The Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1913)

258 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD "The Miser's Millions" Three-Reel Cines-Kleine Feature. Reviewed by James S. McQuade. 1r is said that the principal actor in the Cines-Kleine, threereel feature "The .Miser's Millions," designed the ingenious mechanical contrivances used in the production. Indeed, without these electrically operated properties the story might never have been written, or, at least, it would never have been used in a photoplay. It has been an easy matter to write a story around the mysterious cellar, which contains the miser's millions, when provided with the magically worked pieces of furniture and the awesome steel vault, provided with inflexible steel arms that spring out of the darkness and seize with a death grip the body of the burglar who is forcing an entrance to the treasure. Scene from "The Miser's Millions" (Cines-Kleine). Throughout the three reels of this feature film one's interest is well sustained, notwithstanding the fact that the secret working of the means of access to the treasure has been revealed in the first reel. Naturally the climax has been reached before the close of the third ; but even this has its thrill, as it reveals the fearful ordeal to which a greedy money-maker is subjected and his utter collapse in the dread chamber of death. The second reel also has its stirring scene, in which the burglar is trapped by the ghostly steel arms while plying his jimmy on the vault. The character of the miser is strongly portrayed. The senility, cupidity and heartlessness of the money-mad man are drawn 1 KE^l ^ _ AT^^TJ ■ I "Tiiw ^HrHI 1 Scene from "The Miser's Millions" (Cines-Kleine). with artistic touches. His suspicious nature, too, is impressively revealed, and his tigerish fight for the preservation of the secret that protects his treasure is most realistic. Another well drawn character is that of the avaricious money lender. So despicable and cunning is he made to appear, one actually feels inclined to explode with malicious laughter, as he shrinks in horror from the skeleton that grins at him in the vault chamber. His utter despair, when he finds himself walled in with the gruesome dead and the millions he has attempted to steal, still further augments one's fiendish glee. The interior scenes are well staged and show fine photography. The rescue of the child of the warden of the penitentiary is shown in an elaborate exterior setting. The partial collapse of the structure and the serious injury of the rescuer form an impressive scene. The miser of the story lives in seculsion in his city home. No one save Peter, a butler, is allowed on the premises. His only relative is a niece, Mrs. Rice, whom he never sees. With her sick husband and their little daughter, Dorothy, Mrs. Rice finds it hard to keep the wolf from the door. Without medicine or food in the house, she sends a messenger to her uncle, pleading for assistance. It is the day for the miser's collection of his rents, and he is about to leave when the messenger arrives. He reads the note, and at first fumbles a few small coins in his fingers, then hesitates, and returns them to his pocket with the remark, "My rents are of more importance to me than my relatives." The miser's hoard is stored in a large steel vault in his cellar. Access to this cellar is only possible through a secret passage, leading from his library. By touching a hidden button, one of the book cases' sinks beneath the floor, revealing an opening in the wall back of it. Passing through this opening the book case resumes its former position. Other intricately constructed contrivances are eencountered before the cellar is reached, all of them yielding to the magic touch of the miser. The vault also Scene from "The Miser's Millions" (Cines-Kleine). opens to the touch of secret springs and is closed by the same means. If otherwise tampered with, strong steel arms encircle the intruder and crush his life out. The return to fresh air also requires a knowledge of secret springs, as all entrances have been closed, as the explorer, on his way to the cellar, passes through them. Thus a stranger may possess the secrets to gain entrance, and yet never get out. One day Peter, the butler, spies on his master and learns of the secret entrance. The old miser discovers him and attempts to shoot him. In the scuffle, the pistol is accidentally discharged and the miser is killed. Peter is sent to the penitentiary for IS years. Mrs. Rice and her child were living alone when informed of her uncle's death. Her husband had died some time before. On coming into possession of the estate, she could find no trace of the miser's hidden money. It was necessary to get loans on the real estate and, after the lapse of is years, she is again penniless. A money lender is about to foreclose on the property. The money lender's son is in love with Dorothy and tries in vain to turn his father from his course. About this time Peter, the butler, is released. He calls on Mrs. Rice and draws her plans of the secret entrance. The money lender is told of these plans by his son and resolves to secure the treasure for himself. He gains entrance to the cellar but cannot return. Through Peter's efforts he is released, and the miser's millions are turned over to Mrs. Rice. The release date is April 23. FILM SUPPLY TO BE DISBANDED. At a meeting of the directors of the Film Supply Company held on April 3, it was decided to dissolve that organization. The resignation of the general manager of the Company, Harry Raver, was accepted and a committee consisting of C. J. Hite and Herbert Blache was appointed to wind up the affairs of the concern.