Moving Picture World (Jul - Aug 1918)

July 27, 1918 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 589 left him to die mi the desert and stolen the riches that were to have been divided between them. As the story proceeds through thrilling and halrbreath escapes and adventures second to none in hair raisins' quality it involves another story in which the courier of the king has been murdered by one of the avenging gang frho has proved a traitor to his chief, and all but caused him to be captured. Into this story the "gray lady" enters, daughter of the courier, and one of "The League of Silence" who cleverly traps Ultus, the chief avenger, and makes him chief of their league, with the object in view of avenging the death of the courier. And so the story rushes along carrying the interest of the lover of pure melodrama with it. 'HER MOMENT General Film Presents Anna Luther in Author's Photoplay Feature. Reviewed by C. S. Sewell. ANNA LUTHER is the star in "Her Moment," the seven-reel feature made by Authors' Photoplays, Inc., and released by General Film Company. It is not a pleasant story, but, as a whole, it is entertaining, although the interest is allowed to lag in places and the action could be speeded up by reducing the footage. A woman finds herself, through the cupidity of her father, lured from home and sold into servitude under an ancient Roumanian law. She has been bought for her beauty, and is taken to a casino. Discovering the life into which she has been brought she attempts to escape without success. Forced by the police to close his house the girl, Katinka, is taken by her paramour on his travels around the world, ending in an Arizona mining camp. There she sees the sweetheart of her childhood, now a mining engineer, but is ashamed to reveal her identity. Unable longer to tolerate conditions she writes to an old friend, a violinist, who comes to America, shoots her companion, and is himself killed by the sheriff. She then goes to New York, is arrested for attempting to speak to her former lover, and is turned over to a society which endeavors to reform girls. Her lover finds her there, and claims her as his bride. The story opens in Roumania, and there are some attractive peasant scenes. The photography is good throughout. The incidents are not altogether convincing, and some of the scenes are unpleasant, as for example, where the girl is made to take off her waist and is flogged, also where her father is caught in a stream of molten lava and buried, only his hand remaining in sight. The director, however, has handled the immoral features in such a manner as not to give offense. Anna Luther is attractive as Katinka, and gives an excellent portrayal of the role in which she is ably assisted by William Garwood as her peasant lover who afterward achieves success as an engineer. The other members of the cast, including Bert Hadley, Alida Jones, William Lowrey, J. L. Frank, Anne Schaefer, Leon Kent, and Murdock MacQuarrie, do good work. Frank Beal directed the production. "THE FIREFLY OF FRANCE" Wallace Reid Dashing Hero in Paramount Picture Descriptive of the War. Reviewed by Edward Weitzel MARION POLK ANGELLOTTI has written a smashing good yarn about an American aviator and his adventures on his way over to join the Allies, and called it "The Firefly of France" Margaret Turnbull has put it into scenario form for the Paramount, and Wallace Reid plays the hero Devereaux Bayne The picture has one novel feature: Its story is told in a way that a novelist sometimes employs, the hero being supposed to relate what befell him before he joined the aviation corps, and how he met the French girl who was to become his wife The nature of the story's telling is further Impressed on 1 1 1 * tator by having .-ill the subtitles written in the lirsi person, past tense. Under ordinary conditions this met] would detract from the actuality of the story, but the theme is so vital and the incidents lead so rapidly from one dramatic moment to the other that tininterest is held firmly all the time There are, of course, German spies in the plot and important papers to be got through the lines. Bayne finds out that the most interesting person on shipboard is a young girl named Esme Falconer, He has been warned that she is a German spy, but refuses to believe it. They have some stirring adventures before reaching a French chateau. Esme's chauffeur is murdered, and Bayne takes his place. When they arrive at the chateau they walk into a trap set by the Germans. Bayne fights his way out, saves Esme's brother and his valuable plans from falling into the hands of the enemy, is badly wounded and is rewarded by being decorated by France and loved by Esme. Director Donald Crisp has made one mistake in the decoration scene. After pinning on the cross, the French officer kisses the American on both cheeks. This part of the ceremony is reserved for French soldiers. Otherwise, the production is excellent. Wallace Reid, Ann Little, Charles Ogle, Raymond Hatton and Winter Hall comprise a fine set of principals. "A MAN'S WORLD' Emily Stevens Featured in Story Based on Double Moral Standard. Reviewed by C. S. Sewell. ADAPTED from Rachel Crother's play of the same title, "A Man's World," released by Metro, presents Emily Stevens in a story having as its foundation the theme that where a woman deviates from the narrow path society condemns her, while the man goes scot free. It is an interesting and ably directed production, but furnishes no solution to the vexed problem. Frankie Ware, an American novelist in Paris, aids an unfortunate girl who dies after giving birth to a child. She adopts the child, and returns to America. Malcolm Gaskell agrees to publish her book, and finally falls in love with her. A jealous former favorite of his notes the resemblance between Gaskell and the child, and starts the rumor that the child belongs to Frankie, and insinuates that Gaskell is the father. Gaskell demands of Frankie to know if she is the child's mother, saying his wife must be above reproach; she replies that her standard is just as high, and by deft questioning discovers that he is the child's father. She denounces him. and he attacks her, when she is rescued by a friend who has long loved her, and through him finally finds happiness. Emily Stevens is excellent as Frankie. particularly in the emotional scenes. Frederick Truesdell gives a good performance as Gaskell, while Florence Short is especially satisfactory as the other in. The r the east is good, and considi I '-ment is caused by two of Frs • I by Walter 1 1 acey, u 1 1 1 1 • ■ John Merkj l app< ai fill suitor. production is well photographed, and there ;i r< a ttUmbei I, both interiors and e General Film Company. HER MOMENT. — The first offering of the Oakdale Productions made by Balboa and starring the child! actress, Gloria Joy. This picture is in five reels and will be of especial interest to children. In addition to the attractive little star there is also a clever little negro boy, who furnishes a considerable portion of the humor. There are several attractive bits of child life. Bluebird Photoplays, Inc. THE DECIDING KISS (Bluebird).— A pleasing five-reel subject, based on a novel by Ethel M. Kelly, with Edith Roberts in the role of a young girl adopted by two engaged couples, who desire to experiment in "co-operative parentage." Some amusing and pathetic complications follow when both men fall in love with the girl, but the ending is a happy one all around. Reviewed at length elsewhere. Famous PlayersLasky Corporation. THE FIREFLY OF FRANCE (Paramount), June 23. — Wallace Reid is the star of this five-part photoplay that treats of the great war entertainingly and is cleverly put together. A longer reviewis printed on another page of this issue. THE CITY OF DIM FACES (Paramount), July 15. — Sessue Hayakawa has a strong role in this five-part play of San Francisco's Chinatown, written by Frances Marion and directed by George Melford. It is reviewed at length on another page of this issue. THE DANGER MARK (Artcraft).— Taken from a story by Robert W. Chambers, this five-part picture is so finely played by Elsie Ferguson and skilfully directed by Hugh Ford that it is vastly entertaining. It is given a longer review on another page of this issue. Fox Film Corporation. HER PRICE (Fox), July 14.— A wellbuilt five-reel offering of the emotional type, with Virginia Pearson in the leading role, assisted by Edward Rosen and Victor Sutherland. The heroine is a wellbred girl whose ambition to become a great singer leads her to yield to the advances of a designing man. She pays in bitterness and tears for her moment