Moving Picture World (Jan-Mar 1914)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 809 freshness and no moment when it is effectively convincing. The acting handles the subject as well as possible, and the photography is excellent. "HOW GOD CAME TO SONNY BOY" (Vitagraph). February 2.— An excellent Sunday-school offering with a story very like some told by preachers. Sonny Boy is a child of a poor artist and his mother needs medicine. The father finds an old masterpiece as in answer to prayer on the part of child and its mother. There is no "punch" to it. One fails to believe that its producer really felt his imagination stirred by it and it doesn't live. It won't offend any; but neither will it please any very much. Some in the audience watched, some talked in groups. "IF IT WERE NOT FOR POLLY" (Biograph), February 2.— There is an amusing situation in the development of this picture; but it comes a bit late and a good deal of the early business is poor amusement. As a whole it is only fair. Polly is a child comedienne, but there is nothing spontaneous in her work. "HOW THE EARTH WAS CARPETED" (Edison), February 2.— A phantasy with little real humor. It has one good idea, the invention of shoes; but this is too little for a whole picture. Ehhel Browning wrote the script and it was produced by Ashley Miller. "HER WAYWARD SON" (Lubin), February 2.— Story of the West with nothing new in character or situation, except what is due to the kaleidoscope of life by which nothing can happen twice the same. The characters are not life-like and do not interest. It lacks effective direction. The author and producer is Jos De Grasse. Licensed Specials "WRECKED IN MID-AIR" (Eclipse), January 27.— A three-part special offering of substantial merit as a sensational melodrama. Through most of the first reel the backgrounds are in and around a large aeroplane manufacturing plant for entire control of which the villain schemes against the heroine's father. Frustrated in his first villainy, he becomes bandit and, finding buried treasure, has means of making himself felt by his one-time partner. Tlie scenes which show how he captures the heroine in her own automobile and how tlie hero, flying past overhead, sees and gives chase, only to be captured himself, are indeed entertaining. The adventure in the cave where the bandit has imprisoned his captives and the escape after setting off a tremendous blast of powder are sensational enough even for modern audiences. A good offering. "PICKLES. ART AND SAUERKRAUT" (Vitagraph), January 27.— For review see page 267, issue of January 17, 1914. "THE MASQUERADER" (Kalem), January 28.— A two-part offering with Carlyle Blackwell as a romantic crook. The story is not quite up to the best in his productions, but has the qualities that careful handling and good acting give a picture. The story pleases without convincing at all and does so mostly by its showing of something good in humanity. The heroine had loved the crook before he was arrested and had a bundle of his letters. These her maid steals and, with the help of an accomplice, is blackmailing her just as she is about to be married. The crook, now out of prison, steals them back for her. "PLEASURES ON EARTH" (Lubin), January 29.— A two-reel offering by Clay M. Green. This is a well-pictured story of a miserly father whose wife and son leave him. After a lapse of seventeen years they are restored to him by the workings of fate. A factory strike figures in the story. The chief drawback in this is that the observer can foresee the developments too much in advance, which makes the action seem slow. The plot is well constructed, but seemed to lack novelty. "THE POWER OF PRINT" (Patheplay), January 29.— This film story, which runs about a reel and a half, is rather a formal mixture of newspaper and political life. The opening scenes are carefully planned and lay the ground work for some excitement, but the action does not come up as well as it promised, and the ending seemed a little disappointing. The photography and acting are acceptable. "SERINGAPATAM, SOUTHERN INDIA" (Patheplay). January 29.— Showing the old fort besieged by Lord Cornwall, with monkeys running over the walls; street scenes, etc. This is on same reel with above; pleasingly picturesque. "THE GIRL AT THE CURTAIN" (Essanay), January 30.— In the second scene of this two-reel story the writer noticed a jarring note — in the ridiculous manner in which the stenographer was made to chew gum. From this time on until the last scene the picture held tight in spite of one or two instances in which slight improbabilities entered in. Mr. Bushman as the unwilling bridegroom and Beverly Bayne as the even more unwilling bride do splendid work in a drama replete with strong situations. The mother dictating to her shorthand-studying daughter will recall to thousands ^ad quarters of an hour spent with the pothooks. At times there is a vein of delightful if momentary comedy, as when the wife who has never seen her husband finds she is employed by him and that he is unaware of her identity. The story has unusual appeal and stirring quality; it should be a real hit. "A Misplaced Confidence" is a short comedy at the end of the second reel. It is not new, it is distinctly old, but it is very funny. "THE SILENT DEATH" (Edison), January 30.— A story supposed to be laid in Central America; the only physical indication that it was not was the big "Fla." following the name of a town on a river steamer. The picture has fine quality as a scenic, with the jungle-bordered placid river, the semi-tropical forests, the great plantation and the shot-holed or crumbling old fortification. An American stricken in the woods with fever is helped by an Indian maid-servant, and by the judicious use of a rifle with silencer attachment is enabled to break up a conspiracy having for its object the death of his brother and partner. Two men are shot and one wounded, and later the latter, in a fight of his own seeking, is thrown into the river and drowned. The picture will interest, "THE LUNATIC'S CHILD" (Pathe), January 31.— A rather grim story of French peasants. It has a sensational plot, but is not melodramatic and tells no love story. A wealthy family is bringing up a lunatic's baby and think it their own, which really was drowned while in care of a nurse, who then stole the crazy woman's child and substituted it. The fraud is discovered. We have a series of striking situations and they give a well utilized chance for strong, effective acting so that the picture makes a substantial offering. As usual in Pathe offerings made in France, the backgrounds are interesting. The photography is serviceable and clear. "THE LOVE OF TOKIWA" (Vitagraph). January 31.— A two-part story of Japanese and Americans and set perhaps on the coast of California. The characters, especially the Japs, are well set forth. Tokiwa, the unfortunate daughter of a brutal fisherman, is played by Margaret Gibson; her father by Otto Lederer, and the lover to whom the father sells her, by George Kunkel. In these characters there is a good deal that is distinctly foreign and it passes for Japanese. Bertie Fitcarin and William Taylor play the Americans, The story is fresh and clearly pictured, but few will count it a powerful one, although there are two distinctly sensational incidents. The lack of power comes not from improbability so much as from lack of liveliness in the characters. The photography serves. It was written by W. E. Wing and produced by U. Davis. "THE CONVICT'S STORY" (Kalem), February 2.— This is another "crook" story that has been well put on by Carlyle Blackwell and his company. In the development there is something so astonishingly novel that. we dare say it will be the most noticeable offering of all to-day's releases.. It seems as though a little care in the statement of the situation wouldl have got rid of some of the unconvincing things that at present mar it. To have the girl's fiance suspected so quickly weakens our interest just: where it should have been carefully bolstered. People will like the picture, "A MODERN VENDETTA" (Selig), February 2.— A three-reel production that is likely to leave all but the wakefulest confused about much of it3; story. The main thread is clear. An escaped prisoner kidnaps the son of a judge and brings him up to be a forger just for revenge, and although the boy escapes from the toughs, he is in later years, yet innocent, sentenced' by his own father, who fails to recognize him. Then there's a happy ending. Many of the lesser threads are not clear and it impresses one as a^ poorly produced offering. There was padding in the first reel which added nothing and, as the story progressed, we noticed jumps in the action. Of the former, take those scenes with the carriage just before the accident.. Of the latter, take those scenes where Tom saves Barnes* daughter. Just what happened there we don't know. There is plenty of interesting matter and a good many will enjoy the situation and story; but it is not an absolutely sure feature number. Edward McWade is the author and it was produced by Oscar Eagle. "IN THE MESH OF HER HAIR" (Pathe), February 7.— The Pathe Company is showing in these new two-part offerings a marked advance over its former work of late. This holds true in many departments as plot making, acting, etc. Pathe staging and photography have been good right along. This number is a romantic drama with Eleanor Woodruff and' Irving Cummings in the lead, and they are ably supported by well-drawn characters — one by Paul Panzer and one by Sam Reid being especially noteworthy. Florence Dyer and Claire Rae also do good work. There is a touch that reminds one of Ibsen in the State of mind of the hero as he goes to the scenes where he and the girl, whom he thinks drowned, were.once happy in each other's love. Independent "WITHERING ROSES" (Beauty Films). January 14.— An allegorical picture, teaching that "With deeds of kindness is the road to happiness; paved." It has many pleasing scenes, although its double exposures are not: always perfect. It fails to convince as a picture of life, but as a fairy taleit will get by and perhaps please many. People certainly like these unobtrusive sermons — it does none of us any harm to see such picturesoccasionally and we know it so we are willing to pay for them; that's whyit is a good offering. "ANIMATED WEEKLY NO, 99" (Universal), January 28.— Showing the changes asked for in the National flag by the Confederate veterans, a race between Barney Oldfield and Lincoln Beachey and various scenes of about ordinary interest. Hy. Mayer's drawings at the close were extremely laughable. "THE PURSE AND THE GIRL" (Princess), January 30.— A love story with crooks in the background. The latter serve as the means of drawing the young people together. The plot without novelty has sufficiently the sense of newness and with business that is not convincing, the characters are lively and excite interest. Produced in a simple forthright way, it makes a pleasing release. "THE VENGEANCE OF NAJERRA" (Majestic), February i.— Najerra is an Indian humble lover of a beautiful Mexican girl who marries a dashing youth and moves to the village. Soon she is treated coldly and forsaken for another senorita, and we are given scenes of cafe life with senoritas smoking cigarettes on the tables under the vines or shade trees. Najerra comes to town for vengeance, but, as by the hand of fate, he is saved from soiling himself with blood by an accidental explosion which kills the villain. Such pictures offer little chance for fresh comment, but still serve a useful purpose as entertainment. "THE GREAT PASADENA ROSE TOURNAMENT" (Apollo), February I. — This annual flower fete at Pasadena has been pictured again and we think that there will be many among the spectators who will be very glad to see the street parade and the floats of flower-decked cars. The photography is clear, if not always artistic. "WHY REGINALD REFORMED" (Thanhouser), February i.— If there are any prettier rooms than in Thanhouser pictures we don't know where they are. This picture opens with a specimen of sets that are picturesque and elegant, but the i-tory, though amusing, is not artistic. It is light, with broad humor; is well acted and doesn't drag. We think the majority will be amused by it. "OUR MUTUAL GIRL NO. 3" (Reliance), February 2.— There is no doubt that many people are deeply interested in the adventures of "Our Mutual Girl"; if one inquires, he hears of it. But that the series has been so far inartistic is also very true. In this installment the girl's country