Moving Picture World (Oct-Dec 1913)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 1287 ■iililiiliMllllillllilliPliliilililillilillli Manufacturers Advance Notes "THE STIGMA" (Essanay). In this drama of love and sacrifice, Francis X. Bushman portrays the ciiaracter of Clifford Harvey, the fiance, in a most trueto-life manner. Betty Brown as Jane, his sweetheart, plays her role admirably, while Beverly Bayne as Alice Madden, an outcast, gives us a splendid interpretation of the character. Clifford, a young man of a seacoast town, discovers evidence of a wreck, and later a girl clinging to the wreckage, a great distance from shore. She is rescued by him. He takes her to his home where iils mother resuscitates her. He is greatly impressed with her beauty — she is the girl of his dreams. Day by day she regains more of her health and strength. He proposes to her. His dad and a villager find a chest washed ashore from the wreck, and bring it at once to the little home. In spite of her Scene from "The Stigma" (Essanay). protests, they open it, and tlie secret is out. The girl is found to be a leper, who was being transported to an isolated island when the wreck occurred. The father demands that the girl leave at once, and the village is up in anger, but Clifford, who is a real human man, tells of his love for her, and his determination to go with her. The girl protests and pleads with him to remain with his father and mother, but he goes with her and they head for an island nearby, and poor Jane is left to sob out her heart for the man she loves. After they reach the island the girl weighs in her mind the man's sacrifice for her and determines to go back to the remorseless sea that had yielded her up before. Clifford follows — to be her's in death as in life. This production is booked for release December 19th. "LEAH KLESCHNA" (Famous Players). "Leah Kleschna," the international dramatic success, interpreted by Carlotta Nillson. the distinguished American actress, to be released by the Famous Players Film Co., December loth. has made an admirable motion picture character study. Miss Nillscn gives Leah all the sympathy, sentiment and pathos of the character. Kleschna, the master thief of France, is faithfully portrayed and Paul Sylvain. the French Deputy, interpreted by House Peters, well defines the strength and kindness of that character. The theory advocated in Leah Kleschna" is that if the right appeal i.-made to people who go astray, they can always be led back into the light. A synopsis of the story will be found in the department of Film Stories under the head of I'^eatures. "HIS BEST FRIEND" (Lubin). A powerful drama with a hero that is far beyond the average man. Love for a woman is the keynote of the story, and the suffering of the hero is eventually compensated. The cast embraces the pick of the Lubin home players who are noted for emotional work. Phil Stewart, bank cashier, and Cal Boone, teller, are great friends. Cal was in love with Doris, but she married Phil, and Cal remained the best friend of the family. Phil speculated with bank funds and lost. He confides his trouble to Cal. and prepares to get away. He writes a letter to his wife and hides it under a book in his room, then he goes to the bank to get more funds for his trip. In the meantime Cal has also gone to the bank and made g-Mul the slmrtage. The two men meet; there is Scene from "His Best Friend" (Lubin). a quarrel, and Phil's revolver is fired in the struggle, and he is accidentally killed. Cal is arrested for the killing, and, refusing to make a plea in his own liehalf. is sentenced to life imprisonment. Later he escapes. Years pass and Doris, who now has a grown-up son. goes for the first time to her dead husband's room, dust covers everything she touched. There, however, she finds the letter, which tells the story and suggests Cal's innocence. She applies to the governor for a new trial or pardon, which he grants. The situation is printed in the newspapers and Cal seeks Doris to find out if it is true. Stealthily he enters the house, and is confronted by the boy, Harry, who is about to kill him when Doris appears and explains all. They then realize that Cal was a best friend, and it is intimated that later he will be even more. MACHINE SHIPMENTS TO ODD CUSTOMERS. Moving picture outfits havt been leaving the Chicago offices of the Kleine Optical Company with great rapidity of late, and headed for some very odd destinations. Among recent purchasers have been the Second Presbyterian Church, of Massillon. Ohio; New England Congregational Church of Aurora, Illinois; The Aurora Y. M. C. A.; The Royal Tailors of Chicago, and the Copper Queen Consolidated Mining: Company, of Brisbee. Arizona. The latter is buying an outfit to keep its employees in the Majavo Desert contented. GRIFFIN WITH POWER COMPANY. Mr. Herbert (jriffin, one of the best projection machine men in the country, both from a mechanical as well as sellings standpoint, has associated himself with the Nicholas Power Company, manufacturer^ of the Power's Cameragraph.