Moving Picture World (April-June 1915)

1092 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD Mav 15, 1915 scenes, considered individually, and upon the acting of Howard Estabrook, Barbara Tennant and in lesser roles, Jessie Lewis, Julia Stuart, Fred RadclifEe, O. A. C. Lund and Albert Emundson. Mr. Lund directed tlie production. The characters are introduced in the land of the pyramids — as conceived by a scenic artist — and there we are given a suggestion of the misfortunes destined for later years. Some of the settings in the opening reel are very well contrived in view of the difficulties to be overcome. Time passes and the scene shifts to America, where Elaine Arthur, a little girl when first met, has become a famous dancer, known as "The Butterfly." The strongest dramatic action in the production comes on the night that the dancer gives a performance in a town near her old home, and for one reason or another, all of the characters in the story have assembled in the neighborhood of the theater. Elaine's stepmother and sister have come to see her dance, likewise an old admirer, and then there is the villain of the play, a deformed man who is a bitter enemy of the stepmother. He sneaks into her room in the hotel, stabs her and escapes that the blame may be placed on several innocent pet"sons, among them "The Butterfly" and her admirer. The escape of the dancer and her sweetheart via a freight car is no more remarkable than the ease with which the detective traces them to a distant town. A deathbed confession clears -the situation. While Mr. Estabrook is the featured player, Miss Tennant really has the leading role, which she handles acceptably. She passes readily from the portrayal of a little girl to that of a young woman and an accomplished dancer. "The Black Ring" Amusing Crook Melodrama in Three Reels, Produced by Tom Moore for Kalem Company. Reviewed by Hanford C. Judson. PERHAPS the most widely popular kind of story today is the exciting crook melodrama. This three-reel offering, "The Black Ring," was made to fill, in an intelligently commercial way, the demand tor light stories of marked suspense, mere kill-time offerings to rest tired or bored people. It pictures for us a band of organized thieves; starts a love interest which is slight but pretty: makes the heroine's new necklace the point of attack that brings the gang's operations into pertinent relationship with the hero's love-making; and ends, after a few astonishing and fresh incidents, with the capture of the evil doers by the hero and the police. The heroine is the sweetly girlish daughter of a rich retired business man. The family chauffeur wears a black ring, the badge of the gang which is composed of many characters some of whom are servants in the houses of the rich of the neighborhood. The leader of the gang is "in society," and is making love to the girl merely to get her valuable necklace. The rich young man, who is to be the hero, is out for a walk and finds the car stalled, its chauffeur drunk. This rich youth's consenting to become chauffeur is plausible rather than fresh. Scene from "The Black Ring" (Kalem). From this point, the new chauffeur is "on the job" and in fine dramatic position to foil the intentions of the gang. The plot is laid out to make a smooth flow of narrative; yet cannot safely be called powerful, though it holds interest and serves its purpose adequately. After the acting and personalities of the picture, which are deliglitful, the fresh incident and detail are its most commendable points. It keeps the spectator in a frame of mind of amused interest rather than of excited expectancy, and as a whole is very acceptable. The best acted role is the retired merchant, by Richard Purdon. whose able, even acting helps many a Kalem picture. Marguerite Courtot is. as usual, a real heroine. Tom Moore, director and hero, does very well. Robert Ellis is an able leader of the crooks. "The Girl Who Had a Soul" A Three-Reel Version of a Stirring Crook Story Featuring Mary Fuller. Reviewed by Margaret I. MacDonald. AGAIN we must draw attention to the fact that the story of the production has nothing really new about it. But from this point of view more honor to those who have woven the theme, old as it is, into a picture that has the power to hold our attention continuously through three reels of film, leaving us rather peevish because there is not more to follow. Lucius Henderson has made the picture from the scenario Scene from "The Girl Who Had a Soul" (Victor). of Elaine Sterne; and Mary Fuller has interpreted in an inimitable manner the character of the girl accomplice of a band of crooks, and who is found, in spite of "Dutchy's" insistence that she has no use for such luxuries, to have a soul and a big one. Playing opposite her is Matt Moore, and assisting in the general constitution of the production are various others of marked ability, to which latter fact is due in a large measure the enjoyable character of the picture. The careful study which Lucius Henderson has made of his subject is evident in the care "which has been given the smallest detail, for there is realism in every moment of the play. Mary Fuller is truly a delight in her handling of the role of "Mary the Dodger." Some of her best work is done in the home of the young doctor, who after bringing her to recovery from an automobile accident, she having been knocked over by a passing machine, makes her his housekeeper in place of one who has recently resigned. Here she falls in love with her employer, and when in self defense he kills his secretary who also deprives him of the love of his fiance, takes the blame of the murder, and is on trial when the doctor recovers from the attack of brain fever from which he has been suffering since the incident and presents himself before the court. He is acquitted and later takes as his wife the "girl who had a soul." The production has been splendidly photographed, and too much praise cannot be given it as a whole. It is alive with human interest, and has a tremendous pull. Alliance Program in England. One of the biggest deals during the past week in New York film circles was the signing of the contracts by President Cobe of the Alliance Films Corporation, and Edgar Hounsell the head of the Anglo-American Film Co., of London, whereby the latter concern will in the future be the sole distributors of the Alliance Program in the British Isles. Mr. Hounsell, who is one of the oldest feature men, in point of service in the English film world, sailed for Great Britain last Saturday on the Lusitania. accompanied by Edward Barry who will be in the service of the Anglo-American as sales manager. Mr. Barry although of English birth is well known among American picture men, having been ■ connected with several concerns in New York during the past few years. Honeymooners Surprised. Monday was a big day for Mr. and Mrs. Morris Foster (she was (is) Mignon Anderson, at the Thanhouser studio. The newly-weds returned from their honeymoon in Florida, were imprisoned temporarily in one of the oflices in the executive building and the whole stock company and oflice staff were summoned in a prearranged signal. Then there was uncovered before them a magnificent set of Colonial silver, the gift of all the Thanhouserites. Mignon tried to talk and express her feelings, but a big gulp was the best she could do — and Foster gulped his endorsement.