Moving Picture World (Jan-Jun 1910)

642 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD The work of all the animals iswonderful and excites great interest in any audience. "The Tongue of Scandal" (Vitagraph). — While this is a very strongly dramatic picture, one scarcely sees any particular good arising from its production. Scandal mong< too numerous in any community and events represented in this picture might well bring about scandal. It is scarcely conceivable that a man would force the concealment of marriage under such circumstances as are here set forth far too graphically for comfort. Without criticising the actchnical quality of the picture, we heard many object to the story, and' point out besides that it seems far too improbable' to be accepted as convincing. A motion pictun should either instruct or amuse and this does neither. all the more regrettable since this firm uniformly produces such excellent work in every sense. It would seem as though the producer or the director who had charge of the production nodded when this was put upon the stage. "The Girl in the Barracks" (Vitagraph).— A love story, which is made novel by laying the scene in a Russian barracks. There is a harsh and forbidding father, a persistent lover and girl, who saves the life of the general in a dramatic manner. And at the end happiness for all who are connected with the affair. Often the shifting of the background makes a picture seem entirely new, when, as a matter of fact, the story is substantially as others which have gone before. The Vitagraph people have worked this out in an interesting way, supplying details true to life and making a film technically perfect: "Their Sea Voyage" (Essanay). — A funny film, worked out with all the close attention to the requirements of the situations which characterizes the Essanay work. The picture is more than ordinarily funny, and every audience is certain to laugh. Even a New York day audience laughed at this, and that should be proof enough of its funny qualities. It takes something out of the common to excite the risibles of such a stolid set of people as drift into a New York motion picture house in the morning, and this film did it. "The Old Fiddler" (Kalem). — Here is a picture out of the ordinary in both acting and photography. Produced by the firm's Southern stock company, it was so good that it was substituted for a reel previously advertised by the house. The story is a good one, embodying numerous dramatic situations which are carefully worked out and made the most of. The acting is sympathetic, revealing qualities which appeal to the audience which gathers in most motion picture houses. The photographer allowed no opportunity for doing good work "to escape him and the result is a film which is going to be popular wherever it is shown. "The Miniature" (Pathe). — A romantic picture telling an interesting love story, centering around a miniature of a handsome young woman. Powdered hair and patches, and costuming in keeping, help in making up a pretty picture, one that will please by its daintiness and, yes, one can say it truthfully, its freshness. The lady involved looks as though she had" stepped out of a Watteau painting, and all the accessories are in harmony with the central character. A duel begins, but it ends when the lady appears. The ending is happy and the picture is as pretty and attractive as one might wish. "Ice Scooters on Lake Ronkcnkoma" (Pathe). — A view of a motor scooter, an ice boat invented during the past year and capable of making 120 miles an hour under favorable conditions. Two fast boats of this character, of radically different types of construction, are shown in an exciting race. The picture is interesting because of its novelty and its beauty is enhanced by careful photography. "A Ramble Through the Island of Sumatra" (Urban). — A delightful picture illustrating picturesque points in Sumatra, affording a view of its scenery, its people and its industries. The photographer selected his view-points with unusual intelligence and the picture affords an accurate impression of the island. » INDEPENDENTS. "The New Burglar Alarm" (Great Northern). — A short comedy which tells an interesting story and offers a suggestion of" what to do under certain conditions. It is unnecessary to describe the picture. See it and judge for yourself whether it is good or not. "The Hustling Mr. Brown" (Great Northern).— A lively comedy which represents the hustling Mr. Brown in action. Here the audiences will discover a laugh concealed in every line and the scenes only add to the laughable character of the story as it proceeds. "The Valuable Hat" (Itala). — A representation of what befell a gentleman who placed his money in his. hat and then some boys played a joke on him, making him think he has lost it. Every hat in sight suffers, but finally he discovers his own hat on his back with his money intact. "At the Farm" < Itala). — A strong drama, with a farm scene as a background and against which the drama is worked out. It is an interesting and well told story, with actors in sympathy with and understanding their subject, and deserves a long run because of its excellence. "Red Wing's Loyalty" (Bison). — An Indian romance in which an Indian girl is represented as succoring the man wdio helped her in her hour of need. The picture will, perhaps, be chiefly interesting for the views of prairie life, including a camp at night and numerous Indian and other seenes which are made as accurate as possible. This firm's work in this direction is too well known to require comment. The acting and staging are satisfactory and the technical qualities of the picture are sufficiently accurate to supply clear interpretation. "The Actress" (Powers). — A strong love story with comedy situations which add to its interest. The story centers around a well known actress and a Western mining engineer. One of its unique scenes represents a behind-the-scenes view of a well known New York theater before the curtain rises. There is some good acting, including bits of pure comedy, which brighten up the film and increase its attractiveness. It is a clean, American play, wrell acted, well staged and well photographed. "Daddy's Double" (Thanhouser). — A story of love in a boarding school, a foiled elopement and a resourceful young man, who makes up like the girl's father, fools the coachman so he is driven to the school in the family coach, marries the girl and is forgiven afterward by the father, when he discovers how resourceful and brilliant his new son-in-law is. Acting and photography are alike well done. The film is likely to be popular wherever it is shown. "Strength of Duty" (Eclair). — A dramatic film, well described in its title. The acting is sympathetic, and the photographer has performed his work carefully. The picture is pleasing and holds the interest throughout. "Rivalry in the Oil Fields" (Bison). — A love story centering around an oil well. Perhaps one of its principal points of interest is the fact that it illustrates to some extent scenes in the oil regions, necessarily unfamiliar to very many who will, because of this, see the picture with some degree of instruction. The story of fraud and deception helps to bind a number of isolated events into a connected story. "His Mother's Letter" (Powers). — Laid in a Nevada mining camp, the scene of this film possesses considerable interest. The story is familiar enough. A man gambles with another's gold and loses it, but just as the culprit determines to do something desperate a letter from his mother, begging him to go home, changes it all. A few lively comedy scenes add to the picture. Acting and photography are, sympathetic and clear. "At Double Cross Ranch" (Nestor).— A film filled with action and the overflowing spirits of the exuberant cowboy. The games played upon an innocent tenderfoot make one wonder if it is possible the fools are not all dead yet. There are all sorts of wild stunts, including a hold-up by fake Indians, a whirlwind rescue by cowboys, and the riding of a bucking broncho, all intended for the beginning of the education of an Eastern gentleman who was persona non grata. It all works to a charm and the tenderfoot sits up all night to be sure not to miss the first eastbound train. "Legend of the Cross" (Ambrosio). — Into a week of pictures which were otherwise free from the gloom of death and sorrow this one is injected, which represents a girl hurling herself from a cliff because of a monk's deception. True, the cross erected in her memory is always strewn with flowers, but why are such films necessary? They serve no purpose, and they spoil the rest of the program in the minds of a considerable number of people. Give the public something instructive, or something pleasing. "Fricot in College" (Ambrosio). — Excepting as a vehicle for the representation of college pranks the usefulness of this film is questioned. There are some amusing points, but most of the sport is too much of the rough house type. Sport is to be commended, and even pranks can be tolerated, unless they descend to the boor's methods; and that is wdiat happens here in places. "The Rosary" (Imp). — A love story of interest, centering in a painter's studio where two students are studying art. There is the heart interest of love and jealousy graphically depicted and all the features of life pertaining thereunto. The representation of painting is clever and the idea of using a rosary as an inspiration is original. The acting is sym