The Moving Picture Weekly (1916-1917)

-THE MOVING PICTURE WEEKLY -27 \ Vital Human Drama Launched Against the Evil Resulting From Confessions Dbtained by Third Degree VIethods and Resulting in Conviction and Capital Punishment on Circumstantial Evidence — Will be Released yy the Argosy Films, Inc. — ^^ation-wide Interest from All *arts of the Country Shown. from the house of the murdered victim. He wears a No. 12 boot, yet this fact was not disclosed in his trial when it was shown that footprints of a No. 10 boot constituted Type selected to platf the weakminded countryman who "confessed" under promise of 'release. This picture shows the types ivhich Miss Weber picked out for her remarkable story "The People vs. John Doe." part of the chain of circumstantial evidence forged against him. Tortured in mind and body while awaiting his doom he attracts the attention of a prison-keeper, who becomes convinced that he has been wrongfully convicted. At this time a woman lawyer visiting the prison sympathizes with the poor man and inaugurates a movement to save him. Other women join her and under their noble efforts lavs^^ers rake the scene of the alleged crime for further evidence. They uncover important new facts at the last minute and lay them before a humane judge, who is routed from his warm bed at midnight. Their efforts are at last rewarded by a stay of execution only a few minutes before the hour set for death. The story is told with such sincerity and such seemingly authentic episodes that the audience might believe it is the story of an actual case in the courts. You are shocked at the pictured crime, you are amazed at the manner in which suspicion is made to point at the innocent man. You sympathize with his stricken family when he is dragged to jail, you are horrified at the success of brutal third degree methods, you weep for the poor fellow when he makes his mark to the confession that has been written by the detectives, and wliile you cannot presume to criticize the court and jury for finding him guilty on the cleverlyconstructed circumstantial evidence. your heart bleeds for the accused. You follow the efforts of his selfsacrificing friends to save him and your attention is held to the very last flash of the picture because it is not until then that you know whether or not another innocent man may be made to pay the death penalty. Realizing that innocent men have been executed, the Argosy Films, Inc., intend giving the widest possible publicity to this picture in the hope that it will help to arouse the public to an appreciation of the movement to do away with capital punishment. This is truly a "life drama" because through it human beings may be saved. A great reform may be brought about not only in the State of New York, but throughout the country. It will attract attention because of the celebrated case now pending in New York State, -but not wholly because of this fact, for it contains a nation-wide appeal. It is simply a sympathetic and dramatic portrayal of an absorbing case of circumstantial evidence reflecting in no way on any case now before the courts. It is believed that every heart desiring justice will throb in sympathy with the tremendous appeal which Argosy Films, Inc., declare is contained in the picture. No greater reason for the presentation of this picture can be found than that by the National Board of Review after it had passed on the film, (Continued on page 38)