Moving Picture World (May-Jun 1927)

136 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 14, 1927 “Eyes of the Totem” Wanda Hawley and Tom Santschi are Featured In Melodrama of Mother-Love and Vengeance H. C. Weaver Productions present "Eyes of the Totem’’ With Wanda Hawley and Tom Santschi Directed by W. S. Van Dyke A Pathe picture CAST: Mariam Hardy Wanda Hawley Philip La Hue Tom Santschi Betty Hardy Anne Cornwall Bruce Huston Gareth Hughes Toby Bert Woodruff Length — 6,228 Feet. Coming hack from Alaska, Hardy is killed and his wife Mariam determines to locate his murderer by his peculiar eyes. She becomes a beggar and Watches. Finally she discovers that the man she is after has designs on her daughter reared away from her. All is straightened out and happiness reigns. Heart-interest melodrama. A LASKAN INFLUENCE pervades the xi. Pathe picture, “Eyes of the Totem,” A MERICA’S STRUGGLE with England in the merchant marine field, a perennial subject of interest is utilized as the basis for “The Yankee Clipper,” a P. D. C. production. This struggle is epitomized in the building of a clipper ship a few years before the Civil War and historical references furnish an interesting background and build up a good atmosphere of patriotism. The actual punch in the story centers in a race of one of thes£ vessels, “The Yankee Clipper,” and an English merchantman from China to Boston the whole tea trade being the prize. Sam E. Rork presents "The Notorious Lady” With Lewis Stone Based on Sir Patrick Hasting’s novel ‘‘The River” A King Baggot production A First National Picture CAST: Patrick Marlowe . Lewis Stone Mary Marlowe Barbara Bedford Kameela Anna Rork Walford Earl Metcalfe Silver-i Francis McDonald Length — 6,040 Feet. To save her husband charged with murder, Mary Marlowe pleaded infidelity. Later in Africa, under assumed names they met and in trying to save her supposed sweetheart in a battle with natives, Marlowe learned the truth and they became reconciled. Virile melodrama. throughout, for not only does the action open up there, but an Alaskan totem pole standing in a western city figures throughout the story, furnishing the inspiration by which the murderer is finally located. There are opportunities for effective melodrama in the plot which gets under way by the murder of a miner on his return from the gold country. His wife’s only clue is the unusual and sinister eyes of the culprit, and, learning from a beggar, the superstitution that everyone eventually passes under the scrutiny of the “eyes of the totem,” the wife becomes a professional beggar to watch for him. Cross currents have been introduced which weaken the hold of the main theme, as for instance, having the murderer scheming to get the daughter of the man he killed and working up to the double climax in which the mother’s Worked into the patriotic-historic angle is the melodramatic romance of the Yankee skipper who is in love with the daughter of the English merchant, and, being unable to save her from marrying a cad who has an affair with a Chinese girl, he kidnaps the English girl and by the time the voyage is over, she has become reconciled to the caveman stuff. Of course, the American vessel wins. There is some excellent and convincing sea atmosphere, several good punch scenes and some good comedy touches. The lengthy race of these slow-moving ships, while well-handled, is not of a nature to develop sustained thrills and punch for such extended footage as is used. Storms, mutiny and other thrills, however, aid in keeping up the interest and it should please generally. ADAPTED FROM Sir Patrick Hastings’ novel, “The River,” First National is offering “The Notorious Lady,” a colorful drama with a South African locale, featuring Lewis Stone, with Barbara Bedford in the title role. The significance of the title lies in the fact that the newspaper so describes the heroine, who, although innocent, takes on herself the brand of infidelity to save her husband, accused of murder. By a stretch of coincidence, both husband and wife land in South Africa and are brought together when the husband saves another man in a battle with treacherous natives, believing his ex-wife to be in love with this chap. Of course, there is a reconciliation. The story gets sufficiently away from the usual run to hold the interest and aided by the identity as the beggar woman is revealed to the stylish daughter, the girl is saved and the murderer discovered all at the same time. Neither the continuity nor the direction is up to the best standards and Wanda Hawley is by no means an ideal selection for the role of the mother, she does not succeed in putting over strongly either the mother love angle or the strong note of untiring vengeance. Some of the other players are miscreant, such as Gareth Hughes as the hero. Because of these weaknesses the story proves unconvincing and only mildly exciting despite the good work of Anne Cornwall, Tom Santschi and Bert Woodruff. G. Gardner Sullivan presents “The Yankee Clipper” W ith William lloyil and Elinor Fair A Rupert Julian production A Prod. Dist. Corp. Picture CAST: Hal Winslow William Boyd Jocelyn Huntington Elinor Fair Mickey Junior Coghlan Richard John Miljan Joe Walter Long Alf George Ovey Captain Clarence Burton Length — 7.920 Feet. An epic drama of the fight for shipping supremacy on the sea between England and America, epitomized in a race from China to Boston by two sailing vessels. Romantic interest centers in love affair between Yankee captain and British girl he kidnaped and eventually won. Stirring dra matic story of the sea. always excellent work of Lewis Stone and strikingly effective African atmosphere plus a good snappy melodramatic climax in the battle with the natives and the daring escape of the two men, it provides good entertainment. Stone’s role is not entirely sympathetic, but Barbara Bedford holds the sympathy throughout and gives a satisfactory performance. A striking feature of this picture is the remarkable photographic effects depicting the African landscape and river scenes which aid considerably in establishing a convincing atmosphere. “The Yankee Clipper” Race of Sailing Ships With Trade Supremacy as Goal Used Effectively in a Melodramatic Story “The Notorious Lady” Colorful and Interesting Drama With African Locale and Punch Climax Features Lewis Stone