The Moving Picture World (Apr-Jun 1913)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1 1 1 3 "The Snare of Fate" Three-Reel Vitagraph by Eliza G. Harral. Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison. THIS strong protest against the happiness-destroying power of money when it delivers men and women up to the misery of having nothing to do might well be called "The Golden Snare.'' particularly as it is one of manysimilar plays demonstrating — in this case with force — that the way of selfish wealth is a ruinous one. It also drives at those match-making mothers whose idea of success is to lead a life of pleasure calculated to dazzle the neighbors. The story is of a kind worn threadbare — it is an infernal triangle with a girl-who-marries-wealth-to-save-a-ruined-father thrown in — but it is redeemed by tine acting and beautiful settings. It is so admirably done that William Humphrey must be accorded his long-deferred laurel wreath. He produced it and did the finest acting where there was a notable cast. . Humphrey portrays a wicked character, that of a father who steals his son's fiancee, as it should be. He is a gentlemanly villain rather than a villainous gentleman. Wearing no makeup, resorting to no trickery, he interprets the part with such fidelity that one might well believe, not knowing him personally, that nature had especially equipped him for just such a role. Charles Kent presents the ruined father with feeling and S. Rankin Drew lives up spiritedly to his implied ancestry. The ladies, Dorothy Kelly and Louise Beaudet round out the strong cast with beauty and acting that deserves superior opportunity. To this exceptional list is added a general support in social functions from some of the best known members of the Vitagraph Company. Barring all that is delightful in the acting.I should ascribe the charm of this presentation very iargely to the settings, to the equipment and arrangement of scenery, costumes and properties. The art of the photodrama is, of course, com posite. The theme is the soul of the play; action and development make that soul visible to those in front, and the settings are its vesture. Each is all-important in its way, but there is a great deal in having the eyes of the audience satisfied in a production that appeals to the sense of vision alone. A creative genius may compose beautiful music, but it is the artistic rendering that causes that composition to afford delight to others. In each one of the social functions which brighten "The Snare of Fate," there is a picture of symmetry and nice balance that indicates craftsmanship on the part of the director. The stage manager who interprets skilfully does so faithto the equipment and arrangement of scenery, costumes and properties. The art of the photodrama is, of course, composite. The theme is the soul of the play; action and defully in essential elements and artistically wherever he can give the author's ideas added force and loveliness, ami so the motion-picture director operates to visualize a scenario, selecting what is in harmony with the trend, sentiment and purposes of the photodrama. adding or eliminating, until he reaches a harmonious whole. When he has finished all this, when his scenes are set and his characters clothed, there are schemes of lighting to consider and he must preserve the sort of action that is in harmony with his subject. The selfish purposes of the father who robs his son of a natural choice to gratify his temporary desires and the mother who makes a sacrificial victim of her daughter to keep up appearances in her set, lead straight to tragedy, so the play is logical in itself, but it would fail and_ fall if staged without unusual taste and skill. C'est bien fait. "The Punch Club," an organization of assistant directors, property men, stage carpenters and scenic artists connected with the various motion picture companies of Southern California, has elected Joseph Murphy president, Horace Davey vice-president, Al Young secretary, and Jack White treasurer. Interesting Scene from "The Snare of Fate," a Vitagraph Three-Reel Feature.