The Moving picture world (March 1921)

March 12, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 191 Newest Reviews and Comments Conducted by EDWARD WEITZELg gjgoc/afe Sditor Sidelights and Reflections "The Road of Ambition" FELICIEN TREWEY died in France the other day. To the present generation in this country his name means noth- ing. Theatre-goers of thirty years ago re- member him as one of the most extraor- dinary entertainers who ever appeared on the American stage. His success here was so pronounced that he toured the United States at the head of his own vaudeville show, the astute Hermann the Great being the manager of the enterprise. Billed as Trewey he gave about half of the enter- tainment himself. The man's versatility was remarkable. He was a sleight-of-hand performer, a shadowgraph artist and was known as "a man of a thousand faces." His coin tricks have never been equaled. His hands were beautiful and the dexter- ity of his fingers marvelous. All of the shadowgraph artists during, and since, his time, owe most of their best tricks to him. There was a finish to his work that defied rivalry and the humor of his silent comedies kept his audiences in roars of laughter. His character impersonations, which he did with no aid except a flexible black hat, were startlingly lifelike, his mo- bile face permitting him to assume one type after the other in a series of what were virtually, close-ups. It was only natural that a man of "his training should have become interested in the moving picture from its first incep- tion. Much of his shadowgraph method furnished the model for the acting in the earliest screen comedies. His own per- formance was given largely in silence and he was a past master in the art of panto- mime. His most important connection with the screen was in a commercial capacity. In an article headed "London's First Movies," written by Will Day and printed in the January 6 issue of Kinematograph Weekly, Trewey's part in carrying the moving picture to England is explained. After telling of his birth at Angouleme, in the south of France, and of his early train- ing as an acrobat the article takes up his picture experience: "Towards the latter part of 1895 Lumiere et Fils of Paris had perfected its kinemato- graph, and, knowing the reputation of Trewey, it sought him out, and upon agreed terms appointed him as its business man- ager in England. Trewey journeyed to Lon- don to fulfil an engagement at the Royal Polytechnic Institute, Regent street, in Oc- tober, 1895, and this was the first public demonstration of kinematography. The "seances" were given hourly from 2 pm. till 9 and lasted about twenty minutes. The program was the same at each per- formance and consisted of ten films each from 40 to 50 feet in length, and so as to eke out the time, Trewey employed an interpreter and lecturer (a Mr. Francis) who explained each picture before it as shown on the screen. "The first local topical was taken by Trewey's French operator of a street scene in Piccadilly Circus, showing the fountain, etc., and was developed and printed in Paris. The second topical film was taken of a fire turnout by the headquarters staff of the London Fire Brigade at South- ward The charge for admission was one shilling. The pictures were shown in Marlborough Hall. IN THIS ISSUE "What Every Woman Knows" {Paramount). "The Blushing Bride" {Fox). "The Road of Ambition" {Selznick). "The Witching Hour" {Paramount). "The Guile of Women" {Goldwyn). "The Cheater Reformed" {Fox). "Red Foam" {Selznick). "All Dolled Up" {Universal). "You and I" {Radiosoul). l "The Offshore Pirate" {Metro). "The Supreme Passion" (Robert W. Priest). "Single-Handed Sam" Two-Part Holman Day-Pathe Release Tells Story of Love and Adventure Reviewed by Robert C. McElravy. Edgar Jones and Edna May Sperl again play leading roles in this Holman Day- Pathe release, "Single-Harfded Sam." It is a tale of the border country between the United States and Canada, where the United States government is trying to stamp out moonshining. This pursuit has frequently been pictured in the mountains of the South. The story is one of the big out-doors, where stalwart men clash in opposing at- tempts to break and enforce the law. It is a subject of the elemental sort, fairly strong in presentation and particularly good in atmosphere. Edgar Jones plays the elder of two brothers, named Sam and Joe McAuley, both employed by the govern- ment to run down moonshiners. Joe, the younger, is a weakling and through him the gang get valuable information. Sam gets wind of the true situation and desires to save his brother, both for his own sake and that of the girl who loves him. "The Tempest" For vigorous, full-blooded effects, this two-part Pathe release, featuring Tom Santschi, runs in many ways up to the standard set by longer features. It is char- acterized by some tremendous scenic ef- fects, quite out of the ordinary in them- selves and splendidly photographed. The story, also, is well-built. Santschi appears as a wandering fellow, who first is seen strolling on the docks. The crew of a schooner see him and he is promptly shanghaied, the captain hav- ing first thrown the hero's canine pal into the water. He recovers from the beating given him on board the vessel, but swears he will not work. The only friend he makes is a lad on the boat who has also been forcibly taken on board. During a storm the hero starts a mutiny and is thrown overboard. He lands near a light- house and is befriended by the sole in- habitants, the keeper of the light and his daughter. The hero falls in love with the girl and later thinks he has lost her when the boy from the schooner suddenly ap- pears. He turns out to be her brother. Handsomely Produced by Selznick with Conway Tearle as Star Reviewed by Jessie Robb. A not unusual drama of the self-made man, who wins out and triumphs over all obstacles, is this screen production of Elaine Sterne's story made by Selznick, with Conway Tearle as star. The story opens in the steel plant of the Bethel Steel Works and introduces Tearle as a grimy, two-fisted ambitious son of toil. As the drama unfolds, plenty of opportunity is afforded Tearle to enact the phases of mental and social development and excel- lent actor that he is, he makes Bill Ma- thews a forceful, dominating character. On the whole the drama is a conventional one, with situations and characters of the same order. The members of the cast have evidently been carefully chosen and meet the demands made on them. Scenically the production leaves nothing to be desired. The scenes in the steel works hold the attention from the sense of power conveyed, while the latter ones of wealth are rich and artistic. A picture that will please those with whom Tearle is a favorite. The Cast Bill Mathews Conway Tearle Daphne Van Steer Florence Dixon Philp Colt Gladden James May Larrabee Florence Billings Monty Newcomb Arthur Housman Mr. Benson Tom Brooks Old Mack Tom McGuire Ole Olson Adolf Milar Story by Elaine Sterne. Scenario by Lewis Allen Browne. Directed by William P. S. Earle. Length, 5,500 Feet. The Story Bill Mathews, foreman in the Bethel Steel Works, spends his spare time working on a formula for the elmination of slack in the manufacture of steel. One day, Philip Colt, owner of the works, visits them in company with Daphne Van Steer. Bill saves her from a fall. That night he perfects his invention. As wealth comes to Bill, he feels the lack of social culture and hires an impoverished society woman to polish him up and intro- duce him to the right people. Shortly after, he meets Daphne and falls in love with her. The next day he calls on Daphne's father and tells him that he is willing to help him out of his financial difficulties, if Daphne will marry him. Colt has been instrumental in the financial trouble of the elder Van Steer. To save her father, Daphne marries Bill, although she does not care for him. After their marriage, Colt continues to call on Daphne. Finally Daphne leaves for a rest at the hunting lodge. Colt follows. Bill arrives in time to save Daphne from Colt's unwelcome attentions. Bill gives Colt a needed beating and finds out that Daphne has learned to care for him. Program and Exploitation Catchlinest A Drama of a Self-Made Man. Conway Tearle Starring in a Story of the Steel Works. A Story of a Man of the Steel Plant Who Wins the Hand of a Society Girl. He Was Only a Man in Overalls But Proved Himself Good Enough for the Society Girl. Exploitation Angles: Boom Tearle and make a bid for the labor patronage by tell- ing that this is the story of a mill worker who fights his way to affluence. Get win- dow hook-ups with overalls and dinner pails. From the other angle tell the girla that Tearle looks great in overalls.