Moving Picture World (April 1912 - June 1912)

730 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD men. It is well acted, homely, truthful and thoroughly commendable for every kind of entertainment. This kind of picture is good for church sociables; it would please the old folks. "A PAIR OF SUICIDES" (Powers), May 14.— On the same reel is this love-tiff comedy. The settings are along a stream in the country. The story is more substantial than the first. Together they make a pleasing, light release, well photographed and well acted. "WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN" (Champion), May 13.— An artistically produced and photographed picture which may comfort those who are disappointed in love, at least its early scenes may. The later part pictures a happily ending romance. The picture gets over in good shape; but it seems not as strong as it might have been. In fact, the acting, management, lighting and camera work are all very much above the scenario, which seems not strong. The cast and producer were worthy of a better vehicle. "THE SHERIFF'S ROUND-UP" (Nestor), May 15.— An exciting melodramatic story of the West, in which a clever swindler's scheme to rob a bank is frustrated by the assistant cashier. The picture gives very good entertainment indeed. It has three strong characteristics: It is vigorously dramatic and is so well constructed that there is no weak or unnecessary scene in it. It is well acted and speedy. Lastly, the choosing of back, grounds and the filling of them with the action is very highly commendable. Here is a picture that can safely be relied upon as a feature, even on Saturday night. The camera work is excellent. "THE COUNTING OF TIME" (Nestor), May 13.— A picture of human fates shown as they are woven by character. Two young men are pictured as starting out in life. One is shown as being a good student; the other as being more elemental and combative. One becomes a lawyer and the other a successful prize fighter. There is a suggestion of wine and women in the latter's experience. In the other's life there seems to be mostly hard work. The fighter reaps the harvest of his path; the lawyer sends him back home. It is a clear and effective tract, not a human drama. There is plenty of room for such; it will be thankfully acceptable to the majority of patrons of moving pictures. It will do good. The camera work is good. "CUPID'S VICTORY" (Nestor), May 18.— Nestor photography means something; its camera seems to get all the poetry out of any natural scene at which it is pointed. The figures in this picture live and, because the story is good and naturally developed, they live as natural human beings. The situation would not be probable in real life; but, in a comedy, a too strict adherance to cold fact is not demanded. It is entertaining, because it is lively, well acted, well photographed and the situation, more or less of a pipe-dream, pleases a human love of romance. "ESTUDILLO HOUSE, CALIFORNIA" (Nestor), May 18.— A wellphotographed picture of one of California's historic beauty spots. This is a picture that needed coloring; but just as it is, it is delightful. It shows an old Spanish dwelling with its flower gardens, vinyard, etc. "THE STAFF OF AGE" (Imp), May xi. — A picture to please; yes, delight people who are truly human beings. The staff of age is, of course, youth. In this picture there is a poor old grandad, played very well indeed by George Ober, and his grandson, played excellently by a boy whose name we didn't get. The story is simple, sincere and human. It is beautiful in its photography and makes a very good picture to show. "LET WILLIE DO IT" (Imp), May 11.— A character farce in which Willie is Mr. Cumpson. He is badly henpecked and furnishes a very amusing situation. The camera work is good. Nellie Force and Grace Lewis support him very well. "SOULS IN THE SHADOW" (Solax), May 15.— A very melodramatic picture dealing with that strong, fascinating power that some evil people have over others. The picture's sense of mystery is enhanced by clever lighting effects. The stoiy isn't strongly convincing, but it does get a feeling of mystery and suspense over. It is well acted where the leading lady, Miss Blanche Cornwall, is concerned, and pretty well acted by many others in the cast. It is good entertainment; but would have been better, if it had been amplified enough to make it clearer. The camera work is very good indeed. "JILTED" (Thanhouser), May 14. — A picture giving the love story of a girl who was very sentimental. She left her fiance in New York to visit friends in Florida. The ship was wrecked and her life was saved by a sailor. These scenes are very good. She thought it her duty to marry him. The way out of the difficulty js found through a bit of humor. It is a slight picture, but contains some fine pictures; one is of a skating pond and another is of a flower garden in Florida. Miss Snow, Miss La Badie, Mr. Russel and others appear in it. It is commendable. "NIAGARA, THE BEAUTIFUL" (Thanhouser), May 14.— This scenic, giving very lovely views of the great cataract, has much to recommend it. The pictures were taken from fresh viewpoints and the prints, on carefully tinted films, are clear and very praiseworthy. It includes a sunset view and a moonlight view. "THE LITTLE SHUT-IN" (Thanhouser), May 17.— The little shut-in boy (Miss Marie Eline) could see very little of the world — just a glimpse of the sidewalk. His world was mostly feet; but he had learned to judge the world pretty well. A love story begins its spinning in the world of feet outside and he has become interested. This has its villain as well as its hero and the little shut-in, sizing it up, is able to be of assistance. The picture throughout has highly poetic scenes. Its aim is to please the heart rather than to excite deep emotion or to thrill, and in doing this it is very successful; for acting, scene choosing and camera work are all very good. It is excellent entertainment. "A USELESS SACRIFICE" (Eclair), May 12.— Another pretty village love story, in idyllic backgrounds, by the Eclair French company. It has the intimate, clearly drawn character pictures that other releases of this make have had. These are due to good acting and good photography. It has also the same artistic common-sense in its scene choosing. Its scenes set forth the action remarkably and intensify it. Sorrow is never so sad as when it is found performing the necessary homely duties of life that seem to console the heart; passion is never so wild as among the lovely woods and cliffs. The producer of these pictures seems very able in his handling his effects. This is a tragic and a very commendable picture. "ARABIAN CUSTOMS" (Eclair), May 12.— These well photographed views are very instructive. The film will be a notable addition to any program. "FROM THE PATH DIRECT" (Republic), May 11.— A poetic picture in court costume of over a hundred years ago, powdered wigs, silks, satins or brocade. It tells a love story which is set largely in a country estate. Two brothers love the same girl. Several years later, after her marriage to the older brother, the younger man needs financial help which is refused by the older. He attempts to rob his brother's house at night and is wounded. The outcome of it is that the husband suspects his wife's fidelity; but the difficulty is entirely cleared up in the end. The acting is very good. The picture gives pleasing entertainment as a well constructed and well photographed romance. The picture, in this costuming and setting, gives a good relief from the more numerous modern stories. "THE CONVICT'S SISTER" (Lux), May 17.— A very able picture. Its most noticeable quality, a very well maintained feeling of suspense and mystery, is due largely to the acting of the leading lady. There, however, is a large cast and every one of these plays as naturally and unconstrainedly as can be. This makes the picture, notwithstanding the tense melodramatic situation, remarkably convincing. The stage sets, lighting and camera work are all of high quality and add much to its effectiveness. These sets make beautiful scenes. There is a very well planned effect brought about by the mirrors in one of the set rooms. No review of this picture would be complete without reporting the grace and great beauty of its leading lady. "JIM'S ATONEMENT" (Imp), May 13.— A picture telling the story of two young civil engineers and the wife of one of them. These parts are played by Mr. Pollard, Miss Fisher and Mr. Lyons. The engineers are friends and the picture deals with a misunderstanding which makes Jim, the husband, jealous. Molly had found a photograph of her husband as a boy. She and the friend conspire to surprise the husband by having it secretly enlarged. The husband, made jealous, throws his friend over a cliff, then he discovers how false are his suspicions. The friend is saved by Jim's going down on a rope. It was taken in a wild, rocky country, and the camera work is very fair. It lacks something of freshness; but is simply and convincingly acted and clearly and smoothly told. "PRESIDENT INCOG." (Republic), May 14.— A comedy that surely is fresh. It makes use of a character who looks very much indeed like President Taft. This man's name in the picture is Jasper Craft. The scenario writer makes him find himself in a little mining town, with the purpose of ousting some claim-junmpers who have settled en his land. The Republican club of that town had hoped to have the President stop over on his way to 'Frisco and make a speech. They insist that Jasper is Taft and force him to make a speech. To see a man who looks so much like Taft making a Democratic speech (the speech is shown) is excruciatingly funny. This picture is a big feature; it has the quality of humor that will appeal strongly to American audiences. It has nothing offensive. If Mr. Taft sees it, he, we feel sure, he will laugh as heartily and get as much amusement out of it as anybody. We highly recommend it. The photography is good enough. "ROSES AND THORNS" (Eclair), May 16.— A farce-comedy that gives pretty fair entertainment. Its chief players are two pretty girls, a lot of school teachers and Cousin Tom. Dorothy sends Tom to the station to meet Madge, who is to wear a white rose. The school teachers have been away on a picnic and come back to town on the train Madge missed. Each is wearing a white rose and poor Tom gets arrested. It is light and will please the majority. The photographs are crinkley; this is noticeable in the film of many makers this week. It gives the scenes a misty effect. Mr. J. E. Brulatour, of the Eastman Company, appears, we may add, in this picture himself. He has one of his fine motor cars and acts as chauffeur. He shows his great skill at the wheel. "ATTACKED BY A LION" (Gaumont), May 16.— Here is a very big feature picture. It tells an exciting story of adventure, set and photographed one may well believe, in Africa, on the desert's edge. It is full of the tensest kind of thrills. To begin with, Arab pillagers attack a ranch occupied by French colonists. There's a telephone and they call up the next settler, a day's ride over the desert. He starts out alone on horseback. He rides fast and recklessly, over rocks and down steep sand-hills. It is he who is attacked by the lion. We had seen two of these in their lair among the rocks. We also had seen where they had killed a cow; a hyena was finishing the repast. These views are big thrillers; but not so tremendous as the views of the king of beasts, when he comes out to attack his prey and is shot dead by the hunter. These scenes ought to have good sound effects to go with them. Again we see the Arabs shooting into the ranch, which is baracaded. The colonists have used their last cartridge and their home is on fire, when the lion killer dashes in among the whiterobed horsemen. His help would have been of scant avail had not his wife, soon after he set out, roused the neighborhood. This gives another big scene; the band of French riders on their gallop to bring assistance. The camera work and scene choosing are fine. Their is much beauty in the picture. We overheard some one say, "That's the best picture I ever saw." "DUCK HUNTING" (Champion), May 15. — This topical was taken along the salt lakes of Utah. These views are very interesting. The emulsion of the print is just a little crinkly; but this doesn't keep some wondrous good shooting from being perfectly clear. The scenery also is good. It is a very good picture. "BRONCHO BESS" (Champion), May 15. — On the same reel is this Western melodrama without much quality. The leaders are in very badly made doggerel. It is poor, but it is short, and the other picture on the reel is very good. The film is not very clear. It seems to be poor stock. We notice this failing on a number of films this week. The trouble seems to lie with the Eastman people, the maker of the stock. "THE HATERS" (American), May 16. — Three woman haters and one man hater and then a love story. The girl (Miss Pauline Bush) wasn't a hater of men, but her aunt and guardian was. One of the three woman haters, partners on the ranch (Kerrigan), get up a fever and the niece volunteers to act as nurse. Her presence on the ranch left no woman haters there, and gives the situation more than one suitor. Auntie comes to investigate and thure is then no man hater left. This gives two love