this, but her grovkfing love, which she knows is overpowering her day by day, causes her to disregard the instructions. On the night of the ball Zuma does her strange dance in the crowded hall and concludes by permitting the snake to thrust its fangs in her arms. She is taken to her chamber, where she dies. C. J. V. "THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII" Pasquali Feature This is the longest picture I have ever seen, with the possible exception of a fight picture which Mr. Lubin made some years ago and which was shown in London. That ran continuously for about three hours. The Pasquali "Last Days," shown at 'Wallack's Theatre, ran without intermission for about two hours and forty minutes. This is an entire afternoon or evening's display. It is the second of similar experiments, "Quo Vadis'' having been the first. "Last Days" is in eight reels and by this time is probably made into three parts. This experiment, which is something in the nature of a repetition, is, I think, justified, for the picture is on a theme no less great and awe-inspiring than "Quo Vadis." Criticisms of pictures of this kind are more or less in the nature of personal impressions. And I am giving the reader just a personal impression of the Pasquali "Last Days." I read Lytton's book and in order to do justice to this picture have steeped myself in the history of the epoch. It seems to me that the book has been very well treated by the makers of the picture. The scenic wonders of the film would exhaust the copious supply of adjectives. But it is not necessary to draw upon that supply. I was asked before writing this review by a prominent film man, who has himself been identified with great productions, what I thought of the picture. I replied, "I do not see how it could be done better." And my friend who has, I believe, some respect for what I say, very pointedly regretted that he had not exercised an option that he had on the picture. It is a wonderful piece of work. The scenes in the arena, the lions, the gladiators, the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, the destruction of the city — these supply the spectacular parts of the picture. But there is a very human love story running through the film which is hound to hold the sufTragcs of the audience. Human nature 1900 years ago was, it seems, pretty much what it IS to-day. i^yaia, the bhnd Greek slave, loved Glaucus and in the end, after the destruction of Pompeii, when Glaucus and his bride departed for Greece on a convenient boat, Lydia buried her sorrows in a watery grave, but through several reels of the film this magnificently played character showed wonderful devotion and intuition. It is a finely played part. Arbaces, the priest, was a very wicked person indeed, and lone a very charming lady. These characters made up a story of love and hate and self-sacrifice which makes the human side of this great picture. It looks as if Pasquali had exhausted all his resources in the making of this picture. The settings, the architecture, costumes, the temple interiors and exteriors, look so wonderfully real. The films are full of very fine pictures and groupings, and the acting is superb. I haven't the smallest doubt but what the picture will be a great success wherever shown. It is a picture, and a great one. It could not possibly be made here. It is typical of Italian picture-making art, and above all it is of educational value because, aside of its dramatic motive, it presents us with a very good aspect of life as it was probably lived in those times. T. B. THE VITAPHONE It Is Heard in Texas Our friend George Greenbaum should be pleased with the write-up which our contemporary. The San Antonio Light, published in far-ofl Texas, gives his talkies. George has been working hard to popularize his talking motion pictures, and the Texans have evidently taken kindly to them, or we should not read this very laudatory article. The local management has included the following subjects in the programme: Harry Lauder's popular hits in the Scotch dialect, "She's My Daisy," "I Love a Lassie," "Trixie from Dixie"; also Ada Jones and Lem Spencer in "Hans and Gretchen," "Trail of the Lonesome Pine," "Katherine's Valentine," "Don't Turn My Picture to the Wall," "The Same as His Faither Was Before Him," "Hilda Loses Her Job," "When It Is Apple Time in Normandy," "The Whistling Bowery Boy," and extracts from a number of comic operas and musical comedies, among them being "The Mikado," "The Count of Luxembourg," "The Geisha," "Merry Widow," "Carmen," "Faust." GRIFFITH LEAVES BIOGRAPH Lawrence Griffith, the well-known producer, has it is said quitted the employment of the Biograph Company. His future plans are not at present ascertainable. A PITFALL OF THE INSTALMENT PLAN American, October 6th When Warren Kerrigan plays the lead and Jack Richardson interprets the heavy, one is almost sure to have a good film. This one is so good that it deserves a place among educational pictures. Steve, the hero, gets a job from the foreman who is building a large store. He, however, refuses to steal cement for this man and is discharged. He does not tell Alice about it and she, thinking that he is still working, opens an account at the department store which is to move into the new building. When the investigator starts to look up her husband he cannot be found. The girl is consequently throv^'n into prison. Here is the onlj^ part of the picture which is incongruous. The girl is thrown into a dirtj'' cell without a chance of an explanation and a letter which she has written to Steve torn up. That is a little exaggerated to the mind of the reviewer. Steve, however finds her, the plot is unveiled, the foreman arrested, and Steve and Alice rewarded. A. M. The Famous American Professional MOTION PICTURE CAMERA A Guaranteed Scientific Motographio Equipment. Perforators, Printers, Tripods, and Developing Outflti. Proven by Test the World's Very Best. Agents for Eastman Motion Picture Film. American Cinematograph Company Send for Catalog T 617-631 Jackson Blvd. Chicago, 111. In writing to advertisers please mention "MON'ING I'lCTURE NEWS"