Moving Picture World (Aug 1916)

August 19, 1916 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD BY MARION HOWARD BEING keen on everything military, I had the treat of the season along that line in "Britton of the Seventh," a Brady literary masterpiece, and done so well by those Vitagraph players. To those of us who lived during the uprisings of the Indians when brave Custer and his soldiers were massacred, the pictured story struck home to our hearts and the realism of it all was enhanced by the use of real cavalrymen and real Indians. I'd like space enough to pick out some of the salient points brought out. In the very first picture we find that dear Bobby Connelly working over a map of Mexico, hunting for a bandit, and on one side of the room are toy soldiers, many in number, representing our troops on the border. Here we have a very up-to-date happening. Then that splendid old man, Charles Kent, turning the hour glass back in telling his grandson the story of "Britton of the Seventh," and all worked out on the screen. Darwin Karr. whose lower features are startlingly like Francis Bushman's, and who is equally attractive and well set up, was a splendid type of the American soldier. There was a auartet of women players conspicuous for their beauty as film stars. Eleanor Woodruff, Rose Tapley, Eulalie Jensen and Marion Henry, who played the squaw. Among the high-water mark pictures seen here of late "The Clown" ranks on the Lasky banner, and I have not before seen Victor Moore in a part with so much pathos in it which discloses his ciuite remarkable ability to portray emotion. Xot once did he overdo it, but was the artist all through. Florence Dagmar was fetching in appearance and played a difficult part. They were surrounded by such big nlavers as Thomas Meighan, Ernest Joy and dear Tom Forman. The desert scene was graphically presented. Marion Fairfax has given the public something very wholesome, and I hope all will see the picture, for its lesson in sacrifice and in suppressed emotion, on the part of this hero of the circus. The child is a marvel. Another top-notcher is "TinRiver of Romance." with Harold Lockwood and May Allison doing good work as usual, this time in very effete surroundings such as palatial villas on the Thousand Islands. The plot is well known ere this, also the book by E. J. Rati. With the Metro backing the photographers went the limit on outdoor scenes, which are rarely beautiful and many in number. One gets a fine idea of the St. Lawrence river and some of the islands where the quality dwell in summer. Why the title? I have before me a review of a play by the same name put out by the Essanay company last year, but in no way similar in plot or settings, as this does not seem to concern a river, so tin Metro title is more plausible. '"A Socictv Mas, pi, rader" would have been better, however. Well, "The I ternal Question" was all right so Ion as th< author Stuck to In text does it not make It was cleverly started and quite naturally the best was made by men at a club, the plot starting I monkey attache d to a chain held lUtiful woman of the streets. All went those in trout not being aware of the identity of tl ■ accompanying the organ grinder, until late 'in the third or fourth red A good time to end the play was when tin dis closure was made with its incidental happenings around that bet I" introduce the villain in such an impossii,;, linking him, with no reason, to the man involved in the bet, demanded some explanation by title. Then the ridiculous in traduction of aeroplane stunts, three at hast din, . of machines used all this simply convulsed tie .. the Exeter theater where merriment doe not us It was taken a a burlesque, clumsily done at th il Bpectach of Mum Petrova chasing around th< deck ol the enemy ship was absolutely fimnv : also the sigh) • I the lovei i" in coming ofl without a black eye even, was s, ,,,., h ■ ■ despite its silly ending so m< I for a Mm. plendidl) . ast, iul n ... pass the word md hei support. The entire house f< Il l I it all On same program and quite in contrast we had 'Susie Snowflake," picturing Ann Pennington in her first camera test. She certainly made good and is well entitled to be listed among the Famous Players of the screen. This is an excellent summer attraction and appeals through its naturalness and types all through. Here we have that cold-blooded woman in "The Foundling" (featuring Mary Pickford), and who will ever forget her work as the head of the asylum and her cast-iron attitude in palming off her bad lot of a niece as the real orphan. It was not a goody sort of a part, but so well done. Marcia Harris is her name, and when you see her in the cast, just watch her work, for it is inimitable, so unlike the average middle-aeed spinster thrust upon us. The sister, too. was another type, softer-hearted but narrow. All the reviewers have dealt at length with this offering and not one word of criticism. It is full of heart interest, and a bit of pathos here and there as well as comedy, for instance, when the girl of eighteen reaches the early home of her dead mother to fall into the hands of the pair of prim old maids, is asked to say grace at her first meal she convulsed the house by saying "May God have mercy on this food." Leo Delaney as the village doctor — the only one — did some excellent work in a quiet way. as did young Courtleigh in a thankless part. This play is so thoroughly refreshing that I want all theaters to book it. James Kirkwood directed it and that is saying much. Kitty Gordon was here again in "Hei Maternal Right," and was seen to better advantage than in "The Crucial Test," which was so inconsistent in spots so far as clothes were concerned. In the latter play she makes a very good fashion model, wearing many quite ini] >ssible gowns as onlv Kitty can wear them. One was a hobole from nei and Hogarth's line of beauty wasn't in it with Kitty Gordon's in that rig. Another was hooped in such a way as to queer her. and 1 noticed that she did not enter the scene through any visible door. Zena Keefe, who exercised her maternal right to. kill if need be. was excellent in a part requiring skill. George Ralph and Frank Evans mai The photography was way up and Director lohn luce deserves credit for the detail. In addition to "Her Maternal Right" the World film corporation has shown up three other attractions all of them stronger in every way than the one mentioned. First we had "The Lye of God." a timely presentation as Tyrone Power the lead is here in 'Where Are My Children?" which is packing the Majestic theater, and so all had a chance to see him in an altogether different role — that of a criminal. It is a story told backwards, as it were, by the man about to he electrocuted, and is thrilling — written by a woman, Lois Weber, and along unusual lines The second is "Sally in Our Alley." with dainty Muriel Ostriche ("what a horrid name to give such a little woman." my neighbor said i. \nyhow the play was the tiling, and that Irish pair — the Foys were great. Carlisle Blackwell is a good looker for the hero, hut has far less to do than in anything I've seen him in earlier. We recognized one or two of the scenes as not far from Central Park. The plot was not very new. and the ending somewhat abrupt and inconsistent, tor it would he impossible for a young man oi the standing of this hero, to so quickly swallow such parents on sight. "The Weakness of Man" was excellent, with one or two situations quite new. Holbrook Blinn, always actor, carried off the honors, and dear little "Babbie" played her part well, so much so that we could hardly blame "hubby" for looking her way when we know of his home conditions I was surprised to recogni/e Charles Mack.tv in th. I pictured him in stock with his charming wife. Lillian Kemble, in Canada. Now we have both the Mackav brothers in the films, for Edward is cast in "The Faded Flower" with llan, Marguerite Snow. Arthur Donaldson and Mm., llanlon. the damn "Babbie" ol "The Weakness ol Man" ( harles and Edward M.ukav an -on. , ■ : Mackay, who celebrated his 84th birtl oi k, Julj 20 He is .hi acth > nu • R II l lub, the Players and o( usually atti mis the meetings ( ! recently inherited quite a sum ol inoncv Mom |;, Linn Boj d Porter, who d Jul) il pictures ol lat< are "Big fim I W ith Bob Lit son. a Path* gem. m his h II with Bushman ai with dainl '.ok. rhomas Holding i Hand) -id. veil known in support