Moving Picture World (Sep 1916)

1856 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD September 16, 1916 Pathe Announces "The Test" A Notable Picture Play Adapted from an A. H. Woods Success — Jane Grey the Star and Fitzmaurice the Director. <<*TpllK TEST," a play by Jules Eckert Goodman, the welll known dramatist, as produced by A. H. Woods, enjoyed marked success for two whole seasons from coast to ii Blanche Walsh starred in it and through it added materially to a popularity already noteworthy. George Fitzmaurice of the Astra, who produced for Pathe such sterling successes as "Via Wireless," "At Bay," and "New York," was entrusted with the direction of the motion picture adaptation of this famous play. No one who has seen it in its new form will deny that it was put into worthy hands. In selection of cast, in choice of settings and locations, in photography, in sustained interest, in climaxes — in everything that goes to make the very best quality of pictures, Mr. Fitzmaurice has lived up to the reputation which he has acquired of being one of the best directors of the day. .lane Grey, the star, was a fortunate choice. Her emotional resources are extraordinary, and her classic beauty screens more than ordinarily well. She will be best remembered, perhaps, as the ".Molly Hughes" of "Kick In," the A. H. Woods play, which has enjoyed such notable success. In "The Test" she has the part of "Mrs. Tretman," the young and lovable wife of a weak scoundrel, who stops at nothing to gain his own ends, and is willing to sacrifice his own wife in an attempt to evade the retribution of the law. The supporting cast is notable, including as it does Lumsden Hare, the English actor, Claude Fleming, Carl Harbaugh and Inez Buck. .Many of the scenes are laid upon a millionaire's estate on Long Island and the locations there are a delight to the eye, including as they do among others an indoor swimming pool that cost a large fortune. Mr. Goodman, the author of "The Test," also wrote "Mother," "Treasure Island," "The Man Who Stood Still," and "The Man Who Came Back," the latter a new play about to be put on Broadway by Mr. Woods. LIONEL BARRYMORE IN "THE BRAND OF COWARDICE." Work begins this week on "The Brand of Cowardice," a .Metro wonderplay in five acts dealing with conditions in Mex ico and on the Mexican border at the present time. Lionet Barrymore is the star of the production, which John W. Noble will direct, with the assistance of Fred Sittenham. Both star and director have just finished other important productions, but are turning with zest to the new work. Mr. Barrymore recently completed the five-part Rolfe photoplay, "The Upheaval," in which Marguerite Skirvin is featured in his support, and Mr. Noble has finished the direction of the stupendous screen version of "Romeo and Juliet," in which Francis X. Bushman and Beverly Bayne appear as the historic lovers. Mr. Noble took only a brief rest before beginning work on the new Barrymore production. ' "The Brand of Cowardice" is from the pen of Lieutenant Charles Maigne, a retired army officer who was in the employ of the United States government during the Boxer uprising in China, and who served in the Cuban campaign during the Spanish-American war. Lieutenant Maigne has accepted a small part in the production. Clara Whipple is Mr. Barrymore's leading feminine support in the new photoplay, and John Davidson has been engaged Cor an important part. Cameraman Carlton, who has been working with John H. Collins in the making of Metro wonderplays starring Viola Dana, returns to Mr. Noble with this production. "THE UNATTAINABLE" (Universal). Scenes of pastoral beauty are a feature of "The Unattainable," a Universal drama in which Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson play the principal roles and which is scheduled for release in the near future on the Universal regular program. A visit was paid by Director Lloyd Carleton's company to a big sheep ranch near Los Angeles where the bucolic scene reproduced herewith was taken. Supporting Miss Davenport and Mr. Johns. .n in the leading roles are Richard Morris anil Alfred Allen. The play was scenarioized by Eugene S. Lewis from the storj by Elwood Hemming. The play, in short, tells the story of an artless known as "The Unattainable" because of her reserve who is pursued by a rich Idler, She finds relief from the persecutions of the latter bj dropping off the train occupied by the traveling troupe Of actors and settling down in a Western ranch town where She marries a handsome young sheep herder. Later, events bring her back to New York, where she falls into the clutches n( her former wanton admirer. Her husband, fearing the worst, comes On from the West, and the play ends with some startling situations. MRS. VERNON CASTLE SETS VOGUE. Mrs. Vernon Castle, famous beauty and dancer, who is being screened in the great serial, "Patria," for the International Film Service. Inc.. has designed the "Castle Preparedness Suit" in which she appears in several of the episodes. "Patria," in addition to being the last word in artistic mo tion pictures, has preparedness as its keynote, and is declared to be the most inspiringly beautiful and intensely interesting serial ever presented. It is from the pen of Louis Joseph Vance. The "Castle Preparedness Suit" is of tan cheviot. The skirt is perfectly plain and reaches the top of the boots, permitting free and graceful strides. The coat -is of military cut and buttoned tight about the throat. There is a wide belt of tan leather and a strap of tan leather from the bust to the waist takes the place of buttons. There is a jaunty military cap of the same material as the suit, while the boots are dark tan with light tan cheviot tops. The dog that is shown with Mrs. Castle is the German police dog that recently killed Mrs. Castle's Japanese spaniel. It appears in several of the scenes of "Patria." "THE PATH OF DARKNESS" (Unicorn). Among the films booked for fall release on the new L'nicorn multiple-reel program is "The Path of Darkness" in five reels. produced by the Norbig Film Company of Los Angeles. The features of the picture are the splendid characterization of a Scene from "The Path of Darkness" (Unicorn). blind girl by Margaret Darwin, and the beautiful exterior settings. The leading parts are played by Margaret Darwin, Charles Fuller, Harry T. DeVere and Josa Melville. "SAINT, DEVIL AND WOMAN" (Thanhouser). A tale of a girl of triple personality, "Saint. Devil and Woman," will be released by the Thanhouser Film Corporation through the Pathe exchanges on September 24. Florence LaBadie, the star, is supported by Wayne Arey. Hector Dion ana Ethyle Cooke. The story, by rhilip Lonergan, is based upon Dr. Morton Prince's famous treatise. "The Dissociation of a Personality." which discusses the case of Sarah Beauchamp. the first person of changing personality to be carefully investigated by scientists. Investigations by Boris Sidis and Dr. Hugo Von Munsterberg also were used in making the play psychologically accurate. Florence LaBadie shows splendid appreciation of the chai acter of a simple girl who is changed into a fiend by a chain of startling circumstances. A railroad strike plays a big part in the story, and Director Frederic Sullivan has staged a thrilling battle between strikers and strikebreakers. The feature is of unusual timeliness because of the current conflicts between labor and capital all over the I'nited States. SERIAL FILM CO. BUSY ON A NEW SERIAL. William Steiner. supervising director of the Serial Film Company, announces that his organization is already busily engaged in arranging for a serial to follow "The Yellow Menace, which is being distributed by the Unity Sales Corporation. The lirst release of "The Yellow Menace" is set for Labor Day, and the new serial will be completed in ample time to be ready w lien "The Yellow Menace" is completed. The Character and theme of the new serial is certain to be entirely different from that of "The Yellow Menace' so as to enable the exchanges and the exhibitors to present to the public .something entirely now. up-to-date, and unique in serials. The success of "The Yellow Menace" has proved to both the Serial Film Company and the Unity Sales Corporation that there is a field for serials among the independent exchanges, and the officials of these companies believe that they can give these exchanges a succeeding serial that will be kept well up to the developments in the industry.