Variety (February 1914)

VARIETY 23 CHILLY GENERAL FILM OFHCES KEEP ALL EMPLO YES SUBDUED New Administration Headed by J. J. Kennedy Issuing Orders That Suggest Staff Purchase Him Papier Mache Crown. Private Letters Must Not be Addressed Care Company. The snowfall and blizzardy weather of the week were welcomed by the minor executives and just mere employes of the General Film headquarters at 200 Fifth avenue. The new order of things consequent upon the re-entry of J. J. Kennedy as the head of the film syndi- cate besides a general cleaning out of the employes in almost every depart- ment presaged a general Siberian at- mosphere with which the snowfall har- monizes. The former light and buoyant air of the G. F. office employes has given way to faces of restraint and voices of re- pression. It's all very business-like in the suites of the firm now. The clerks speak in whispers and the minor heads of departments move around on noise- less roller skates, with occasional fur- tive glances to see who is watching and checking their movements. The order went forth during the week signed by J. J. himself that hereafter all mail ad- dressed to the office employes whether personal or otherwise would be opened by the firm, and that any communica- tions not designed for the observation of the firm—personal correspondence of employes—must be addressed to some point removed from 200 Fifth avenue. Yesterday the employes held a secret meeting and planned to present J. J. with a papier mache czar's crown. Organized Exhibitors Quarrelling. Pittsburgh, Feb. 18. Hardly did the picture men of the western part of the state get together to save their business from all kinds of legislation affecting it than they have begun to quarrel. This was deplored at a meeting of the Motion Picture Protective Association in Columbia Theatre, Sunday. It was reported the contributed fund to protect the indus- try is $1,020 and $515 is pledged. This fact that some members called for an accounting of the funds led to hard feeling. When it was moved a committee meet a committee from the Exhibitors League, it was voted down because several members of the pro- tective association committee are members of the exhibitors league. After three hours of talk, little head- way was made but the officers hope the members will get together at the next meeting. Judiciary Committee Hearing. Gustave Rogers, of Rogers & Rog- ers (attorney for the Greater New York Film Rental Co.) was notified by the Judiciary Committee considering the .\nti-Trust bills, that he would be heard Feb. 12. Mr. Rogers attended and made a re- cital of the facts regarding the forma- tion and operations of the so-called Picture Trust (Motion Patents Co.). Mr. Rogers testified for three hours be- fore it, and from the numerous ques- tions asked by Judge Clayion of Ala- bama, the chairman of the Committee, and the members, and particularly Con- gressman Carlin of Virginia, it would appear the Committee is thoroughly alive to the situation. "Heart of Maryland" for FUm. David Belasco is in receipt of offers for the picture rights to "The Heart of Maryland" but so far has turned down all propositions. REPRODUCE INDIAN BATTLES. New Orleans, Feb. 18. General Nelson A. Miles passed through New Orleans Sunday en route to the west, where he is to enact roles in film dramas depicting the In- dian battles of long ago. General Miles stated that other military heroes, long since retired from active army life, had also been engaged. It is planned to give to the mimic warfare a semblance of reality not approached heretofore. The officers will act as an advisory board, assist- ing to a great degree in the direction of the setting and action. PRIDE OF JENNICO. The punch In "The Pride of Jenntco" as a movie plaj oomea In the laat part of this four- reeler which the Famous Players Film Co. has Just turned looae upon the exhibition mar- ket It's a Ions lane through a series of studio Interiors, out the last reel brings suf- ficient excitement and action to repay for the time you spent in waiting for something of a hangup nature to happen. The impression is bound to prevail that James K. Hackett is seen in his old role of Basil Jennlco and such an impresaion won't hurt the picture any for House Petera. who does the movie character Hackett portrayed on the stage, does such bully good work before the camera Hackett is not missed. This is said in sincerity for . Petera not only looks dashing and romanUc but be lends dignity and acts well, which are essential in putting a role like Jennlco across the curtain screen. This Peters does some great work in the spectacular swashbuckling, sword clashing, hand-to-hand physical en- counters at the close. It is here that the real action begins and leaves the audience worked up to a point which the picture should have started on its way long before It did. It's like one of those old prologs to a pulsating play. A lot of film is required to give the audience some conception of the dramatics to follow. In and out of the studio Interiors the players go without much eathvalaam stirred among the folks out front Then come* re- peated action of physical strength and cour- age which proves the piece of resistance. "The Pride of Jennlco" follows the play pretty closely and perhaps for that reason does the scenario chief permit the "silent drama" to run along an jninteraating channel until it be- comes rather wearisome It's worth sticking for the finish, for Mr. Heroic Basil does all those things finally that one naturally expects of a broad-shouldered, princely young man who is madly in lore with the girl of his choice and has to fight his way tnruuRh firn and water to win her. The usual P. P. cast Is seen to good advantage. Among those de- serving of especial mention arc George Mces, Marie Leonhard. Augustus Balfour, Emily Cal- loway, Peter Lang, Hal Clarendon and Betty Harte. The boy called upon to do some active work is Clarendon and he responds nobly. Bal- four's playing is also an Important factor especially in the fighting climaxes :;t the fln- Isb. Both Balfour and Moss made -command- ing figures of their respective roles. What exterior scenes are shown are pretty and were taken In Cuba. It's a pity the company could not utilize more of them in the running. Of roun^o the director had to hew clone to the log and wan therefore compelled to keep the action Indoors according to surroundings, where princes and queens generally carry on love sfTalrs. The F. P. Co. has done eicep- tionally well In making the feature loom up In the beet light possible. i;> matter the tedious opening. It flnlshee up strong end lt> this finish that will put the "Pride of Jen- nlco" In popularity wherever shown. Ifarfc. JUDGMENT OF JUNGLE. "The Judgment of the Jungle" is a Oaumont release In three parts, some 2,400 feet In length. There are but three central char- acters, the few others shown being merely "servants" to the others and contributing nothing toward the progression of the tale. At the Oaumont New York office it Is stated the principal personage Is Frances Dagmar, of their regular French stock company. She is a competent actress, but if Miss (or Mile.) Dagmar isn't a professional animal trainer she's the beat amateur handler of wild ani- mals In captivity. While the picture la in- teresting from the standpoint of beautiful scenery and photography, the story Is ridic- ulous from the viewpoint of drama. It all leads up to the finish when the Dagmar woman haa a battle royal with a panther. To thoae unfamiliar with the "mecbanlcs" of filming a wild animal in confilct with a human being, this scene should prove a "sensation." The woman spends a portion of each year In the African bush, enjoying herself hunting beaata of the Jungle. An engineer (played oy Max Dartlgny) falls by the riverside with fever. He Is carried to the woman's ranch and she nurses him back to health. By all the lawa of propinauity and drama the man shows bis gratitude by falling in love with the intrepid huntress. Eventually he departs for home, but writes her a letter immediately afterward, asking for her heart and hand. After doing so, he decidee to take the letter himself. On his reappearance at the woman's ranch he discovers her in the arms of another man and for the first time learns she is betrothed to "another." He propoaes to the other man (acted by John Beauvals) that they go Into the Jungle unarmed and await the arrival of the wild beaata to see which one shall be da- voured, the survivor to get the woman. This the accepted lover agrees to. Just whr he agreea Is one of those things known only to writers of melodrama. The best he can gat Is to win what ha haa already gained, with aa even chance the baaats will devour than both. While they are waiting the plaaaure of the animals the engineer weldiaa and ahooCa down the accepted lover, leaving him woondad and a probable prey to the beaata, wbila he makaa his escape. lAtar the body of the douMe- crosslng gentleman is found In the Jvngle partly devoured. (This la told In a nawapaper clipping and not ahown.) Before atartlag oat the two men had left a note for the woman, who follows. She arrives at the hut whare the wounded man is, Juat aa two lynx ara on the roof ready to drop in. She ahoota tham down and cllmba In. In doing ao aha loeea her revolver and finda there a panther tntsnt on getting at the wounded man who haa crept Into an adjoining room and la attempting to keep the beast from opening the doom. She struggles with the panther, and here ensues a fight that may be termed, aa before men- tioned, "sensational." Time and again the panther Is seen scratching at the woman's face, "crunching" her wrist between his teeth and so on ad Infinitum. Eventually, while rolling on the fioor. her hand happena upon a knife, with which the beaat la put to death. "And they live happily ever after." That fl^ht will make amends for an even lees con- slBtent scenario. Jolc. (Chiumont.) THE SQUAW MAN. One of the best of all the reproductions In pictures of successful dramas Is the Jesse I^ I>asky Feature Play Co.'s filming of Edwin Milton Royle's "The Squaw Man" In six reels—264 scenes. It was shown for the pri- vate Invitation performance at the Longacre Tuesday morning before an audience tnat looked like a "first night" of some legicimate show. A large sprinkling of theatrical celeb- rities waa in the audience, intermixed with movie eaperts—both exhibitors and seller.'. Special music was rendered by a full orches- tra. It was unfortunate that the exhibition was not made in a regularly equipped 'Mcture house or studio. A makeshift machlno. with sprocket holes constantly obtruding them- selves, reinforced by a cracked condenser, did not contribute to otherwise good effect. Nor did the sheet, a piece of muslin, help things along. Then again there were half a dozen breaks In the film, necessitating the fiashing of the "one moment please" slide more cften than the average. In spite of these hsndlcaps, the feature film may be set down as a genu- ine "masterpiece" In moving picture produc- tion. It Is one of the t>est told dramaa with well-nustalned Interest, excellently played ty an almoHt wholly competent actiuR ort^anizs- tton. Dustln Famum In the star and Is ull that could be desired. He le ably seconded by Melbourne MacDowell In the role of "Rig Bill." The woman plnylng the Indinn maiden rankR hlrhent sroong the female contingent— in fact all the roles have been fortunately ne- lected with the possible eiception of the drunken father of the Indian maiden, who neither looked his part nor acted it well. The changes of scene contributed to the proRrcBnion of the Htory and the footprints of a competent playwright were evidenced thpouKho\it the Rcenarlo. If Mr. Royle, author of the play. did not prepare the scenario hlmnplf. f;nine of the captions containing "ptinrhcH" wrni un- mistakably hiK. A few more of tboni mUht aid materially in improvlni? the cTi'Tnl en- tertainment. The ir'ea of Intrn ^Hlnir fho characters Is new anfl mnnT of tho Ilcliftiut effects are a rnrtlral rtennrfiire from fli.- hcHton path. "The Rqunw Mnn" «•< !i ffnlnre fllrn will moHt certnlnly do. Thrrr r,in he no t|u.:« tion about it ranltlnK with the be«!t of them. Join. If yoa don't advertlae in VARIRTT dun't advertise at all. HEARTS ADRIFT. Mary Plckford is back among the movie folks again. Her return to camera acting, for which she became famous under the Blograph label and later with an Independent concern, iH marked by a "feature" which the Famous Players' Film Co. rfleaued Feb. 10, entitled "Hearts Adrirt." At the Hamilton, where the picture was shown the last half of last week, Miss Mary's photoplay likeness got ap- plause, but the folks were not prepared to have ner meet such an untimely end aa ahe does In this film. The F. P. slipped some cogs In this feature and the movie followers win no doubt pick fiaws right and left, but one thing remains, it's Little Mary constantly Qittlng about on the picture curtain, and as she has a tremendous following among the f)hotoplay fana the shortcomings may be over- ooked. The picture la not only Inconaistent but teaches nothing worth while In picture play. It simply shows some pretty outdoor acenee on the Pacific Coast, with a burning volcano the main scenic thriller, and Mlaa Plckford doing a Brodle into the aeothlng sulphur with her Island baby claaped in her arms. That's a gruesome enough ending for any ordinary picture actress let alone one of Miss PIckford's reputation. One may say, "Oh, this theme was taken from 'The Bird of Paradise' or was suggested by 'Robinson Crusoe' or 'Treasure Island,' or ^ome island story I have read or soen stage played before." Mebbe and mebbe not Miss Plckford does some capital work at timea, but the picture doea not give her the chance that a different American redblooded movie theme would according to the opinion of those who have seen Mary In divers photoplaya before. Irrespective of many things which both the director and camera man couldn't avoid nor avert the picture holds interest through Its outdoor ooenaa and the presence of Little Mary oontinually bafora the audience. The film's chief aaaet la ahe. Now that Little Mary la back, here'a hoping the F. P. will feature her In another movie play. One with the old Plckford punch In It The picture ran an hour and too mlnutaa. The atory could have been told in half the time. Ifarfc. SMASHING VICE TRUST. If five Of the six reels in "Bmaahins the 'Vice Truat'" had the action assembled into the remaining part, the one reel left might make a fair moving picture. That is, of course. If It were rephotographed with some competent playara in the principal rolea. Any- one who wants to pan a picture may fully satisfy the daalra if content to sit ail through this poorly made film. The title suggests the story, and the title is the biggest value to It. "Bmaahlng the 'Vice Trust' " outside a theatre is apt to draw In buslneaa, as the title must do all the advertising. The picture itself is nil, useless, and represents oonslderable time wasted. QloversTtlie is frequently mentioned and perhapa aectlons of that town are shown on the screen. It Is there that "the gang" aends an emissary to act aa decoy for young girls. Inveigling them to New York, to the "Vice Trust'" that "paid $1,000,000 In graft in. one year." So sajs a newspaper headline displayed as a cut-in caption. The entire picture appears to have been built around newspaper stories. When the scare heads ran out, the "Vice Truat" people fell back on "Traffic in Souls" for two or three scenes, such as bringing a gingham wrapper to a girl locked in, the running upstairs to the roof, and a raid by the police. The difference Is that In "Traffic In Boula," it was all well done. "The Vioe Trust" does nothing well, the acting is about the worst ever seen be- fore a camera for profeeaionala, and. In fact, two or three of the principals handle them- selves very much like amateurs, one girl par- ticularly in a leading role finding herself un- able to reetrain mirth when knowing the camera Is turning on her. The big dent in thin film is the abaence of real action. It's all scenes, many merely repetitions in one guise or another, and the one thing the fea- ture has for dependence besldee its title. \n District Attorney Whitman, who posed. Mr Whitman makes a good picture subject, and two of his assistants alao come In for notice. TMs film was recently made. In some of the street scenes may be seen billboards carry- ing the announcement for the current Winter Garden show. However. It's a film that "t**::} have been made at any time. The title and Mr. Whitman may give It some weight but for the smaller towns It nhould not be booked for over two days. One day stands would even be better, for the picture itsrif will be badly received by any audience. Rime (Progress Film Co.) OLDEST THEATRE BURNS. Haverhill, Mass., Feb. 18. The Cosy Nickel, the oldest theatre huildinpr in Haverhill, was totally de- stroyed by a $25,000 fire early Tuesday morninjT. The house was famous years apo as the old music hall. Kverytliirm in the theatre was lost. Picture Manager Bankrupt. Cincinnati, Feh. 18. Lafayette Roush, manager of a inovinp picture show at Ripley, O., lias filed a volimtary bankruptcy peti- tion in th-e V. .S. District Court. Rf)ush says he lost Iiis money be- cause he pooled tobacco and did not sell when the market was high.