Universal Weekly (1914-1915)

16 LESSON IN "THE LINK THAT BINDS' REX TWO-REEL DRAMA. Fergus MdClain William Worthington Donald McClain, His Son Herbert Raiclinson Scenario by Frank Lloyd and Phil Walsh. RELEASED NOT. 8. Angus G-uthrie Frank Lloyd Jessie Guthrie. His Daughter Helen Leslie Produced by Frank Lloyd. HE counterpart of the big situation in this drama can be found in real life. True, it is not the most pleasant situation in the world, but it's life — and in this case the ending is a happy one, thanks to the natural play of emotions on the "man's" part. Donald McClain, young college graduate, owed it to Jessie Guthrie, stenographer, to marry her. He wanted to escape it, but the girl's father decided to take the law into his own hands ; he forced young McClain to marry bis girl at the point of a gun. In this we get a tense climax, one that reflects life in the concrete. The miracle comes later. Young McClain, suddenly realizing his responsibility as father and husband, takes a new grip upon himself and becomes a man. From that day he knows what true happiness means. "The Link That Binds" features Herbert Rawlinson, the popular Rex star, in a role of rather unusual qualities. To enact the part of a "cad", to gain the displeasure of the spectator and then turn around and win the forgiveness and his sympathy — all in one film — is a feat worthy of a master artist. Mr. Rawlinson, as Donald McClain, triumphs brilliantly. The work of William Worthington and Frank Lloyd is also worthy of the highest praise. Miss Helen Leslie has a sympathetic role as the "girl". In the prologue of the drama, Fergus McClain is left a widower with a young son. His sorrow is bitter, but he directs all his love and attention to the little boy. In fact, he spoils him with affection. Follows a lapse of twenty years. The boy, Donald, has grown to manhood ; he is the apple of his father's eye. Returning from college, Donald is taken into his fathers office. Here he meets Jessie, his father's stenographer and the daughter of an artisan > The boy is attracted to her, and, in time, Jessie loves the handsome collegian "not wisely but too well" . As time goes on the boy wearies of his conquest ; he turns from the girl to bury himself in club amusements. The girl is in a delicate condition ; she confides in her father, and the latter appeals to the boy's father to have justice done his daughter. McClain, the elder, agrees with the girl's father that the couple should marry. Donald, returning from the club, is confronted with his guilt and appealed to. He The Girl's Father Uses Force. refuses. His father is puzzled to know what to do. Then it is that the girl's father decides to take the law into his own hands. He waits for the boy as he comes from the house; he shoves a gun against the boy's side and commands him to go along. Once in the house with the girl, in her ^^^^^ suffering, before him. Donald's feelings underM go a transformation. His anger is changed to m sympathy, akin to love, and a desire for for giveness. He gladly consents to the marriage, and the girl's father goes for the minister. In the meantime, the elder McClain has decided to attempt an atonement of his boy's sin by marrying the girl himself. He comes to the house with this purpose in mind. He is surprised and glad to find his boy ^^^^fcw there, crushed and repentant. Tin ^ ^^^^^^^^^\ wedding ceremony is performed with the boy folding the girl in his arms, his love revived. A later scene shows the happy family gathered on the lawn at the McClain home ; the nurse advancing, places the new arrival in the arms of a doting father. The baby is the "link that binds". The two old fathers realize that a tragedy has been averted and asp hands in firm, lasting friendship. H? & Great activity is in evidence at the Eastern scenario offices of the Universal. Several competent men and women have been taken on and the books of many of the celebrated writers of present day fiction are being carefully gone over, it being Editor George Hall's plan to choose some of the best to be adapted to motion pictures. TjT V§% *$t itf Stuart Paton, Imp director, is working on a new two-reel drama of his own composition, "The Romance of a $5 Bill". It includes a very remarkable twist, the climax coming when the doctor-burglar, arrested in the home of a dying man, leaves the officers who made have the arrest, goes upstairs and performs a successful operation on the sick man. This situation suggests many intense complications, and the author has seen to it that' they have been developed to their fullest possible extreme. In the cast are such well known stars-as Miss Dorothy Phillips and Matt. Moore.