Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1911)

6io THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD cring his wages to his mother and embracing her and his sister affectionately. Notwithstanding this evidence of filial devotion, the detective is convinced that Jimmie is the guilty one. The squalid conditions of his home strengthen her belief that he is the criminal. Jimmie is about to depart when the marchioness and the detective enter. He is astonished at the visit, but does not overlook offering a chair to his mistress. Then the marchioness charges him with stealing her bracelet and is strongly supported by the detective, who seeks to bear him down by an avalanche of words. Scornfully he denies the charge and manfully faces his accusers. The climax is reached when the detective attempts to examine the bedtick. Jimmie seizes her hand, thrusting her away from the bed, orders both women from the house. Particularly enranged at the detective, he seizes a rag-picking hook and beats her as she rushes out. The chauffeur, in the meantime, has been casting soft glances on the new maid, never suspecting her real occupation. Shortly after the scene at Jimmie's home, the detective receives a letter from him, in which he declares that he is in love with her and will call to ask for her hand. She is mortified at the brusqueness of the man and receives him with no show of favor. He is about to leave in ill humor, when a sudden whim seizes him and he returns to the supposed maid. He offers her the stolen bracelet as a gift, after which she melts in smiles and sends him away happy in dreams of the morrow. Hastily she seeks the marchioness and presents her with t*>e lost jewel. Simultaneously both women think of the wrong done Jimmie and at once set out for his home. They find him proud and distant in manner, and it is only after the marchioness shows him the lost bracelet and begs forgiveness that he softens and submits to her caresses. But the detective she keeps at arm's length. No kisses from her for him. The only sign of relenting shown her is the offer of a single finger in a handshake. And then virtue is rewarded. Jimmie is appointed steward of the household of the marchioness, and his mother and sister are engaged as servants. The dishonest chauffeur, meanwhile, had been taken in charge by officers of the law. THE WINDS OF FATE (Edison). This latest Edison film is a most acceptable interpretation of the winds of fate. The old saying: "It is an ill wind that blows no good," is here exemplified in both its positive and negative sense. A banker places six negotiable bends in the hands of his manager, the wind through a suddenly opened door blows one away — unnoticed— and it is carried beneath a piece of furniture. Later, when the six bonds are called for, one is missing; of course the manager is misjudged and discharged. Without work and without character, poverty is the gloomy outlook for his family. Walking down the street the son of the unfortunate manager has his cap carried away by a gust of wind, which he chases to the mouth of a sewer, where, in addition to securing his cap, he finds a pocketbook filled with bills. The lucky find brings joy to the little home until it is discovered that the money belongs to the banker. Honesty overcomes the bitterness of poverty and the boy is sent to the banker's office to restore the pocketbook; of course the banker is astonished at this honor on the part of his late employee, and while writing upon the desk from which the bond was blown, the suddenly opened door causes a gust of wind to carry the note he was writing right where the missing bond lies. Its strange recovery carries its own explanation, the banker sees the error of his hasty judgment and restores the manager to his position with an honor which carries happiness to the home. The whole forms a most creditable story; it is a strong lesson on the value of honesty even in the face of distress; many a youth may be helped by its lessons, also many a hasty opinion may be withheld. Not only do the "Winds of Fate" prove kind, but honesty is shown to be the best policy and honor is above all value. THE CODE OF THE HILLS (Vitagraph). This forthcoming Vitagraph film is somewhat new. A Kentucky mountain story, "The Code of the Hills" is a reversal of the "unwritten law." In the "unwritten law" a woman's honor is defended, any abuse thereof means death. In the "Code of the Hills" a woman avenges the murder of her husband by a former rival for her affections. The story as told being an old love feud, in which the rejected lover takes the life of his successful rival, who is able to write the name of his slayer on a piece of maple bark before he expires. The young widow treasures this maple bark note as evidence of the guilt of her former admirer, awaiting occasion to avenge her husband, which she is successful in accomplishing after two years. She has no sooner fired the fatal shot than the sheriff, having heard the report, intercepts her. With defiance she produces the maple bark note and convinces the sheriff of the justice of her act according to the "Code of the Hills." The sheriff yields to the exigencies of the occasion and takes the dead man's revolver from his belt, fires one shot from it. and then places it in the hand of the dead man as if to indicate that he had himself fired the fatal shot, either in suicide or in an attack of which he became the victim. This strangely chivalrous act of the sheriff is new; he endorses the act of the woman, as, according to the "code" side of the "unwritten law," it is not legal, but human from the viewpoint of the people of the "Hills." While this is a double tragedy, it is so presented that there are no gruesome features; it is presented with the Vitagraph care for a clean picture, and as tragedies form a necessary part of life portrayals, when presented in this manner they are free from criticism and censure. The value of the picture is enhanced by the scenery, which is typical of the title of the play ana naturally very picturesque. "WHEN TWO HEARTS ARE WON" (Kalem). When an actor of the standing of Sidney Drew lends his distinguished talents to the photoplay the event is notable, and then, when the vehicle in which he makes his appearance is no less than one of his own successful sketches which has delighted audiences on two continents, "When Two Hearts Are Won." our respectful attention is at once commanded. This sketch might, with no great stretch of imagination, be termed a modern version of "Taming of the Shrew." Alcibiades Shamley marries Cassandra, a beautiful young girl with a temper and a Sidney Drew. determination to have her own way with things in general, also she is devoted to a pet dog of diminutive proportions, called Cara. After the wedding the pup is prepared for the bridal tour with great ceremony, but the rules of the Pullman Car Company forbid dogs being carried on their coaches, so the Shamleys are put off the train. At the hotel accommodations are refused because of a rule against dogs, but the Shamleys manage to find a resting place in the Railroad Hotel by bribing the clerk to admit the dog. Here the pup makes trouble by chewing up the maid's hat;. During these events Alcy has been getting telegrams from his wife's folks warning him against her violent temper, the last one being from her Uncle David which advises Alcy to give her some of her own medicine. Previous events convince Alcy that it is now time to assert himself, so he takes Uncle David's advice and starts in to mix things up on the pretense that the pup has swallowed his collar button. By the time he has wrecked the place Cassandra is completely subdued and asks Alcy's forgiveness. The appearance of Mr. Drew in pictures marks a further step in advance in the progress of the photoplay. Though serving his apprenticeship on the legitimate stage, he early elected to cast his lot with vaudeville, in which field he has gained a reputation and a position equal to that held by his distingushed brother John Drew, the dramatc star. To many patrons of the pictures his features will be familiar. His performance before the camera could not have been more satisfactory had he served a long apprenticeship in the picture studio. Good photography and snappy action throughout make this picture one of the most interesting of next week's licensed releases and a feather in the cap of the Kalem Company.