Moving Picture World (Mar-Dec 1907)

252 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD. Film Review. OYSTER INDUSTRY. LUBIN. This film, showing the American oyster industry, is a most interesting subject. The oyster fieet starts out on its cruise. We see the dredging of the oysters in large nets. While some of the oyster fishers use the large nets, others dredge for oysters with wire screens, a very interesting proceeding. We then see how the oyster boats are unloaded by filling large barrels with the delicate bivalves. The next scene shows how the oysters are opened so as to be canned. Men of all nations are employed. It is most interesting to note the speed with which the oysters are opened. A great many women and girls are employed in opening and assorting the oysters. The oysters are brought to the canning department. while the shells are hauled away by carloads. Next the oysters are canned, sealed and labeled. This work is done almost exclusively by young girls and women. After this we see the oysters boxed and shipped away to all parts of the world. The picture ends with a connoisseur enjoying his “oysters on the half shell.” SNAKE HUNTING. LUBIN. A rocky spur of the mountain range is seen, when two hunters enter, one carrying a bag. The first one climbs up the rocks and with a pronged stick catches a snake in the bushes which he drops into the bag. With care he manages to descend, and a rocky wall is next seen with a reptile at least three feet long crawling over it. This is promptly caught and after some excitement is got into the bag. The hunter is next seen in the bed of a stream struggling with a monster snake some six feet in length. Several times he stumbles, but it is a case of life or death, so that he manfully holds on to his prey. Down a fall of water he next clambers and manages to hit upon another reptile ; in fact, he seems to know exactly how to “spot” a lurking place. His assistant apparently tries his hand, for he is seen descending the rocks with one wrapped round him and struggling with all the force at his command. Eventually he is released, when the tourniquet has to be used, but after a dose of brandy he seems to pull himself round again. Both men climb the rocky hillside like antelopes until they come across the trunk of an old tree, in which a serpent is taking its siesta. The hunter enters a cave from which he issues with quite a number of fine specimens, the effect caused by the play of light on the rocks and stream issuing from the cave being exceptionally fine. He next catches several snakes in a field by the aid of a large towel, and the last one to be caught nearly strangles the hunter before he can manage to shoot it. The film concludes by showung a snake being skinned while still alive. WHEN WOMEN VOTE. LUBIN. While Mrs. O’Brien is preparing her speech for the political meeting, Mr. O’Brien minds the baby. Mrs. O’Brien is ready to go out. The henpecked husband shines her shoes, brushes her coat, and out she goes to attend the woman’s suffrage meeting. Mrs. O’Brien delivers a fiery speech, often interrupted by wild cheers and applause. Resolved: To vote for Mrs. O’Brien for magistrate. The women vote'. Women police control the beat. Every man who dares to vote is arrested. Many women voters are seen fighting but are quickly arrested by the fair police. The battle is over. Crowds are seen on the streets watching the election returns. Bets are made. Cheers for the Republicans. Cheers for the Democrats. Women fight. The police women have their hands full. Republican paraders are coming from the east, Democratic paraders from the west. They meet on the corner and a free-for-all fight ensues. Mrs. O’Brien is elected Judge of Magistrate’s Court No. 23. Mr. McGinnis is brought before her, charged with having kissed his wife. Twenty years in State’s prison by hard labor and fasting. While his wife holds court Mr. O'Brien attends to his household duties. Mrs. O’Brien returns from court. Dinner is not ready, the bahy is not washed, the rooms are not clean. She makes him sweep the floor and cook the meal. Not satisfied with his work, Mrs. O’Brien takes the dough and throws it in her husband’s face. Mr. O’Brien would like to get a divorce, but such cannot be obtained when women vote. AND THE DOG CAME BACK. LUBIN. While Chung Lung, the washee-washee, is delivering his goods, a dog takes hold of his trousers, tearing the same in pieces. While complaining to the proprietor of the dog, he is told to take the dog and kill him. The Chinaman and the butler are going to kill the dog. He is tied to a tree and shot by the butler. The butler then goes home and tells his master how he killed the dog, but hardly had he finished when the dog came back. A candy man on the street is next attacked by the dog, who seems to have a special liking for men’s trousers. When the peddler comes in for complaint, he, too, is told to take and kill the dog. The butler and peddler are going to kill the dog. They put a rope around his neck and pull him up a tree. They then depart, leaving the poor dog to his fate. The butler, returning home, describes to his master how he killed the dog this time. Again the dog came back before the butler had finished. Now the dog attacks a colored woman. It is funny, indeed, to see the struggle between the big fat wench and tiny little dog. She, too, comes in for a complaint and is advised to kill the dog. The colored woman and the butler put the dog in a sack, fill it with stones and throw it in the water. The butler then goes home and reports to his master how he killed the dog, but hardly had he finished when the dog sits on his master’s lap. Next, two little boys are attacked by the dog, and again it is the trousers’ seat that suffers mostly. The mother of the boy, when complaining, is advised to take the dog and kill him. The butler, together with all the sufferers, go to the butcher to have the dog made into mince meat. The butcher lays the dog upon the block and severs the head with one stroke of a big axe. He then puts the body in a sausage machine and makes Wiener wurscht out of the dog. T lie butler then goes home and reports to his master that the dog is killed, this time for good, but hardly had he finished when the dog came back. The sufferers, not knowing that the dog has come back, came to get some compensation for their torn clothes. Just then a little boy is begging for the dog. The master, glad to get rid of the dog, presents him to the little boy. MOTHER-IN-LAW .AT WHITE CITY. GAUMONT. At the dinner table the husband informs his wife he will take her to the White City. She hurries off to dress, and in a short time he also goes, leaving Mother-in-law alone. She makes up her mind to accompany them; calling the maid, she asks for her outdoor costume. The maid, bringing it in, helps her to dress. On the appearance of husband and wife ready to bid Mother good-bye, they are astonished to learn of her determination to accompany them. The more they try to persuade her not to go, the more obstinate she becomes, and for the sake of peace and quietness they reluctantly take her and her three hundred pounds of avoirdupois with them. Arriving at the White City, she insists upon going up in a balloon, and suffers as a consequence. The Ferris wheel next claims her attention, and as it revolves she becomes dizzy, then sick, and falls out. Recovering from this, she goes up the escalator, and gets a very rough handling. Then she shoots the chutes, bumps the bumps, rides the switchback, from which she is taken out in hysterics. The photograph gallery next excites her curiosity, and she has her photo taken in what she thinks an angelic pose; when she sees the result she goes mad with rage. She next tries the mechanical swing and falls on the neck of her son-in-law and is lifted out with difficulty. The clowns make fun of her, and invite her to a boxing match; she puts on the gloves, but is knocked out, very much to her discomfiture. She next tries the wrestling bout, from which she comes a cropper. After this they carry her to a carriage and drive home, where the maid, with smelling salts, poultices and medicine, attends her. Tht doctor bandages her broken head and face, and makes her as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. The daughter and son-in-law now appear dressed for outdoors ; invite her to go with them to the White City, but she has had enough of that, so they bid her good-bye and go off for a good time without the unwelcome presence of Mother-in-law. THE AMATEUR RIDER. GAUMONT. Two gentlemen dressed in riding costume are observed at the stables, discussing the qualities of various mounts. A third approaches and joins in the conversation, which becomes animated, the last comer evidently boasting of his prowess. A groom is called and an order being given, he enters the stables and is seen leading therefrom a fine thoroughbred, which the braggart tries to mount. It soon becomes evident that he is only booted and spu-red for show. His first attempt to mum, l exhibits his amateurishness; instead of lightly vaulting into the saddle he slips, loses his footing, and with difficulty retains his balance. Again essaying to mount, he succeeds after a fashion, losing his hat in the effort, to the great amusement of the bystanders. The groom hands him his hat, and he goes off to pick up what adventures