Moving Picture World (July-Dec 1910)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD ^45 turc will linger long, despite the tact that one might wish to t it. "Mistaken Identity" (Pathc). — A mix-up in the love affairs married woman that terminates in a duel between the husband and the wrung man. and the husband falls. This leaves the wife tree to go with another man who she really loved, If any more complicated plot could be conceived for a motion picture the author deserves a prize. Tangled love affairs form a basis for a considerable proportion of the rao "Awful Symphony" (Pathc). — A comedy which introduces some novel scenes, notably those with the umbrellas. It is interesting to see what can be done with such awkward cts as tins. The alleged music by the band, aand its effect are cleverly portrayed, and the dissolution and re-appearance of the musicians are cleverly managed. "Old Loves and the New" (Edison). — A love complication which comes perilously near the shipwreck point, but serious consequences art averted by the intervention of the father of one of the young men, who quietly, but effectively, strai] out the tangles and prevents one of those trag which frequently embitter whole lives. The scene shifts from New York to the South African gold fields and back, and the characteristic features of these widely separated and different backgrounds are maintained throughout. The play l well developed dramatically and the features keep the interest up throughout. "The Failure of Success" (Gaumont). — What sometimes happens to a plain man unexpectedly elevated to success is here clearly depicted. Fortunately the doctor is saved from succumbing to the wiles of the actress and again, in another Way, it is the action of children that prevents it. The feature of the film is the acting of the children in it. "Twa Hieland Lads" (Vitagraph). — A comedy, novel in its conception and filled with rich humor. It gives opportunity for two very funny characters to lose themselves in a series of funny situations. The Vitagraph people have produced in this a picture which will make an audience laugh, regardless of where it is and what it is. It is lively enough to suit the most fastidious person, regardless of his particular taste in fun. "The Thief" (Essanay). — A novel detective story, which illustrates the cool effrontery of a diamond thief and the remarkable intuition of a detective who located stolen jewels by analogy. The picture is made interesting by representing the thief at a reception, showing how he steals the jewels and finally by showing the detective at work. Whether this picture w^ould come under the classification of those who assert that motion pictures sometimes suggest methods of committing crime is a question not easy to determine. At any rate it is an interesting film and will be deservedly popular. "Haunted by Conscience" (Kalem). — A military drama, out of the ordinary and abounding in absorbing situations. Care in preparation and unusual care in acting have been lavished upon this picture. Everyone who admires a strong drama will like it and everyone who likes good acting will want to see it again. The improvement shown by the Kalem people in all departments of their business is marked and this film is one of the most pronounced of any of them. "Manon" (Pathe). — A French love story, turning upon the fickleness of a French woman. Whether or not the same implied charge would be true of any other woman is a matter which each individual who sees the picture may determine for himself; but it is plainly enough charged here, and the doings of the young woman bear out the implication. She is so uncertain about which man she does want that her most powerful lover becomes disgusted with her actions and has her deported. Probably this story has a deeper meaning abroad than it has here. At any rate it is not sufficiently interesting to American audiences to warrant the waste of film required to produce it. "Through the Enemy's Line" (Urban). — A war story representing a boy goatherd as taking important dispatches from a wounded carrier and after some adventures, including the pushing of his captor over a precipice, he puts the papers in the right hands and receives merited commendation. "Pekin, the Walled City" (Urban).— A trip to the mysterious old city of Pekin. And one likes to make these trips with Urban's camera man. He understands the most effective point at which to place his camera to secure the best picture. And when one has made the rounds of Pekin in this way he has acquired a knowledge of the most important phases equal to that obtained from a visit to the city. The life of the city is also accurately reproduced, and one can see what the people actually do in their daily round of duties and pleasures. It is an excellent piece of work and the firm deserves commendation for producing it. "Catching Lobsters" (Pathe).— An industrial film, illustrating lobster catching, which, when .seen m this way, becomes an exceedingly picturesque and interesting subject All the operations in lobster fishing are reproduced with fidelity and may Bit m a comfortable theater ami acquire all the information required to understand this industry. INDEPENDENT. "The Prodigal Son" (Great Northern). — A story of a convict reformed under the influence of his mother. He his time and disappears in a foreign country. It is a graphic confirmation of the old observation that every person, no matter how bad he may be, has some good in him, provided ilie right infiuences can be brought to bear to bring it out. Often it is the mother who accomplishes this apparently impossible task, and in this picture it is the mother who causes the prodigal to turn from his evil ways. The old father has to die, but it seems an artistic necessity and need not be too much regretted, But the others live on to be happy after the clouds have disappeared from their domestic skies. "Granddad's Extravagance" (Centaur). — An interesting commentary upon thi tire which a child may enjoy with his grandparents. The old boy and the young boy are mutually satisfied. The father of the boy turns the old man outdoors, but realizing what might happen to himself in the future, he recalls the old man and allows things to go as best they can. It is quite well to enforce the lesson that as one treats the old, so he will be treated when he gets old. The picture is a good one, full with little human touches that increase its attractiveness. "The Saloon Next Door" (Imp). — A lively love story, with an objecting father wdio keeps a jewelry store. That store is afterward robbed and the suitor succeeds in running down the thieves. After that objections are abrogated and he gets his girl. This, after all, is the main proposition, but there are many interesting features to the story before the fellow gets his girl. "Red Fern and the Kid" (Bison). — An Indian love story with the trimmings required to make it interesting. It may be said that the cowboys strike the wrong trail as usual; otherwise this story would lack interest. But, however that may be, and however many complications may arrive, the ending is satisfactory, since Red Fern and the Kid are happily united and she becomes his Squaw for life. "The Greatest of These Is Charity" (Lux). — A well acted and pretty story, portraying with much sympathy the love of a little girl for her grandfather. The lady who assists the little girl when the grandfather is in the hospital, and finally takes them both to her home, is a type of charitably dis1 persons who are doing much to improve the condition of the unfortunate. One sees this film disappear with a more emphatic impression of the beauty of charity properly bestowed, and of assistance worthily rendered. "Bill's Serenade" (Lux). — A comedy depicting the misfortunes of a young military man who went serenading. But landing in a butt of water, where he is found by his superior officer has a tendency to cool his ardor and the imagination can form a picture of what happens to him at the barracks. "The Converted Deacon" (Thanhouser). — Sometimes even a deacon can be converted to ways that may seem to him wicked. And here is one that overlooks his objection to the theater when he discovers that his daughter has made a success of it and proves it by performing for his benefit. "The Lucky Shot" (Thanhouser). — That a shot from a toy bow and arrow should open a secret door and disclose a store of wealth is the main features of this picture. This novelty raises the film above the ordinary, which nothing else discloses. A child in shooting his arrows about a room accidentally hits a secret spring, opening a door which shows the wealth left by his grandmother. It solves the problem for himself and his mother, and because of this is a happy ending for an otherwise unpleasant outlook. "The Voice of the Blood" (Itala). — A dramatic picture, affording opportunity for this capable company of actors to present a picture of power. It holds the attention from beginning to end, and whether one agrees with it or not one must admit that the story is well worked out and convincing as shown. "Mother-in-Law, Son-in-Law, and Tanglefoot" (Itala"). — Here is a combination that will excite your risibles. no matter how gloomy you may be. and you will agree that there are occasionally fresh applications of the old mother-in-law joke. What happened to the son-in-law will surprise you somewhat.