The Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1913)

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54 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD "The Eye of a God" (Pyramid) By George Blaisdell. ONE more company is added to the many concerns contending for honors — and profits — in the fast expanding motion picture held. A three-reel debut is an unusual occurrence. It indicates confidence, at least — confidence in ability to satisfy a public every day becoming more discriminating in its judgment of pictures and consequently keener in detecting and commenting on shortcomings of writers, producers and actors. Pyramid, which will release through Warner's Features, starts off well. It would be an overstatement to say that "The Eye of a God" is without noticeable blemish. Yet its faults are not glaring ones — by no means; they are of the minor sort and will not affect the pleasure or the interest of the average beholder. Chiefly, they are of omission — as, for instance, in the scene following the arrest of the forger, the daughter, visiting him in jail, finds him in stripes. His trial must have occurred, followed by his conviction. When the daughter goes to work as secretary for Hammond there is a typewriter in the office, but nothing to indicate that the girl knew anything of its manipulation. The employer is shown in love with her. The two are later settled Scene from "The Eye of a God" (Pyramid). down as man and wife, but the daughter never sat at her machine so far as the film shows. When the husband comes home and the wife admits him to her room the blackmailer steps behind the' portieres. As the husband steps out of the camera, not out of the room, the ex-convict boldly reenters. The finger-print expert lakes all his photographs in the evening. These are merely examples, and in view of the general quality of the work done there is no reason why they should not be avoided in future releases. There is a blackmailer in this story. His grip on his victim is made possible by the feminine fear' of losing a husband's love through the uncovering of the crime of her father. It is one of those cases where any husband worthy of the name would without hesitation absolve his wife from any blame in a matter in which she is obviously blameless. Yet writers continually — ami with justification, as proved by the public prints — portray the wife as "fleeing when no husband pursueth," if the paraphrasing may be permitted. Perhaps every adult who sees this picture will ask the question at the conclusion of the lasl scene: "Did she tell her husband that her father was a convict?" The story from begining to end is crammed with incident — x' much so that there is space here to refer to only a few of the more striking features. There is a thrilling escape from prison by the cellmate of the forger, the dead body of the latter being lifted from its rude box and the fleeing man being lightly nailed in, afterward breaking out when the wagon is conveying the coffin to the cemetery. This phase is reminiscent of a famous chapter of a well known French classic. There are good scenes in the reception at the home of Lawyer Hammond, in the rathskeller where the convict goes, in the frightening of the wife into giving up her great diamond called "The Eye of a God," in the investigations of the detective, in the discovery of the thief, in the chase of the motorcycle after the automobile resulting in disaster to the latter, and the thrilling leap of the convict and the pursuing detective over the cliff. Mention must not be omitted of the good work of the entire cast. Especially notable is that of the woman who portrayed the wife. She wins your sympathy and holds it, and, if you think she is foolish for not telling all, the blame, of course, must rest on the head of the ingenious scenario writer. Much of the interest in the melodrama is due to the excellent work of the detective with his finger print demonstrations. It was not difficult to recognize here Chester Barnett. He has done no better work. Others deserving praise are the husband, the convict and the maid. "The Eye of a God" will make good. "THE JUDGE'S VINDICATION" (Reliance). A coming two reel release by the Reliance Company, "The Judge's Vindication," tells the story of an honest judge who, by a just decision, excites the wrath of a group of financiers, called, in the picture, "the Trust." They have vainly tried to bribe him, so they now procure a trumped-up charge of bribery against him and, in this, it is claimed that the boodle was a lot of stock in the "Trust." Now, the judge has this stock and the "Trust" knows that he has paid for it. In the judge's trial, it becomes evident that no one else can testify that the stock was paid for, and of course, the "Trust" won't. But we soon find the pretty daughter of the judge appealing for help to a newspaper editor who assigns a reporter to the case. This reporter is a man of action and, when a little sleuthing proves not only that the "Trust" has the letters that would clear the judge, but that it is aiming to destroy them, he and the girl get the papers from the Scene from "The Judge's Vindication" (Reliance). "Trust's" office at the point of a pistol. Then follows a race in an automobile to the Capitol, the clearing of the "old man and the closing scenes, which are made to promise a love story. The situation and its development in this picture hold strongly, although it cannot be said that it is all quite consistent or that as much as was possible has been made of it. Its interest comes from the fact that there is so much in it that is natural and in accord with what we all have read in newspaper accounts of political life. In other words, although it stumbles once or twice, it doesn't fall, and succeeds in telling a good story. This story, too, is pertinent. Another good asset that it has is the character of the judge, played by E. P. Sullivan. Perhaps the picture gets most of its value from this fine old man. All the later scenes, especially those approaching the thrilling climax, are exciting. In these scenes, Irving Cummings, as the reporter, and Mae Botti, as the girl, play the leads. The acting of nearly all the cast is commendable. The sets, backgrounds and photography are very good. "BULGARIAN" IN FILMS FIRST. Thanhouser beat the theatrical producers to it! Their Misses Snow and Anderson were seen in the all-fashionable "Bulgarian" gowns in the films, before the said "Bulgarian" was noticed on the stage, whose actresses are always keen to wear whatever bids to become the "style." Other smart and "correct" toilettes for 1913 noted in current Thanhousers are the imported Esponge, Faille, Shepherd Plaid and Parisian street costumes that have been worn by Flo La Badie, Jean Darnell. Grace Eline and Lila Chester. Dress is a detail they have come to pay attention to in the film producing business.