Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

THE MOMXG PICTURE WORLD 525 "An American King." Two-Reel Edison Romance. Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison. THE Prince of Balkia, heir apparent to the throne, renounces his royal rights to marry the woman he loves and goes to America, where he settles as a man of affairs under the name "John North." Sixty years later, his American grandson, John North, now an orphan, follows Helen Bond, a banker's daughter, when her parents conduct her on a European tour. John and Helen love each other, but her ambitious parents — they are title-mad — coldly discourage North's attentions. Meanwhile, the royal line be Scene from "An American King" (Edison). comes extinct, but for young John North, and the prime minister plans to place him upon the throne if he is willing to assume its honors and responsibilities. The banker and his family — there is a monacled Duke in attendance — make their devious way to Balkia. because pa-pah has it in mind to float bonds for the impoverished kingdom. John North, his valet, and Arthur, a Fidus Achates, tag along and arrive at an opportune moment. The prime ^^■&, * -^z^^^^^^^Sm '^'jBlP ^^v^^^^^^^^^^^^B^^^^B^v ^^^^^^^^^^^^^r^^^^^^^^H ^I^^^^^^^^^^^^M^I^^BI^^^^EI Scene from "An American King" (Edison). minister has kept track of North's movements, contrives to meet the grandson of the man who renounced all rights to the succession and persuades him to accept the crown. North's motives are made plain — he hopes in ascending the throne to overcome the objections of Helen's parents. He takes a short cut bj' the side stairs in the ceremonial and betrays unfamiliarit}' with court forms in many amusing ways, but the air dictatorial is one all to easy to assume, and he becomes autocratic in matters of state, completely upsetting some of the prime minister's well cherished schemes. When it is made known that he is to wed a certain young and attractive lady of the court, he decrees that her hand shall be given in marriage to his chum, Arthur, who has fallen in love with her and found his sentiment reciprocated. The American King loves Helen; she loves him; her parents are title-mad; so there is a delightful absence of suspense about ihe outcome. It is obvious, as in most such plays, that these two will embrace at the end, and the one slight difficulty in the way is overcome without a struggle on North's part. Suddenly, without previous intimation, during the final scenes, a new element is introduced that should have been shown or suggested at an earlier period in the development. There are revolutionists, and one of these, Heska, has undertaken to poison the new king. He pours out a glass of wine near a picture panel, and she drops poison in his glass while he conveniently looks the other way. He turns in time to catch her by the wrist. Now% at last, there is opportunity for him to accomplish something worth while. The only pity is that the revolutionists were not put in evidence to awaken suspense during the preparation. It is too late to rouse interest in Heska and her cause and there is not enou.ijh room to show the new king in the act of using his high office to right the wrongs of an oppressed people. The?e sufferings are barely indicated at a time when the main action is drawing to an end, whereas an entire reel could have more consistently' been given to enlisting sympathy ultimately destined to rouse enthusiasm over the American king's humanitarian acts. The time will probably come when an author can tell his story without considering reel limitations, in logical form, and it would have benefitted this photodrama to have amplified rather than to have pruned it down. It could have been made to fill three or four interesting reels. FEATURE EXCHANGES TO INCORPORATE. The feature film exchanges, of New York City, realizing the necessity of co-operation to discuss and pass upon the problems arising under their rapidly growing branch of the industry, and profiting by the success of co-operative methods, heretofore used in the motion picture industry, are organizing a membership corporation bearing the title Feature Film Renters Ass'n. Inc. A number of meetings have lieen heid and the preliminary details disposed of. Messrs. Graham & Stevenson, of 15 Broad Street, have been retained to incorporate and organize the association. The association will be in the nature of a Board of Trade and it is hoped by its founders that representation will ultimately be founded in this membership from every city where a feature film exchange is located in the United States. The incorporators will be as follows: World Special Films Corporation, Unique Feature Film Co., Weinberg Feature Film Co., Richter Feature Film Co., Easter Feature Film Co., Federal Feature Film Co., Manhattan Feature Film Co.. Weisfield Feature Film Co., Emby Feature Film Co., Sedeg Feature Film Co., Supreme Feature Film Co., Standard Feature Film Co., All Star Film Printing Co., Sherrys Film Exchange, Theater Feature Film Co., Eagle Feature Film Co., Royal Feature Film Co., Special Feature Film Co., Feature Film Co.. Regal Feature Film Co., Kineto Feature Film Co., Vita I'eature Film Co., Ideal Feature Film Co., North American Film Co., Inc., De Luxe, Feature Film Co., High Grade Feature Film Co., The Film Exchange. PICTURE MEN HAVE DINNER. Northeastern Pennsylvania Exhibitors' Association Condemns "Underworld" Pictures at Meeting in Wilkesbarre. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Motion Picture Exhibitors' Association met at the Hotel Redington, Wilkesbarre, Pa., on Wednesday, January 14, and enjoyed .a fine dinner set for the occasion. After the dinner they spent several hours "talking shop," during which there was a discussion upon the advisability of running "underworld" pictures in their houses. Gilbert Miller of Plymouth, president of the association; Harvey Eggleston, J. Clayton Heebner, John Lynch, W. S. Wilson and others made excellent talks in which they suggested that the best results are obtained from showing good, clean pictures and that it was advisable not to handle vice or underworld pictures. Those present were: Gilbert Miller, Plymouth; John Favinni, Jessup; Charles Schwartz, Nanticoke; L. A. Farrell and Louis Matule, Carbondale; J. D. Williams, W. S. Wilson, Francis Devlin, Harvey Eggleston, J. Clayton Heebner, Frederick W. Hermann, Wilkes-Barre, managers; Chief of Police John Roberts, E. L. Lindemuth, Daniel L. Hart, James Curry, Harry L. Campbell, of the Record; Joseph Stiles, of the Exhibitors' Film Co.; Sidney E. Abel, of the Mutual Film Co.; Samuel Shirley and John Lynch of the" General Film Exchange, Wilkes-Barre.