Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1912)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 47 "THE TEMPTRESS" (Great Northern). The line of powerful dramatic feature pictures that are being released by the Great Northern Film Company is not weakened in the least by its latest release entitled "The Temptress." On the contrary, this picture sustains the character of the series in every particular. Dealing with the strongest sentiments and passions of mankind the Great Northern players, consummate artists, have the faculty of bringing out the full value of every situation and of making motives unmistakable. Thus, in "The Temptress," the design of the woman is most plainly, yet artistically, portrayed as she seeks to involve the man chosen as her victim. It is the boldness of the woman that accounts for the reluctance of the man and really saves him from the snare which she has set for him. Strong acting is required to save such scenes as are here portrayed. Scene from "The Temptress" (Great Northern). In brief the story is of a young clerk out of work with a sick wife to care for. He answers an advertisement and secures employment as private secretary to a wealthy man. Upon making liis application he is critically observed by the man's wife, who thinks she sees in him a man suited to her own desires and it is through her influence that he secures the position. But the young secretary is true to his ideals and repulses the advances of the temptress and thus incurs her enmity. By a daring ruse she causes him to lose his position and then further avenges herself by writing a letter which falls into the hands of the poor fellow's invalid wife and causes her death. When he comprehends the devilishness of the woman, the young man attempts to kill her, but is prevented by his little daughter. But he succeeds in denouncing her in the hearing of her husband and retribution overtakes the temptress in the end. Rare photography characterizes this picture. January 6th is the date of release. MOTIOGRAPH SALES INCREASING. A visit to the Enterprise Optical Mfg. Co. reveals the fact that the year just closing has been the most successful in the history of their business, which was established more than thirteen years ago, and the sale of the Motiograph has continued on the increase throughout this entire year. The company reports a most gratifying increase in the last three months of the year, and although at the time of receiving this information only two-thirds of the last month in the year had been covered, the company reports that the sales for that period of December were in advance of the sales for the entire month of November, which, by the way, was one of the best months this company has ever had. Mr. Woodward, the manager of the company, is very optimistic over the prospects of the Motiograph for the year 1912, and already he has been working on plans which will make this machine even more popular than it has now become. The Enterprise Optical Mfg. Co. introduced the Motiograph in the early days of 1908, and adopted then as their slogan: "Quality Before Quantity," and the exhibitors generally have gradually been brought to realize that the quality which this company has been advertising so consistently is really being put into the Motiograph, and to-day the record which this machine is making is one to be proud of. Within the last fifteen months the Motiograph has been installed in some of the largest and most expensive theaters throughout the United States, and a list of these installations would make most interesting reading, for one could walk along Broadway in Frisco and find that two-thirds of the machines used were Motiographs. In Los Angeles they could visit Mr. Clune's handsome houses and find the booths equipped with this machine. The same might be said of all the large cities throughout this country, and when one visits Europe and enters some of the large picture palaces in London, Edinburgh, and other large cities, they are surprised to find that the Motiograph manufactured in Chicago is the machine that has been installed. The Enterprise Optical Mfg. Co. wishes to express their appreciation of the business they have received from the users of the Motiograph and from their many friends among the exchanges, and to wish one and all a Happy and Prosperous New Year. CHAMPION AEROPLANE RELEASE. "An Aviator's Success" is the title of a very fascinating aeroplane story to be released January 8, 1912. It depicts the efforts of a young inventor to obtain financial aid to effect a realization of his aeroplane model. Miss Blanche Scott, the famous woman aviator, assumes the leading role in this subject, as daughter of the banker Scene from "An Aviator's Success" (Champion). who backs the young inventor in his project. Incidentally she loses her heart to the young genius, and crowns his achievement by bestowing on him her heart and hand, while they soar together in the air in the aeroplane's initial flight. Just one word more about the handsome three-sheet poster which goes with "An Aviator's Success." "PARSON SUE" (Solax). To get comedy out of a Western subject without resorting to moss-eaten methods is quite an achievement. In the production "Parson Sue," a Western comedy, such a result is really achieved. Events and characters are given a new twist, with the result that the production stands out triumphantly as a distinct winner. Even without Billy Quirk, the story would commend itself on its own merits, but with the genial and irrepressible Billy at his best, doing a comedy stunt, this film will make a man laugh even if he has been soaked for a double admission. The story is about a bunch of cowboys who feel that they need the spiritual leadership of a parson. They send for one, and all go to the station to receive him. The boys keel over in astonishment when they find that the parson is a girl. Of course the chivalrous cow-punchers, who live in a section where the delicate influence of a woman is scarce, fall over themselves in an attempt to "get in right" with the new parson. As time goes on, the new parson is the center of a plot which is laid by a villainous cowboy. The plot fails and Parson Sue is rescued by her lover at the expense of a bullet wound, which almost proves fatal, but Sue's nursing brings her rescuer around all right. This is the first release in which Billy Quirk appears. The comedy is infectious. Billy puts things over in his inimitable way.