Moving Picture World (Jul-Sep 1911)

THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 789 fiend. He was cured and was so pleased to find that his suspicions were unfounded that he did not object to the cigarette at all. "The General's Daughter" (Vitagraph), August 28. — Here is a picture of war in the desert. It is supposed to represent scenes from the fight of the English with the Mad Mahdi. The English general is captured and Mohammed Ahmed commands him to send for his daughter, Flower, whom he wishes to make one of his wives. Ahmed sends for her, however, in her father's name. She and her sisters come, but Flower is armed. When admitted to her father's cell she forces a veiled woman to change clothes with her. She easily passes the guard and, mounting a horse, gallops wildly across the desert for aid. She meets a regiment of Scotch Highlanders. They go with her and arrive just as Ahmed is battering down the door of the general's cell to get at him and his daughter. The film is exciting and is representative of the people about whom the story is woven. "The Surgeon's Temptation" (Edison), August 29. — Pictures with this theme have been done before. It may seem well or not. That depends largely upon the point of view. A surgeon loves a girl, but she is taken from him by another man. The rival has his skull fractured in an accident and only the surgeon can perform the operation that will save his life. At first he hesitates, but eventually performs the operation which will save the life. He then renounces the girl and leaves. the lovers to themselves. The players made the most of the theme and no fault attaches to them if the film is not all it ought to be. Where there is no foundation, the superstructure can hardly be up to standard. "Jimmie to the Rescue" (Gaumont), August 29. — Here is a rather novel film representing two children as undertaking an elopement. They descend by a rope for three stories and otherwise behave in the most approved romantic fashion. They find some church dignitaries in Notre Dame, in Paris (a good picture), who are so visibly amused by the request that they give the children cakes, after which the good rector or some other fatherly priest takes them home. The end is amusing and pleasing. It's a commendable film. "A New York Cowboy" (Selig), August 29. — The experiences of a tenderfoot in the Western country are always interesting and this tenderfoot gets his share of experience when he falls in love with the ranch owner's daughter, with two very determined cowboys as rivals. He manages at first to keep up his end fairly well. The girl learns that a lynching party is in progress and rides furiously, arriving in time to sever the rope with a bullet. This scene is effective, but is a repetition of others which have preceded it. The tenderfoot wins the girl. "The Playwright" (Essanay), August 29. — Probably this photoplay was produced more because it is romantic than because it is based upon fact. There is truth behind it, but very little of it is true as shown. A playwright undergoes the usual romantic struggle, yet the manager who repulses him rescues the manuscript from the waste basket and realizes at once he has a remarkable production. By this time the author has found friends and a sweetheart. "The Wrong Patient" (Vitagraph), August 29.— Considerable humor develops in this film through the situation's absurdity. The prescription of a veterinary surgeon is carried out on a man sick with rheumatism. There are hose baths, treating in the open and other vigorous treatment, all of which are applied with all the strength of three ablebodied men. But the prescription is so effective that the rheumatic gentleman shows his appreciation by rewarding the veterinary with his daughter's hand. "Queer Folks" (Vitagraph), August 29. — A novelty is introduced in a long succession of romances in a side-show. All the freaks fall in love with each other, but at cross purposes. A curious battle royal follows, but eventually it ends happily. "Betty's Buttons" (Edison), August 30.— "Rich man, poor man, beggar man, thief." All remember the children's game, but neither the children nor Betty realized the significance in her case, when her playmates found that her buttons ended in "thief." The father's conscience was not dead, even in misfortune when he was out of work. His honesty was so attractive to the owner of the lost bill that he was immediately given a position. The sympathy felt for Betty at the beginning turns to rejoicing at the close because of her father's good fortune, due, perhaps, to the child's sensitiveness partly. "The Silent Tongue" (Edison), August 30.— This film presents an unusually attractive comedy. The story is of a young man who declares he will not marry until he finds a woman with a silent tongue. His cousin, for a joke, pre tends to be deaf and dumb, but she is very pretty and attractive. The struggles with the ear-trumpet and the sign language are funny. But he discovers the trick and the discomfiture of the girl is a delicious bit of acting. "For the Sake of the Tribe" (Pathe), August 30.— An Indian picture which represents three members of a tribe offering themselves as a sacrifice to pay the penalty of the thievery of some whites disguised as Indians. The tribe was told by the United States officers that no more provisions would be issued until they revealed the culprits. While the innocent Indians are digging their own graves the real thieves quarrel, the truth is revealed and the ending is satisfactory. "Building the New Line" (Kalem), August 30. — This >tory is based upon a woman's objections to having an electric railroad cross her land. The son of the president of the company in charge of the constructive gang, succeeds in outwitting the woman after she has defied the law and his workmen, but becomes dissatisfied with the way it was accomplished, and at a iater meeting succeeds in settling the matter more to his own satisfaction. "Three Brothers" (Vitagraph), August 30. — The principal feature of this film is the representation of the cold and snow of the Klondike and the difficulties of three brothers who go there seeking for gold. Their dogs desert them or perish with cold. The struggle over the huge drifts and through the blinding snow is extremely realistic and exerts a strong fascination upon the audience. "The Medicine Woman" (Pathe), August 31. — In this film is illustrated an Indian folk lore tale. A maiden is forced to marry a despised suitor. She appeals to a medicine woman, who gives her two feathers, one of life and one of death. Just before her wedding she uses the feather of death, dies, and is buried. Her real lover then uses the feather of life and restores her to life and himself. The settings assist in emphasizing the principal features of the story and add to its attractiveness. "Romance of Pond Cove" (Lubin), August 31. — This picture tells the story of a young man who lost his wealth and with it his promised bride. The false girl had a younger sister, and after enduring his pain for a while he and the younger sister meet by chance. A very happy result follows. "The Call of the Wilderness" (Melies), August 31. — In this film is told a strongly dramatic story. It is of a young London man, who seeks adventure in the American wilderness, marries an Indian girl and lives happily with her until he receives word that he is sole heir to his uncle's English estates. Leaving his wife he returns to England. For a time all goes well until remembrance of his Indian wife is suddenly forced upon him. Responding to the call of the wild he hastens back to America and arrives in time to have his Indian wife die in his arms. The story is told with skill and is stronger than some Indian dramas, and holds the interest of the audience to the end. "The Baron" (Biograph), August 31. — Here is a comedy which presents as its principal feature the issuing of a dog license instead of a marriage license to a waiter who posed as a baron and would have succeeded in marrying an heiress but for that. "The Villain Foiled" (Biograph), August 31.— The villain was thwarted in his scheme to do away with a girl's suitor by getting him drunk. She was so impressed by a friendly version of the occurrence that she consented to marry him immediately. "The Carrot Caterpillar" (Pathe), September 1. — This is one of the most interesting and remarkable educational films that this reviewer has ever seen. It tells the whole story of this little animal. We see it changing into a crysalis and its convulsive throes at the time the butterfly is freed. The "leaders" are very happily worded. "A Wedding Procession in Bavaria" (Pathe), September 1. — ■ Among so many pretty girls and handsome young men, it is hard to be sure which is the bride and groom. Presumably the girl with the crown is the bride. The camera shows us all the faces of the whole wedding company, and it's a big one, impartially. The ceremonies, procession, dances and costumes are all very interesting. This is a very instructive and pleasing film. "New York State Barge Canals" (Edison), September 2. — The interest in this educational film will center around the representation of the ponderous and unusual machinery in action. The matter of the canal itself and its commercial importance is lost sight of, or, at least, overshadowed, by the stupendous machinery which seems to carry on the work almost by itself.