Talking Picture Magazine (Jan 1933 - Jul 1934)

Nov.-Dec, 1933 TALKING PICTURE MAGAZINE Page 17 moon, Mrs. Cleighorn insists that lior son aiul his wife come hon\e to hve with her. pleading that she can't hear the thonght of hving alone in the huge house, and Elizaheth, although she dreads tlie inevitable complicati.ons, is too much in love with Jack to raise objections. From the tirst Mother Cleighorn complains when Klizabeth plays the piano, and refuses to let Elizabeth make salads or dainty desserts for Jack, claiming that the cook will brook no interference. Then baby Ellen is born. Mother Cleighorn insists on raising the child as she raised Jack and the day the nurse quits she urges Elizabeth to assert herself. After one of Mrs. Cleighorn's high handed demonstrations, Elizabeth at last informs her mother-in-law that she is going to raise her child in her own way. Meanwhile Mother Cleigliorn has been estranging the young people, making Jack feel that he has made a bad mistake in marrying Elizabeth, and when at last she insists that Ellen be sent to France and educated in a convent, Elizabeth realizes that there are no lengths to which the jealous woman will not go to break up her home. Unable to endure the thought of being parted from her baby, Elizabeth at last decides she cannot stand this any longer and she runs away with Ellen. Jack, aghast at his loss, tries every possible means of following her, but is unable to find her. Meanwhile Elizabeth opens a kindergarten and teaches to support her child. EUen grows up and ii sent to college where she distinguishes herself as a gay. if not wild co-ed. One day Ellen comes home to find her mother crying softly over a newspaper clipping, and Elizabeth shows her the clipping telling of the election of John Creighorn to the governorsuip of the state. Informed that Qeighorn is her own father, Ellen decides to leave home, get a position as dancer in the capitol city and so meet and sound the new governor. However, her reckless plans meet an unexpected obstacle when, in spite of her beauty and talent she is unable to get a position. Starving, she is flattening her nose against a restaurant window when a girl ofiers her a meal and friendship. However, when she accompanies her new friend to a night club the rap is pinned on her v/hen the girls and_ their escorts are caught robbing a patron of a bracelet. The others escape, but Ellen is jailed, and gives her name as Bessie Brown. One day, in prison where she gets herself in trouble for daring to protest against the inhuman treatment oi another girl, she sees Governor Cleighorn pass, and impetuously calls out. "Father!" The governor stops, but the officials tell him the girl is crazy and put her in solitary confinement. However, one of the other prisoners informs the governor who investiga.tes and discovers the whole truth. The prison conditions are reformed and Ellen leads the repentant governor back to Elizabeth still beautiful and charming. Mother Cleighorn, long remorseful for causing her son unhappiness welcomes Elizabeth and Ellen back and the Governor and his wife leave for a second honeymoon abroad. THE ARROW IN THE DARK H. C. Harbach Drama File No. 10680 IN the early morning hours, little Lizette slips into her cotton frock and sabots and prepares a steaming breakfast for Jean, her father. Following this, the child takes complete charge of the household tasks, baking and sweeping and feeding the live stock while her father drives the cattle into' the picturesque little village of Chauvirey and sells them, taking time out for several glasses of wine. At night, he returns home to his motherless little daughter, falling across her bed in a drunken stupor. Attempting to fulfill her mother's place, Lizette grows up knowing none of the joys of childhood, friendless and embittered. When her father dies in the village tavern, she realizes that her sacrifice have been in vain. Cheated out of all that makes life worth while, Lizette becomes an embittered spinster, seeking the life of a recluse. Monsieur LeMaitre, prefect of the police, is her only friend, ignoring her sarcasm. He oftens calls on the lonely woman. When his son, Robert, returns to Chauvirey from school, he, too, performs many little acts of kindness for Lizette. One day he confides to her that he is to marry Marie, a village girl, whom he has loved since childhood. Shortly after this, Marie receives an anonymous letter, written on green paper, with purple ink, stating that Robert has been involved in a scandal while at school. When she confronts her lover with this, he at once denies it, and seeing that she doubts him, breaks their engagement, saying that there can be no love without faith. Following this, anonymous notes, written in the same manner and hinting with diabolical cleverness at real or imaginary scandals, are received by several members of the community, causing many broken hearts, and not a few suicides and divorces. Monsieur LeMaitre realizes that he is dealing with a victim of graphomania, a mental pecularity causing its victims to enjoy satisfaction through making others suffer. As he collects the notes, the prefect tries to think of some way in which he can trap the person guilty of this sadistic behaviour. Realizing her mistake, Marie pleads with Roberts ta forgive ker, but his sensitive nature is so wounded that he feels he can no longer love her. At last the prefect hires a woman whom he introduces as his wife, and soon a flood of libellous letters against her character are sent to him, all of vi-hioh he has printed in the paper, hoping that in some way he will find who has posted them. He watches the newstand. but is unable to discover anyone whose behaviour is suspicious. Suddenly the letters stop, and all methods of tracing the criminal are gone. As he is returning to his cottage one evening a veiled figure attempts to slip under his door a libellous letter, and he confronts Lizette! As he takes his old friend by the arm, and leads her, trembling and silent, he recalls a ragged, lonely child, driving the cows home while other little girls were at play, and guides I,izette to his cottage instead of the jail. Here he finds that Robert has received a note from Marie, threatening suicide by drowning, and, with his son and Lizette, hastens to the river. Just as she casts herself into the water, Robert arrives. ,uid saves Marie. When he takes her in his arms, Lizette weeps, and her bitterness vanishes. From that moment, her kindness is known throughout the village, and the prefect keeps his secret. ABOARD A COMET Leslie A. Croutch Drama File No. 10702 TERROR reigned on earth for in the year 4000 A. D., the sensitive astronomical instruments of the scientists warned of catastrophe through the coming of the great comet. In his cell in the Siberian steppes where he had been sent for daring to protest against the Bolshevic enslavement of man, Barry Keith heard his gaolers sliiver in terror as they waited the zero hour. In tlie sky the greenish light of the great comet grew blinding in intensity. Lightning flashed. Tidal waves swept thei land. And huge chunks of earth were sucked up by the tail of the whirling comet.. Suddenly Barry's cell was drawn with a mighty force through the air while its occupant, stunned into suspended animation slept as a dead man. Eons later, long after earth, sun and stars had faded into dust, a chanoe contact of the comet and another fiery mass shook Barry's cell so' violently that he was awakened to life. More than half dead and consumed By a terrible thirst and hunger, the earth visitant dragged himself to a nearby crystal clear spring, and as he drank the strange tasting waters, a miraculous change took place, for tlie liquid, vitalized by a magnetic force, conveyed upon him the gifts of eternal youth and life! Leaping to his feet, Barry began an exploration of the strangely colored comet. Scaling crags and cliffs with superhuman agility he found himself suddenly seized from behind and carried, bound and struggling to a palace. There he met the breathtakingly beautiful and notorious Princess Xona, whose lovely green eyes were curiously lifeless in expression. Before Barry's startled eyes the girl turned her green death ray on one of her blundering attendants and stared g;lassily while he dissolved into nothingness before their very eyes. All about Barry saw the fear with which the Princess was regarded, and beside himself that one girl should combine such beauty and shamelessness, he defied her. Instantly she sent for the guard, and with his bare hands, Barry disposed of one after another until the Princess, enraged beyond endurance, turned her death ray upon him. However, the green death passed harmlessly through Barry's body, the vibrations of which were of different frequency. With a grin, Barry advanced upon the dumfounded Royal lady and turning her upon his knee spanked her before her Royal guard. That night, however, as he lay asleep a green slimy thing crawled upon him and too late he flung it from him. The deadly poisons had their effect, and to all intents and purposes Barry appeared dead although he oould see, hear, and feel all. Under orders of the Princess Barry was buried under a huge slab where, three days later, he recovered, rose, and proceeded to the Princess' apartment bent on revenge. However, to his amazement he saw a deep eyed girl who, visited by a cruel black cloaked giant, was hypnotized into the evil creature Barry had met before. The next night Barry appeared to the Princess before her hypnotic trance, and learning she was under the power of her uncle, Barry awaited the giant, grappled with the cruel potentate and destroyed him forever. And with the Princess Xona as his bride, amidst the cheers of his people, Barry Keith faded eternal ecstacy. SECRET LOVE Myrtle D. Marmor Drama File No. 10627 EVEN from his childhood little Bill had protected his beautiful younger sister, Rosamunde, from the blows of a harsh stepfather. As the years passed and Rosamunde at last chose of her many adorers the handsome and powerfully built Ben Gorman. Bill attributed his misgivings to his old feeling that no man was good enough for Rosamunde. Time marched on. Returning to the United States after many years of absence in the Phillipines, Bill was appalled to find the farm on which he had left Rosamunde and her bridegroom, deserted now and from the neighbors Bill heard disquieting rumors that the ghost of Ben Gorman still haunted the grounds. In a frenzy, Bill made inquiries until at last he was directed to where his sister was. With a heart filled with forboding, Bill knocked at the door of the luxurious mansion and as the maid ushered him into the room. Bill gave a little cry as his sister, more beautiful than ever, flung herself in his arms. From her Bill, learned bit by bit the story of what had happened. Shortly after her marriage, Rosamunde's love for Ben was to change into a deep repulsion as, brutal and inconsiderate, he turned to drink. Returning night after night drunk. Ben would beat Rosamunde violently and then, with the return of sobriety, would heap his penitence upon his_ shuddering and bruised wife. Silent, uncomplaining, Rosamunde sought to hide her suffering from the neighbors, but during a party at her home, Ben suddenly shouted that his wife had refused to invite a town woman with whom he was having an open affair. Realizing that Ben was drunk and not responsible for what he was saying, the guests had hastily left. Months of agony had followed for Rosamunde and then one night, after a debauch, Ben had returned and beaten her so violently that she had fallen ill. Remorseful. Ben had sent for Dr. Leeds, and as Rosamunde raised her eyes to the kindly face of the middled aged doctor, a sudden feeling had rocked both. Rosamunde needed frequent visits to the physician, and during each successive meeting, both realized they were in love. Not until the . day Ben, suflfenng another relapse, caused Rosamunde to call agam on the doctor, did he ask her did she really love her husband, and as he read his answer in her averted eyes, he asked if she would marry him if she were free. The next day. Rosamunde informed Ben she was getting a divorce. Drink sotted as he was, he tried to hold her, but she had suffered too much to stay on. The day the divorce was final, Rosamunde and Dr. Leeds were quietly married. Gently Leeds kissed her, and as Rosamunde compared his tenderness to the brutality of Ben a fearful commotion on without heralded the approached of Ben wno, flourishing a revolver, aimed it at Leeds. With a cry, Rosamunde threw herself between the two men, and Ben, drunkenly swaying, turned the gun on himself, blaming Dr. Leeds as he fell. However when finger prints were taken, only Ben's and Rosamunde's were found on the gun, and as Ben remained in a deep stupor, Rosamunde was held for attempted murder. Weeks passed before Ben, regaining consciousness and learning that he had caused the arrest of the woman he loved, confessed the truth and, dying, left his hoarded wealth unconditionally to Rosamunde. Greatly moved by his sister's story. Bill learned that of late Ben's ghost was seen on his old property. Investigating, Bill shot at the strange apparition and tracked down Ben's sister, curiously disguised as the dead man's ghost, to depreciate the value of Rosamunde's property. From a sealed letter to be opened only in case of a will dispute. Bill found that Ben had anticipated action on the part of his insane sister. The ghost laid, the past buried. Bill induced Rosamunde and her beloved Dr. Leeds to come with him for a much needed rest in the Philhpines and the three sailed toward a new world. HAPPINESS RESTORED Emily Keplinger Drama File No. 10637 CHILDHOOD sweethearts, Charlotte and Tommy had known always that some day they would marry. For a year after their wedding Charlotte oontinued teaching, until Tommy, advancing steadily in business, urged her to give it up. Living simply yet smartly, the young couple found happiness in the entertainment of their friends. Then Charlotte's baby was born and from the first proved a sickly, ailing child. All the town doctors seemed helpless and at last, Leta Forbes, recently moved to town, suggested Dr. Blake ,a baby specialist. Slowly little Nancy began to improve under the handsome young doctor's professional care, and the Kerns, unable sufficiently to show their gratitude to Blake , invited him frequently to their home. A friendship gradually sprang up between and Leta, Forbes, who, with her elderly husband, was always moving from town to town as their credit became exhausted, decided to amuse herself with manipulating the lives of these three people. Charlotte, exhausted by the long strain of Nancy's illness, readily yielded to suggestion and when Dr. Blake, professionally consulted, advised a rest, Leta added her suggestions that Charlotte pay more attention to her clothes and complexion and realize the full potentialities of her beauty. Amazed by the change in appearance, Charlotte began spending Tommy's money with a reckless disregard. Gorg:eous clothes, masseurs, beauticians, and regular visits to Dr. Blake had their effect in keeping Tommy more firmly chained to business as he sought to provide for the new Charlotte. Returning home with Nancy and the nurse from the resort, Charlotte began entertaining lavishly. Where before simplicity and wholesomeness had been her greatest charm, now a glamor enhanced Charlotte's appearance. Before his brilliant wife. Tommy seemed dull and staid, at least he did as Leta pointed out. Once or twice. Tommy tried to ourb Charlotte's spending, but at her insistence that "they had to keep up," Tommy wearily dropped the subject. Then Leta arranged a weekend party. Spurred on by Leta, Charlotte danced recklessly with Dr. Blake, and aroused by the feelings he tried unsuccessfully to stem, out of loyalty to Tommy, Charlotte gave him her lips. In his arms, both were swept by a wave of emotion, and before the weekend was up, Charlotte, carried away by Blake's professions of love, asked Tommy for divorce. Stunned, hurt, he yielded while Blake, embarrassed by Charlotte's impulsiveness, and unwilling to chance the effects of such a scandal on his career, put her off. Returning, a divorcee, Charlotte, eagerly called Dr. Blake, but making violent love to her, he confessed at last that he was going to be married to a wealthy society woman who could further his career. However, they could still be everything to each other. Repelled, Charlotte askd Blake to leave, and alone, contemplated the ruin of her life. Gaily Leta called, but Charlotte found gaiety had lost its charm. After a week of agony, Charlotte swallowed her pride and came to beg "Tommy's forgiveness. In the small flat to which Charlotte's extravagances had reduced him. Tommy reminded her that now she had everything she wanted, didn't she, but as he saw the haughty, furred Charlotte, crumpled and pleading, Tommy's heart melted, and drawing her into his arms, he whispered, they'd have to start all over, from the beginning and Charlotte smiled happily through her tears.