Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

276 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD A Feature that Charms. Great Northern Four Part Subject "The White Ghost," a Picture Rich in Delightful Comedy. A YOUNG MAN who is in love with the daughter of the surveyor of his father's estate, the comfort-loving father, his termagant sister who domineers the poor man's existence and purposes to attend to the love affairs of her nephew according to her own plans, the lady of her choice, and a few minor but necessary characters, is the Great Northern's recipe for one of the most delightful, romantic comedies it has been our lot to observe on the screen in many a day. Count Bille was a good fellow in a ponderous way and enjoyed the good things of life. He would have permitted his son Eric to marry the surveyor's daughter without question, but the Count had as sister, Ulrica, who had picked Lady Vera Trop for her nephew, and made life miserable for her brother because he did not enforce her arrangements upon his son. While matters are in this unsettled state Lady Vera calls, and the Count and his sister contrive to leave the two young people alone. Eric snatches this opportunity to tell Lady Vera that he is in love with the surveyor's daughter, and to ask her to help him secure his father's consent. Scene from "The White Ghost" (Great Northern). Lady Vera is one of the proud, spirited kind and does not relish this bit of confidence, but she realizes that Eric, with his heart somewhere else is not the husband she wants, so she promises to help him out of his difficulties. Womanlike, she takes an opportunity to look over the surveyor's daughter, however, before she finally consents to the plan and probably concludes that if the man at stake has a mind to rise no higher than this simple maid it would be a waste of her talents to bestow them upon him. But how to bring about the desired parental consent. A house party is given by the Count, and during the festivities the Count is prevailed upon to tell the legend of the "White Lady" whose portrait hangs in the ancestral hall. The story is to the effect that the lady, daughter of an ancient owner of the castle, had fallen in love with a poor keeper's son ; the discovery of her love and the rage of her father caused her death, and it was related that at times her figure in the canvas was seen to step out of its frame and walk abroad at night. .\s Count Bille relates the story to the company his tale is visualized for the benefit of present audiences — a clever bit of double e.xposure. To Lady Vera the legend suggests a way to solve the difficulties of Eric, and, with the assistance of several young men of the party, she proceeds to put her plan into execution. It is the duty of the young men to entertain the Count for some time after the rest of the guests have departed, with the resuh that he has to be put to bed. Lady Vera has, in the meantime, secured the bridal robe of the "White Lady" which had reposed in a trunk in thetower room all these years. .Attired in this she takes her place in front of the portrait and is flanked by two of the young men dressed in ancient armor. The Count, now dead to the world in slumber, is carried from his chamber and placed in front of the portrait. .'\t the appointed hour the "White Lady" steps down from her frame and arouses the Count and compels him to give his written consent to the marriage of his son to the surveyor's daughter, whereupon he is taken back to his chamber to complete his slumbers undisturbed. Next day matters are arranged to the satisfaction of Eric and his sweetheart, much to the discomfiture of .^unt Ulrica. The part of Lady Vera is played with infinite charm by Miss Rita Sacchetto. In her we see the resourceful, hoydenish young woman of our own times, ready for any prank that will furnish wholesome amusement for her friends. She plainly puts her whole heart in her play and her portrayal becomes a living thing, pulsating with the real red blood of youth. The scenes and setting throughout are above criticism and the excellent photography of the Great Northern puts the finishing touches upon a work of kinematographic art. "The House ot Bondage." In Six Reels By the Photo Drama Motion Picture Company. Reviewed by W. Stephen Bush. THE open sewer has arrived. When Judge Gavegan, of the Supreme Court, declined to restrain the police from suppressing the vulgar and disgusting "white-slave" films he said that it "might be possible to find individuals of such morbid curiosity that they would be willing to pay an admission price to see the inside workings of a sewer and others of such avaricious enterprise that they would be ready to capitalize such morbid curiosity and furnish the exhibition for a price." Justice Gavegan was a prophet, for the open sewer has arrived and men have been found willing to capitalize the curiosity of the degenerate. It is impossible to describe the contents of this "feature" without soiling the pages of a reputable journal. After seeing six reels of the vile and revolting stuff, I was glad to get out into the fresh air and any persistent attempt to recollect all the filthy details of the production might act as an emetic. How any human being can have the base effrontery to offer such a digest of dirt for public exhibition is utterly beyond my comprehension. Perhaps the public exhibition will never take place. Not that I expect any eleventh hour repentance on moral grounds, but it seems very clear indeed that the law forbidding obscene and indecent exhibitions will come to the rescue of the public and of our women and children especially. The courts in this and in other states have held that the showing of scenes supposed to occur, or to have occurred, in houses of prostitution constitutes an obscene and indecent exhibition, tending to corrupt the morals of the young. .\s by far the larger part of this wretchedly cheap concoction is devoted to portraying conditions in houses of ill fame it is reasonable to expect that the police will arrest and the public prosecutor will prosecute any individuals connected with a public exhibition of this infernal picturing of filth. The pictures were shown in the presence of the people responsible for them. To aid the reader to make an assay of the mental and moral calibre of the promoters of this infamy, I think it is well to set down an incident that occurred during the running of tlie "feature." Toward the very end a scene is shown in which the country girl that had been ruined by the male procurer meets that loathsome individual on the street. The girl is now beyond redemption and has become part of the very dregs of human society. As she recognizes the procurer she asks him for a drink and the pair go to a dive where they are served with liquor. The procurer is soon under the influence of the cheap alcohol and the girl turns to him and addresses him, when this title is flashed upon the screen : "Come on. Max ; come to my room — you can sleep it off there." At the appearance of the title, one of the men interested in the Iiorrible abortion put this strange query : "Say, maybe this title is a bit too raw." There came a swift reply from another interested party sometliing like this: "Naw, that's all right." Thus was the day saved for morality. If this sickening monstrosity is permitted to be publicly shown or if any deliberate and persistent attempt is made to show it publicly it will do more harm to the motion picture art than it is possible to calculate. We have put it in the pillory to have its vile character known to all men and women friends of the motion picture. Let it be anathema. Whoever has charge of the screen where this mass of corruption was shown will do well to disinfect and fumigate the projecting room and I think that even the machine ought to be washed, together with the reels and the magazines. For the men whose "avaricious enterprise" has made them lose sight of the commands of ordinary public decency we have as much contempt unmixed with pity. They really have brought reproach upon the human species. FRANKLIN, PA., GETS NEW HOUSE. Grant Bolmer, of Franklin, Pa., will open about February ist, a new picture house to be known as the Park. Mr. Bolmer is a pioneer picture man. The theater will have a seating capacity of 700, and its programs will be composed of Mutual releases.