Reel Life (1916-1917)

IN “The Smite of Conscience,” seventh of “The Perils of Our Girl Reporters” stories, torn between love and duty, Exton Manley, a New York lawyer of reputation and genius, sur¬ rendered to the former, and, as he believed, sent an innocent man to the gallows in order that the woman he adored might escape the penalty of murder. Helen Girard, the woman in the case, married to a drunken and worth¬ less specimen of the criminal wealthy class, refused to accept support from Girard, on discovering his mode of life, and while living in his house to conserve her family reputation, ac¬ tually supported herself by writing special articles for a morning news¬ paper. Being assigned to study the socio¬ logical aspects of the New York night courts, Helen Girard met Lawyer Manley in the course of her work and was frequently thrown into his com¬ pany by reason of the similarity of their hours and scenes of activity. The thrilling story of Helen’s struggle with her drunken husband for the possession of a pistol with which he had declared his intention of kill¬ ing her after she had been forced to kiss him — of her becoming uncon¬ scious and of Girard’s being found dead beside her with the discharged revolver between them, is graphically told. James Hale, the butler, who had sworn vengeance on hi^ employer, was arrested for the crime and prose¬ cuted by Manley to a conviction and sentence of death. Only after the man’s sentence did Manley realize the full enormity of his action, he having . been convinced Horn the beginning that the woman he loved had fired the shot which killed Girard in order to save her own life. When she failed to confess to him he believed that she had killed with intent, but his affec¬ tion for the supposed slayer forced him to protect her at another’s ex¬ pense. Manley’s mental torture during the days that preceded the date of Hale’s execution is well portrayed and the acting of Miss Greene as Helen Gir¬ ard, who is puzzled by the curious at¬ overacting and giving a thoroughly convincing performance. William H. Turner in his charac¬ terization of the drunken libertine husband of the beautiful Helen Girard does some of the best work of his ca¬ reer. He portrays the drink-crazed man, devoid of all morals and intent on murder splendidly. Her Husband. . . .William H. Turner Exton Manley . Earle Metcalfe . . . . limn . . . in llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllilllllltlllllllll! I . . titude of Manley toward her and has no suspicion that he believes her guilty of the shooting, is an emotional triumph. The element of suspense in the play is strong and it is maintained up to the last minute when Father Burke, the old priest who administered the last rites to the condemned butler, con¬ fronts HeHn and Manley with the an¬ nouncement that Hale made a com¬ plete confession just before the drop fell. This affords one of the most in¬ tensely dramatic climaxes ever de¬ picted on the screen and one which brings audiences to their feet. Miss Greene again displays in the sensa¬ tional scenes of this play her extraor¬ dinary sense of proportion, avoiding 'iiiiiiiiliililiiiiiiiiillliililiiiiliiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiliiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiniii.iniiiiimiinnii. winiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii . . . iiiiiiii.'iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimnjiiiiihjiijiiiniiiiiiimiiii; Helen Girard . Helen Greene REEL LIFE — Page Five