Variety (January 1910)

VARIETY 13 VARIETY'S OWN PICTURE RENEWS "Swallowed by tho Deep" (Geumont). "Swallowed by the Deep" Is a fairy tale. All fairy tales, however, are supposed to end hap- l»il... in this respect this picture differs from tliu children's delight. It would have been just as good a picture If the finish bad been, "and they lived happily ever after," although It would not have allowed of the submerging of a caMtle Into the sea, and of course the name would then have had to be changed also. A Princess of a mighty kingdom who has every• thing that the heart desires becomes bored with her very existence. She has many suitors, but they do uot impress her. She finally takes a bllver cup and throws it into the sea vowing that she will marry the man who brings the cup to her, unci also share one-half of her king- dom with hi in. A poor fisherman who has seen the Princess, Is madly In love with her. When he hears the Princess' offer, he becomes one of the searchers. An old witch appears before hi in and changing herself Into a beautiful fairy conducts hiiu to the bottom of the sea, showing him the cup. The fisherman seizes It, but before he Is allowed to take It away he promises the fairy that whenever she blows u horn, no mat- ter what he Is doing, be will return to her at the bottom of the sea. He returns to the palace aud is accepted by the Princess. The night of the wedding the fairy appears at the ceremony as the old witch. The fisherman has her ejected from the palace. After the ceremony when the new prince uud Princess have retired to the l;rldul chamber they hear the loud blast of the fairy's horn. The Princess will not allow the fisherman to leave her. The fairy calls upon the sea to rise, and the castle Is slowly submerged. 'Hie picture will Interest the children, as any fairy story would, although they will be disap- pointed tlmt the tale does not end happily. Photographically the picture Is nothing extra. The interiors are very faky looking and the land- scapeti blurred and shadowed by the trees and other natural effects. The piece Is well acted aud the players looked well. DASH. "A Russian Heroine" (Pathe). "A Russian Heroine" being a product of the Pathe Co.. of course ends In the death of the heroine. It wouldn't be a Pathe dramatic unless there wa< oppression or death somewhere. The Itussluu peasants are oppressed by the soldiers • >f the Czar. They decide to ask aid of their neighbors from Poland. A man Is chosen to carry the message. Soldiers follow the messen- ger. They are pressing him closely when be tomes up with a family of peasants loading a tart with hay. He asks assistance and Is hid- den beneath the hay. The soldiers coming up Insist that the daughter of the house drive the wagon tlrawu by oxen along with them. The girl does ho, and when the wagon Is left In charge of one of the officers they stop for re- freshments. The man drluks too much, aud while In a stupor the girl aud the messenger cstupe. 'Hip mini passes as a blind musician for ttie remainder of the Journey, aud they cross the border In safety. The return message is en- inis.ed to the girl. She meets a group of Rus- sian soldiers who. apparently tiring at random. It her. She manages to keep on until Bhe de- livers the menage and then falls dead. The picture could have been worked with a few more exciting moments inserted and a couple of nar- row en-apes, making it truly melodramatic. The t'.rirt scene shown at the opening is the funni- est looking village Imaginable. If the peasants <>r Russia are willing to live In a village of that sort they should be oppressed. The story Is well acted without Icing convincing. The girl who reads the slock company does beautifully. It Is a fair picture of Its sort that will Interest with- out starting anything. DASH. ' Count Tolstoi" (Pathe). Count Tolstoi comes with a Russian picture with a melodramatic turn that Pathe also re- bases this wick. Tolstoi Is not a familiar name to the people who patronize the picture houses In this country, ami It Is doubtful If pictures of the Russian will even arouse Interest. The Him Is a short one and shows the Count In sev- • nil stages of a short journey. Aside from that there is nothing to say for or against the film. DASH. "Five Minutes to Twelve" (Vitagraph). A messenger boy walking slowly aloug the street glances at a clock and notes that It is nearly five minutes to twelve. He Immediately starts on a run. A passerby noting the messen- ger's haste, follows to see what the trouble is. ami soon a real chase Is In action. The usual Incidents follow, the messenger finally winds up the run by stopping at a pie stand, where fresh pies every day are advertised on Rale at five minutes to twelve. The subject Is supposed to be a comedy one. but It does not get along very far. A bit of trick photography at the finish gets a laugh. Aside from this there is nothing to make a person of average Intelligence smile. DASH. "The Luck of Roaring Camp" (Edison). This is an adaptation of the western tale by Hret llnrte. and a fair version. Harte wrote In terms of complete sincerity and got his people In H'clr life, and so the tale, universally loved, be- <-on es cheap stagluess. A western bar-room i wretchedly managed interior) serves as part of I he setting, and other scenes of the same charac- ter contribute to the general effect of falsity. The whole reel Is an unworthy reproduction of a story that almost reaches the classification of an American classic. RUSH. "The Magio Flower" (Kalen). This is one of the releases In the Kalem Co., children's series, and a splendid one for the pur- pose. Even for adults It has a pretty, touching appeal, mostly through tho acting of a young girl. The theme is a fairy story worthy of Hans Andersen. A miserly landlord forces a widow and her daughter from their home. They go through the country penniless. The mother faints for waut of food, aud the daughter goes to a neurby house to beg. On her way back to the mother she meets a fairy in the gnlae of a poor old beggar woman, who pleads for food. The child gives up her own share of food to the fairy and in return receives the "magic rose." The possessor of the rose baa only to express a wish and it la granted. Of course mother and daughter rise to wealth. The child wishes a playmate. She appeals to the rose and forthwith the playmates materialize. Fifteen yeara elapse, the child, now - grown up, yearns for a wooer. Agalu the rose supplies her wants, and the wed- ding makes the climax of the story. If the mother were introduced during the later pass- ages It would add to the sentimental value. Al- together the Kalem people have Inaugurated their children's series most promisingly. RUSH. ' "The Coquette" (Edison). This dramatic subject suggests several in- quiries. One of them is: Would a United States army lieutenant call upon his lady love In field uniform and carry his side arms Into her drawing room? But that is not the worst "break" in this Edison film. There is one scene in which a large number of United States com- missioned officers appear among ladles at a re- ception attired in campaign uniform. This may be permissible in the Edison studios, but aa army man would be summarily urged to take himself elsewhere if be so far forgot an essen- tial point of etiquette. These are only a few of the inexcusable errors all within less than 600 feet of celluloid. Why cannot a film producer take the trouble to consult the proper authority on such a subject? Even a layman would not uiake such false moves. The story Is not ae bad. A lieutenant in a Montana regiment ex- changes tokens of love with a local belle. Later tho belle gives his ring to another officer In a Pennsylvania regiment (by the way, did any State mllltla get to the Philippines at any time?). I-ater there is a battle —It Involves only enough men to start an ordinary bar-room fight, but it Is n sanguinary battle, nevertheless—aud the two officers meet. One is wounded unto death, but in the service of the Edison Co., manages before he dies to recognize his ring on the other's finger, and unto the agony of passing away adds the further sorrow of realizing that his loved one has played him false. Incidentally this dying scene is one of the funniest things that has been done to date. The officer Is shot. This is made plain by hlB actions, for he clutches his breast with his right hand, and at the same time arranging his sword so that he can fall backward without hurting himself, as Is the custom of dying men In the service. For the finish the surviving soldier returns to tell "the coquette" all the harrowing circumstances and watch her suffer with remorse. The film should be entitled "Chaining the Canary I<oose" (with apologies to WALT). RUSH. "The Call" (Biograph). The Itlogruph people have run on the subject of the regeneration of dunce hall habitues and the like. The latest one bus to do with the spiritual rebirth of a "eoochle" dancer in a ten cent side show. Indications are furnished a-plenty in the Introduction that the young wo- man Is no better than she ought to be. At least, no one with any knowledge of such a walk to life could miss the Intent to make It apparent. The show (very tramp like affulr) Is playing some "tank" when the "wriggle/" becomes 111. She Is forced to go on for her act, but falls to the floor and is carried off. A young farmer witnesses the mishap and seeks to meet the girl aud offer her aid. He Is repulsed by the very stagey circus proprietor. Meanwhile the girl Is helped to dress, after a sinister young man has carried her to the dressing room. It Is evident that the same young man has a powerful Influence over her. The next night the girl faints on the stage again, and is summarily dismissed from the troupe. As she staggers from the place she Is handed a letter from the young farmer offer- ing her marriage and a home. She accepts. The farmer's mother and aunt protest against the match at first, but finally acquiesce. The wedding comes off In due time. A year elapses during which the pair seem to be supremely happy and prosperous. Then the circus returns to the village. 'Hie girl's reformation does not seem to be as complete as It should to gain sympathy for her. The yearning for the old circus life returns to her. Also the sinister young man calls In the absence of the family ami begs her to come back to the show, their dancer having fallen down. Tho girl straight- way writes a note to her husband In the stereo- typed ' Cod-bless-you-.'ind forglve-me" form, and beats It for the sawdust. An attempt Is made in the girl's extenuation by showing that the sinister person has hypnotic Influence over her, but she had nlready shown her Inclination. She reaches the tent just before the performance, but becomes disgusted with the rowdy actions >of the circus people, who have suddenly become very rough, ami throwing her gauze "cooch" costume, she returns to her husband and home. Also she recovers her letter to hubby and enters Into the life again -but she makes no reparation for the deceit she practiced a^'nlnst the people who had befriended and saved her. The panto- mime of the Rlograph's leading woman, which has frequently been commented upon, is the re- deeming feature of the reel. Otherwise It is laid out none too well, and Is not wholesome in theme. RUSH. "Hie Ooartahip of Miles ■tandlsh" (■ellg). The subject follows with some detail Long- fellow's famous poem of the Pilgrim days wbea PrlsclUa asked "Why don't-you apeak for your- self, John?" aud John Alden, the baahful lover, went on his unhappy wooing of another's sweet- heart. There Is a difference in the closing pass- ages, and some of the many interior settings are not very convincing, .However, a certain amount of the idyllic quality of the aweet story gets to the audience, and there la some Indian fighting to give the reel a bit of thrill. John might have been a little more manly, and Miles might have been less of a cad, but the story Is the main thing. Incidentally, the costuming is excellent. BU8H. tint's office girl and tbey chase off to be) Cupid geta quick action In moving pictures. WALT. "Flower Parade at Pasadena" (Eaaanay). "The Flower Parade at Pasadena" la probably very interesting and pretty, but for a picture It Is a subject that is not particularly attractive. All of the floats and automobiles that are deco- rated with flowers look the same in the picture, and In most cases they appear simply aa though covered with a light coating of snow. The pa- rade Is shown passing one comer, and after the first few seconds it becomes tiresome, simply being repetition. DASH. "The Bareback Eider" (Pathe). ••The Bareback Rider" is a dramatic story of circus life. It Is rather an unpleasant subject for this country where the women of the saw- dust ring stand high as to morality. The bare- back rider is the wife of a clown of the troupe. They have a daughter of perhaps aeven yeara. The woman's beauty attracts a man of wealth, aud when the clown finds them alone together In her dressing room in a compromising position he orders her out. In the midst of bis despair he is called upon to do his stunt, a specialty on the flying trapeze. The trouble lies upon him ae heavily that while going through his routine his mind is taken from bis work, and he falls from the apparatus, breaking his leg. No longer fit for circus life, the picture taken a jump of a year, showing the man and bis daughter sell- ing matches on the street. The bareback rider with her lover on their way to a dinner run across the pair, and the woman becomes re- pentant. She behaves somewhat dazed at the dinner, and Anally gets up denouncing the pro- ceedings and leaves. The little girl in the mean- time has accompanied her father to their rooms, and making au excuse to go out, goea back to where she had seen her mother. She meets her leaving the dinner and brings ber to their squalid abode. There Is, of course, the finale, "All Is forgiven, come home." The picture, of the melo- dramatic sort, is Interesting to many, even though It Is trash. The interiors shown are of the usual Pathe sort, are anything but natural. The circus surroundings shown are also far from lifelike. The best thing In the picture Is the acting of the little girl, which is really a reve- lation In child acting. DASH. "Aerial Aorobetioa" (Pathe). Pathe people, after putting on the "The Bare- back Rider," must have thought it a waste to set the scenery of tho aerial act for that pic- ture and use It Just once, so they have put out another picture In which the same Is employed. It Is a horribly faked looking arrangement, and the picture shown, a woman going through a simple routine on the flying trapeze baa no merit whatever. There Is not the slightest excuse for the picture excepting the using of the scenery again. DASH. "Riva. Austria and Lake Oarda" (Urban Eclipse). This Is another one of those Bcenlc things with mountains, streams, castles, water fronts and all other things that go with this scenery exhibi- tions. The scenery Is pretty, of course, It doesn't take any great amount of Intelligence to pick out a pretty spot, and the makers can go on Indefinitely turning them out. It would prob- ably be more Interesting, however, to. show to the American public scenes of our own continent. DASH. "Won by a Holdup" (Essanay). "Won by a Holdup" was built for comedy purposes, but as a laugh producer it doesn't get very far. The theme Is as old as the bills and woods which are shown In all their glory In the picture. The scene Is of the western country. A young cowboy loves a daughter of a ranchman. The ranchman for some reason objects to the match, and the couple plan to outwit him. After a couple of nttempts the would-be bridegroom bits upon a successful plan. While the ranch- man Is driving through the woods, he has him held ut> by a couple of his pals. He steps In .lust as they are about their work and routs them. The ranchman is so grateful to the young man that he gives his permission to the marriage. The pals, however, decide to have a little fnn of their own, and so put the old man wise to the scheme. The ranchman at first Is furious, but later sees the humorous side of the arrange- ment, and the wedding ultimately comes off as planned. The picture hss the fault of many of the late pictures. The scenery becomes so Im- portant that In showing the beauties of nature the principals are lost sight of entirely In the shadows of the trees and heavy foliage. In this case it doesn't matter so much, as the acting of the principals can well afford to be shadowed. DASH. "Adoring an Ad" (Lnbin). A young man reading a msgszlne at a railroad station misses his trsln because he Is so Intent upon admiring the. picture of s girl which appears In an advertisement. Subsequently he Is seen visit inu the publisher of the magazine and the photographer who took the picture. nis search avails him nothing: but by accident he meets her on the street, ami to make the film good tbey fsll Immediately In love and hurry away to a clergy- mnn, The reel which Includes this subject slao carries "Cupid D. I). S.." and telle a trivial story of a patient visiting a dentist to have a tooth extracted. He falls In love with the den- "A Woman's Strategy" (Edison). The plot of this story turns on thumb marks, a theme first used for dramatic purposes In "Pud- d'nbead Wilson." In producing this film the Bdl- son people economise by setting Important events lu scenes which they have receutly shown In other films. The bank Interior Is the same used in last week's release, aud the Interior of the dwelling, where much of the action takes place, Is also familiar through too frequent use. It saves money to have many different things happen in the same location. In the present film a girl has accepted one of the suitors who work In the same banking establishment. To get even the rejected one places a bundle of bills In the cost of his successful rival. In handling the money a pin which holds the "wrapper" in place draws blood from tbe '•vil- lain's" thumb aud prluts tbe lines on the paper. While the hero calls upon the girl that evening he putB some coal on the Ore and thus smears bis thumb. Subsequently In turning a sheet of music lor the girl his thumb Impression Is priuted on the margin. Tbe arrest of the young man follows quickly, and In opening the roll of bills, which ure found In the "hero's" pocket, the wrapper Is broken aud cast upon the floor. The girl subse quently picks it up, notices tbe thumb-print, and. oil comparing it with the one she has on tbe margin of the sheet of music, fl id they do nut agree. Suspecting tbe real villain, she asks blm to call, uud by stratagem succeeds In securing his thumb impression. Of course, they prove ticyond doubt who made tbe print on the inoney wrapper, and with these exhibits tbe girl goes to court and frees ber sweetheart. Tbe reel Is most interest lug, and lu spite of the economy shown In pro duclng It, boosts the Edison batting to 1.0MO. WALT. "The Honor of His Family" (Biograph). This is a Ulograph Idea of warfare, telll.ig a tale of the rebellion. Responding to a cull for men, a company is formed In a southern town. The father of oue of the young men who Is made a commissioned officer. Is enthusiastic In tbe cause, but too old to participate. Durlug tbe first skirmish iu which the coiupaua engages the young man loses bis nerve, turns fail aud runs for home in abject cowardice. "For tbe Honor or the Fumlly" tbe old man shoots his son lu cold blood, enlists the aid of an old darkey servant and carries the body to tbe battlefield. It Is so de- posited ou the ground that he seems to have been shot by the enemy, dying sword lu band and fac- ing the dlrectlou of the firing line. There la much to criticise beside tbe picturing of an actual mur- der—particularly tbe murder of a son by bis father. Tbe officers of the company are Hoed up behind their men, advising them to do tbe fight- ing instead of leading them to it. When the cowardly officer la seen to be deserting nobody makes auy attempt to Interfere. The excited action of the principals and tbe general conduct of the battle scene shows bad management. WALT. "The Life of Moses" (Yitagraph). Part III. of this series was released Tuesday—a fitting continuation of a very interesting and In- structive set of films. The lateet release deals with a series of miracles In which trick photog ' rnpby serves an effective purpose. WALT. "The Price of Patriotism" (Oaumont). Au interesting aud dramatic story. It Is well acted, consistent In most of Its details and ranks as a good film. To be sure, no guard over pris- oners of war sentenced to be shot would leave them alone with tbe sweetheart of one. The heroine tskes many chances In the cause which her lover has espoused, and It comes In the ordinary run of the way things break that she should be killed by tbe bullets of her friends, fired during a volley Intended to free her from the clutches of her captors* Another subject on the same reel, "Seaside Adventuree at Home," Is too Billy to give space to a description. The man who posed for It moat have felt himself an awful boob while going through soma of the antics. WALT. "The Ranoh King's Daughter" (lelig). Sellg, the foremoat exponent of western scenes and films of rugged life on mountain and plain, has gone to Miller Bros.' "101 Ranch" for bis atmosphere this time and has coralled tbe real thing. Upon the broad and rolling prairies of Oklahoma real Indians and cowboys do soma real riding; the native dash and spirit of the clime fairly bristles In this splendid reel; Interest enough In the typical accessories to make a fine release lu Itself. Tbe daughter of tbe "Ranch King" has two suitors. Tbe favored one Is the hero of the raid upon an Indian camp, where the unsuccessful suitor has taken tbe girl to be held captive. Tbe battle which results Is sharp and decisive sctlon, with tbe cowboys putting It all over the Reds. Sellg gets back Into line with this film In fine form. WALT. "The Unlucky Fisherman" (Paths). Besides this subject the reel carries views of the vaudeville specialty done by Collbrl'a Midgets. The "Fisherman" thing la a silly comic, bat the dwarfs do some interesting atunta, which work OOt well In pictures. WALT. ANOTHER HARLEM THEATRE? Henry M. Krogman has recorded the lease of a piece of property in 99th Street, west of Columbus Avenue, upon which, it U stated, he intends to erect a theatre. The plot is 75 x 100 ft. The Harburger Kealty & Amusement Co. has been organ- iced to erect the theatre.