Variety (February 1910)

VARIETY is > ) "HJa Last Burglary" (Blograph). There !■ In dale dim disclosed the best actor In the moving picture business. He Is still In swaddllofs and Is the slickest baby on record. ,The point of tbe film turns on the youngster, aod by his gleefu.1 spirits, cheery smile and chubby-legged kicking* up he makea good all overr the. place. A husband and wife are so poor they* cannot afford to buy milk for tbe baby, so. they decide to dispose of It by taking It to a "swell" Mansion and, stealthily, depositing It ISduthalr. In tbe baby's band tbey place a note, tejtyif how tough things look for tbe youngster - and bespeaking for him kind treatment. Another husband and wife have Just lost their baby by death. Tbe mother Is, naturally, grief-stricken and the husband Is, by force of circumstances, at burglar. lie starts out on what be tows will be hie last burgle. Beacblug tbe mansion where ■the baby has Just been taken, he enters through tbe same window to burglarise tbe place that the .poor father entered to increase Its number of occupants. The burglar looks around for plun- der. Right here tbe baby gets tbe center of the stage. He is lying on hi* back in a cushioned •arm-chslr and about all that can be seen Is bis chubby little hsnd waving tbe note as If In frantic effort to attract attention. The burglar reads the note, discovers that the baby la a foundling and Joyfully bears blm away to fill the empty crib at home. Subsequently the poor parents of the child are notified that one of tbe man's patents has been accepted by a big concern and a check for advance royalty Is sent In tbe letter. They start off to get hack their baby, but find ao trace. The wife loses her mind, and things are In a had way. The burglar, reformed. Is now the coachman of the doctor called to treat the suffering woman, and by listening to a con- versation between the father and physician learns that tbe bit by at bis home is needed to restore tbe reason of Its mother. He brings tbe child ■to the woman's bedside and tbe film ends, with the kid still gleeful and chirping—Indeed, the observer can almost "hear" him chirp. He Is a .pippin snd wins forgiveness for Home of the Bio- graph's recent misdeeds In releases. WALT. "The Englishman and the Girl" (Biograph). An Englishman of extremely foppish demean arrives to visit friends at a village where the young folks arc rehearsing for an amateur per- formance of nn Indian drama. The Englishman lias heard so much about Indians he believes they run wild In tbe streets. Ills suspicions are en- 'couraged by the young men of the town, and when they have him worked up to a proper pitch they cut loose In their theatrical costumes and attempt to trlve tbe Englishman a scare. He has quite * fright, but soon recovers his composure, and puts to rout the practical Jokers by reckless flour- ishing^ of a revolver, which he fires in the air. This Is s fair comedy film; nothing more, however. WALT. "Through Snow to Sunshine" (Lnbln). This is a klnetograpbic record of a bridal tour, stnrted In the deep snows of Philadelphia, and terminated In tbe sunny delights of a Florida winter. Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palm Beach and Miami are visited and tbe tropical beauties of those pleasant spots are shown. There la a little drama thrown In. Tbe husband has never met his brother-in-law, and yielding to a tempta- tion to tease her young spouse, tbe bride leads young hubby a merry little cbase for a few feet of properly licensed film. The reel is a splendid example of how harmless and how Interesting a moving picture can be when a manufacturer -uses gumption enough to make It so. Lubin has done splendidly, and should be encouraged. WALT. "His Fears Confirmed" (Oaument). A clown Is suspicious of an acrobat's attentions to the souhret. she being very desr to the fun- maker. Upon leaving the acrobat and tbe girl alone In a room the clown observes, through the key-hole, that here Is something going on which would make a good moving; picture for the Pat- ents Co. So lie gets a taking camera, puts it to the keyhole and in another scene develops the film. Later the interior of a lamp-house Is ■shown, and the clown turns the picture loose upon the screen. Only a small part of the result ■can be seen from the front, for the reason that tbe circular aperture through which the business -end of the lens Is supposed to project marks the circumference nf what Is exposed to the auditor'* view. The picture as thrown upon the screen must have been something anguishing to behold, for the clown makes a mess of the dim, puts the machine out of business nnd falls upon his knees In evidence of great distress. The picture which be took through the keyhole may he reserved as another ladles' ami children's release some day. WALT. 4 'The Trapper and the Redskins" (Kalem). "The Trapper and tlie Redskins" Is the conven- tional border drama as shown in moving pictures, except thut In this case the Indians are some- thing like the real thing In dress and appearance and the acting both or the n!»orlglnes and white people convincing. An added attraction Is the aeries of pretty open-air winter scenes. A pi- oneer trapper leaves home to attend to his snares, warning his wife to watch out for Indians. The mother soon observes the approach of the suv- ages. She and her young daughter hack Into the log cabin and prepare to defend it. After killing a few Indians, she is overcome and they rush in. One party of the attackers carry off the girl, leaving the mother with two others. They have a knife fight for sole possession of the woman. In which each kills the other. Seizing a rltle the mother starts out to trail the hand which has taken her child. Meanwhile the husband re- turns home nnd finds the ruin. He also starts out to trail the Indians. The father reaches the camp first and finds his daughter tied to a tree. lie kills more Indians mid is attacked from behind Just as the mother arrives on the scene, reinforced by neighbors The band l<» killed off In fine stockyard order, ami everything ends happllv except for the poor Indians. RUSH. 41 •s humorist attoisfl onf with ' a raUM "The Little Beggar" (Paths). A capital surprise finish makes this reel a novelty. A ragged little waif Is seen begging on the streets. He approaches a group of diners in a sidewalk cafe, but tbey repulse blm. An apparently kindly woman who happens to pass by Intercedes in bis behalf, and everybody contrib- utes money. Next the youngster approaches a richly dressed man drinking In the same sort of a resort. The man waves blm away. Tbe child starts to move, but fslnts, apparently from hunger. Tbe man picks him up and summons a waiter to give him something to drink. Just then the audi- ence from a nearby theatre reaches the spot, and tbe man passed tbe hat around. The surprise Is when the boy, man and woman in tbe first scene are seen to climb Into an automobile, and it be- comes apparent that the whole thug la a "frameup," a thing which no one bad suspected before. BUSH. 'Girls of the (Sellg). This Is a real "wooly western" film, with hun- dreds of gun plays, abduction and d-e-a-t-h. Tbe natural scenery (much resembling vistas of Cali- fornia) is as beautiful as the painted article is unsightly. Sellg has Just two results In the scenic line; natural and delightful and "phoney" to tbe rankest degree. With regret, It must be recorded that of late he has taken to Indoor monstrosities and painted landscapes, much to the undoing of his previous good reputation for photographing nature's glorious works. In this film there Is a villain who, with companiona equally vicious, abducts two pretty ranch girls right in front of Sellg's camera man, and there la a rescue by a troop of cowboys, who put an end to "Fresno," the bad man, and capture his companions, it's all about revenge, and plenty of It. Some one-sided "gun-plays" are made, a particularly ridiculous effect being a section where "Fresno" Is held up by one man and made to eat a piece of paper on which he has written au Insulting message; his balf-breed sweetheart stands behind a table, never moving, when she has a rlfie within easy reach, and could bave shot tbe cowboy to bits—but that would have spoiled tbe grandstand gun play. On a bunch of twelve men are twenty-five or fifty pistols, and there is hardly a yard of film which does not carry a flourish of a pop or an attempt to do so. The reel Is particularly good for women who drop Into a picture show after a shopping trip; it's very soothing, and for Saturday. afternoons a dime novel could go with It as a souvenir for tbe kids. WALT. "Duped" (Oaumont). A dealer In antiques works a ruse to dispose of a group of old busts which sre shown on the shelves. Between the leaves of a book, which he afterward advertises for sale at one cent, he pastes the Information that his fortune Is In the busts. The man who buys the books comes back and buys tbe busts. He takes tbem home, knocks them to pieces with a hammer, and not finding any money runs amuck. He smashes all the busts In his own house and then runs Into the street, smsshlng ststnary in the park and doing all the damage possible as he wields tbe hammer. He Is captured and placed In a padded cell. On the floor Is a lot of straw, and while tbe man lies exhausted in the filthy bedding a huge bug Is shown ambling around the top of the lunatic's bald bead. After writhing In mental agony and giving a fine Illustration of bow crazy men are supposed to act, the "unfortunate" turns his talents to realism In a death scene and then tbe film ends. The French makers are vying with home talent In turning out films which they should be ashamed of. WALT. '•That's What They AU Say" (Kalem). A neat comedy Idea. Hubby returns home with all tbe marks of having received a fine thrash- ing. He explains to wlfey that be received bU injuries In rescuing a young girl from thugs (the action Is shown on tbe screen as he tells it). Then the real cause of the wreck Is portrayed. Hubby tried to flirt with a girl In the park, but her sweetheart appeared on the scene and "beats blm up." Wlfey, however, believes the story of heroism, and nurses 111 in back to sightliness. RUSH. "The Panicky Picnic" (Paths). This Is one of those wretchedly colored sub Jects. and a comic at that. The comedy Is dis- tinctly Kngllsh. although tbe manufacturer Is French. An elderly couple go off on a picnic In the country. F.vrn thing goes wrong. Mice have gotten Into the lunch basket and It Is spoiled. It commences to rain, and more discomfort Is thrust upon the pleasure seekers. On the way back they stop at a haunted Inn. There Is a funny bit of silhouette' work showing tbe night- mare of the wife and then conies the finish, a plain bit of "trick-house" tumbling by hushand, wife (a man) and the two servants. It makes pretty poor entertainment In the middle of an ordinarily good picture show. RUSH. "Paid in Full" (Vitagraph). The film stnrts with a "terrible storm on the desert." A man staggers around on the sands of the coast near New York and not a speck of sand Hies through the air. IMrecth • he comes Upon a tent supposed to be occupied by Redoulns. Nothing like It. To lend some show of realism artificial palms have been placed In front of ami around the tent. Inscriptions of the Sahara d> not run to palm trees; and when there Is a "sand storm." even In New Mexico, one cannot see ob- jects fifty feet away. "Paid In Full" has stolen kisses, Masons with another man's wife, an elope- ment, a suicide and a murder; pretty fair aver- age nowadays for one reel. WALT. "Aviation at Los Angeles" (Bsaamay). These pictures were tsken at tbe recent aerial trials held at Los Angeles. With all the world at /ever heat over aerial navigation, the picture would bave to be pretty bad to fall down, and this film is a long way from being a bad one. The dirigible balloons as well as the aeroplanes, are shown in action, and some very good views of tbe ships bave been secured. Several of Curtlas's in bis record-breaking flights are shown, which gives very clear Ideas of tbe airship. The starts and alighting of the ships of tbe air were most Interesting. Tbe house displayed keen interest. It seemed as though everyone in tbe audience had some comment to make to his neighbor, and all appeared to be rather well versed on the sub Ject. Tbe picture Is not as sensational as tbe Blerlot crossing tbe channel picture, but It Is interesting and instructive. DASH. "Saved from the Tide" (Sellg). It all happened because the Board of Educa- tion hired a new scboolmsster. The man who was ousted gathered bis crew about blm and "got" the new master, but It took the whole bunch to do It. Tbe Cgbt was at the outset a real stand-up-and-punch affair, In which the ag- gressor was knocked down so many times he re- fused to arise for any more of it. Then one of bis "bunch" hit the scboolmsster on tbe back of the head with u black-jack and he went down and out for a good long count. Tbe actor- ruffians thought tbey had killed him, and so they took blm "to the sands of tbe sea where tbe tJde rises and falls twice every twenty-four hours" in tbe hope thst tbe waters would bear the corpse away on one of tbe trips. After hav- ing done this, however, they weakened and the ex-school teacher "peached" on his pals. There was a girl in the town who thought the new teacher nice enough to ride at mad speed astride her horse to where the body had been deposited. She gets there Just as the tide is comlug In and holds bis bead above water until a wagon- load of rescuers come to her assistance. The film has been taken near a beautiful stretch of beach, the ocean is there forty ways and makes tbe "shoddy" scenery, which Is used lu the earlier part of the reel, look mighty shine. The acting is good, the fist fight is a hummer and viewed from all angles the reel is not half bad. WALT. "The Miniature" (Edison). A good dramatic is here shown, having a his- torical color which adds largely to its Interest. Tbe scene is set in tbe early nineteenth century during tbe campaign for President of Andrew Jackson. His political enemies plan to draw blm into a quarrel. To this end tbe conspirators gather in a tavern and speak slightingly of Mrs. Jackson, dragging up the fact that she married Jackson before she was legally divorced and again after the decree was slgued. The conver- sation was carried on so that It can be heard by a friend of the candidate. The latter straight- way carries tbe story to Jackson, and a challenge follows. A duel Is arranged with pistols. Be- fore leaving home, Jackson places tbe miniature of bis wife next his besrt. On tbe grounds tbe two men tske their positions. At the word tbe candidate does not Are. His opponent does, and Jackson stsggers slightly, but recovers and de- liberately shoots his enemy through the heart. It occurs that there is a defect In the circum- stance that the seventh President went to a duel guarded by what amounted to a breastplate, a detail which is emphasised by tbe fact that the victim takes his certalu death with the utmost bravery. However, tbe story holds Interest throughout, and Is a vast Improvement upon tbe ordinary faked dramatic. RUSH. "A Trip to Mars" (Edison). The Edison people seem to bave an obsession for these wild comics. A chemist has discovered a force which works against gravity. Ry sprinkling a bit of powder upon any object It flies away from the earth. He sends a chair into space and then other fixtures of the laboratory. Ry accident he spills the powder upon himself and Immediately spins through the clouds to Mars. Here lie meets with startling experiences, dragons, fairies and gnomes, but Is finally sent back to earth by a good fairy. Arrived home, he throws what remains of the powder on the floor, and the comedy finish finds him spinning about a room which revolves dizzily. The reel does not mea-ure up to the "fair" standard, even. Rusn. "Better than Gold" (Oaumont). A rather strained dramatic l-t "Retter than <;old." The views start In a poverty-stricken home where a mother Is dying, having for her only consolation the presence of her young son. After her death, the landlord enters to value the furniture, but at the boy's pleadings, gives him a violin, which was bis mo-t prized possession. Iirlven alone Into the streets the boy tries to phk up a living by playing for stray pennies. Falling nt this he Is forced to sell the Instru- ment to buy bread. While roaming the street at night lie Is accosted by two thugs who promise him money to keep watch while they loot a nearby house. Later they get Into the country with the plunder, and when It Is opened the hoy's violin is diseii'seil lie fakes If as his share and hurrh", back to i he kindly obi man who had bought It. and thu« had* to the arrest of Jie |uir«_'lars. In reward for which the old dealer admits him. The tin;il picture shows the man and the hoy strolling In the the suburbs as two rendarmes pass dragging the burglars to Jail. With thl-t goes the chlldlshlv obvious caption. "The had are alwavs punished and tbe good rewarded." KPSI1. Pathe's humorist started off with a rather funny Idea, and the villagers who reside near where the picture was taken added eonaidarejMy to the fun of the thlug when they* tfbt their whack at the camera. It U so seldom that, the "rubber- necks" take active part In a dim that they ere In this case worthy to be classed among the Pathe actors. A msn and wife decide upon a daw of rural quietude. When tbey reach the bans of a river the water looks fine to the old lady and she decides to tske a swim, while her hus- band wanders farther afield. After a aklp is tbe film, which leaves the disrobing process to the imagination, the woman Is seen to pile her clothing In a heap and take to the water. Conies Into the picture two French comedians who de- cide to dress up a horse, tethered In the fore- ground, with tbe garments of the middle-aged nymph who is disporting herself In the drink. Her bat they place upon tbe horse's head, her skirt around bis neck and her "plurals" are drawn over the front legs of the equine. Hav- ing the horse fixed up so, be Is laughing himself half to death, they dlaappear In time to escape the wrath of the woman who appears upon the scene. Beholding her raiment, adorning snch an unusual form, she rushes at the horse with hands uplifted in horror. Mr. Horse takes It on the run and the woman, In her dripping bathing suit* follows after. Then cornea tbe villagers. They appear In the film following Borse and woman as they chase up tbe street. They throw stones and sticks at tbe borse, but more often hit the woman; they run in a fast increasing mob, and by their actions show that their share in the film has not been rehearsed. Eventually the horse runs into his master's barn. "It la too much laugh"—as tbe French translatoro woold probably have It If they were making an ex- planatory slide. WAI/T. "The Fisherman's Granddaughter" (Kalem). "The Fisherman's Granddaughter" carries the word "dramatic," but so do many others, not getting further in tbe dramatic line than does this one. The story is an old and familiar one without any action or especial merit. The out- come is plain from the beginning, which Imme- diately deprives It of Interest. A young man summering at a fishing resort falls In love with the graddsughter of one of tbe natives. The grandfather objects to the courtship, but the young couple do not let thst Interfere. They elope. After a couple of years the young man deserts his bride snd the girl seeks out her grandfather and Is forgiven. The picture does not show what happens to tbe husband for de- serting his wife and yesr-old baby. The for* glveness is what Is supposed to mske the picture dramatic, or maybe it Is tbe squalid garret thst the girl is found In after her husband leaves her. At any rate, the picture doesn't amount to muck. It Is well acted and photographically excellent. It simply is another Illustration of how hard op the picture producers are for subjects. DASH. "The Comedy-graph" (Oaumont). A clown first appears on tbe stage, Indicating In pantomime that he has a great etertalnment to offer. He brings out a little box with an at- tachment In front like a megaphone. By turn- ig tbe crank at tbe side, curious and grotesque trick pictures are thrown upon a screen. It le a fairly entertaining subject, made so by the curi- ous trick figures. RUSH. "Three Queens and a Jaok" (Pathe). A young roan is deeply In debt. A friend In- troduces him Into a house psrty In order that he may win an heiress. The Indebted one picks out the richest girl in the party and easily wins her. but for fear something may go amiss, he makes love to the next richest. To mske further sure be goes through the whole company and gets himself engaged to every girl In It. Of course tbe girls get together and the debtor Is "stung" at tbe finish. RUSH. "Life of Hoses" (Vitagraph). This Is Part V In the Vitagraph series. It measures about the same degree of excellence as those which have gone before. This section tskse the Israelites almost to Canaan, and shows the calling of Aaron to tbe high priesthood, the wanderings of the tribe for many years, snd tbe death of Moses In the land of Most) within sight of the Promised Lund. RP8H. "The New Marshal of Oils Creek" (Lubin). Your t'n.-le fr-.m Philadelphia gets Into the gun- play buslnov*:, vi popular with the Patents Co. folk now n.ays. lie "had man" lu the picture decides to "get" another man for Interfering when be was making love to th- belle of tbe frontier camp. lie makes several attempt*, hot Is thwarted by either the girl or the Polled State* Marshal, who ha- Just come on the Job and Is oat to make a re.oid. Ap|H>ar many scenes of "stalk- leg" by tie- t id man and lis band of pals, loaded to the gunwales with repeatedly flourished revolv- ers. w,,:i,.. i nn-* dl ■.•hare 'I At bi*t the "gang" overpowers the man they have been after and carry him awav to their mountain headquarters. Their th. L-lrJ follows him and Just for that they i.lud her laud and fool, as her hero has also I n l»>und. ami Miey take off their guns snd eli.al. v.iih a o,nart pot ||<- of "red llckor" to help ahing the u'hat Iiil' S..011 the Marshal SO- i.. is <■•! the ■-,•■••„• mil with gun In one hand ):.• holds n|» the f..ur lad nun. while with tbe 1m,-,. hand cuts the ihi.ngs which bind the girl her fellow. Tien thev all take the guns i the lad nen lave |eui|»orarlly discarded ma i eii "heir pri oners down the mountain to the b»> kup. To celebrate a good day'B woik. the girl anl her sweetheart are married. 'II are v,||-,. l|velv times In the picture game, and this film of I. nidus Is tight In step with tbe prm • -siuii. W.W.T. "A Coraioan's Revenge" (Pathol. The film's title explains, so v bill's i he use. WAI/T. : lid w 1 I a-d sl.h