Variety (February 1914)

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VARIETY 23 COCAINE TRAFFIC. OR THU DRUG TERROR. While the police are lenient and well-known, but weak-minded, people will endorse "ylce pictures," feature Alms like "The Cocaine Traffic" will be publicly exhibited, for the ex- press purpose of making money for the pro- moters, while at the same time spreading an unhealthy education amongst the young. This "Cocaine TrafBc," under a secondary outside billing title of "The Drug Terror/' opened at the Park, on Columbus Circle, Sunday last. There will always be a difference of opinion between adults of large cities on these films— whether they are of any value as a lesson. But the big cities only think of themselvee, and a film like this In a smaller town may b« calculated to corrupt the entire morals of the Place, besides sUrtlng an Inside discussion that will bode no good to those mixed up with It The Ule revolves around a coke snifter, who marries the daughter of "The Cocaine King. The sniffer makes his wife a victim, she te rescued by her father, the husband drops until he Is a white slave cadet, rescues his alster from a "house" where she is forcibly brought by another cadet, and at the finish the original sniffer, as an ordlnarv vagrant returns to the home of his father-in-law, who Is about to flee to Europe, and, for the finale, after a struggle between the two men, the no™^.""™' down with both In It That they died In the fire Is made perfectly plain through the fire- men dragging their bodies out for the grand finish. 'TIs pretty stuff for all the young of 18 or under. The usual white slave affair Is mixed up In it. also a police raid on a disor- derly place wherein may be seen girls in wrappers with sailors and so on. The best >lt of staging Is the fire, with its call for the Jre department, the playing of flames on the dwelling and other things that may have been pieced Into this picture. The character of the husband cocaine user Is well played, far better than the other roles, although an- other victim of the drug, playing a tramp also, did very well, he having the nervous twitching that goes alont: T.'lih-the soddened victim of the vice. "The Cocaine Traffic" Is morbid all through. There are six reels of misery In It, with no relief. There Is enough misery with- out teaching those who don't know how some of It may be moaientarily escaped. To say that moving pictures of the white slave kind will warn anybody or teach anyone or save souls Is a far-fetched belief, for. If a person Is going to fall, he or she will fall. If Its In them It will come out. and if they are of the breed that never culls for this sort of thing, then this sort of thing will never get th And while moralizing on these vice fllms. It may be ventured that the enlightenment through the screen of what Is. has been and always win be, going on behind locked doors merely means new recruits from curiosity, for curi- osity has ever been the wasting curse of pure womanhood. When one sees the endorsements and reads the press htutt on these "vice fllms" to "save souls." it is almost laughable, when the self-same pictures are sending more souls to hell at 2r» cents each at the box office than were ever captured by all cadets. There is more danger In two Innocently-minded young people together watching this film, or any other of its kind, than the collar maker of Troy ever had to endure by a fellow from the city "making a play" for her. And It seems that "vice pictures" are attractloK In thr ma- jority mostly vounj? couples, who sit In the dark while having "Ideas" Indelibly for^^ed upon them from pictures on the sheet. "The Cocaine Traffic" is bad, as bad as the others, BPd thev are all bad. not alone for the public, but for" the moving picture Industry. And whoever played the "Madame" \n, this "Co- caine" film was ashamed of the past. She does not allow her face to be seen nt any time. Bime. WIVES. "Wives" Is a February special of the Rnmo Co. which is reaching the market via the llox Office Attraction Film Rental Co. It's in three parts with an automobile smashup as the big climax, although there's a house robbery and stock market pit scene to help along with the dramatic Interest. The Ramo Is to be com- mended In some Instances on turning out a pretty Interesting fllm. but there appears to be an unnecessary repetition throughout which rould have been eliminated without serlnualy affecting the story. Some of the ramera work Is excellent, while several si)ots are n little off color. At the City theatre where this reeler was seen the movie maintained fairly good pressure and kept the Interest pretty well keyed up despite the sagging at several stages. As they like melodrama In the 14th street nelchborhood the picture gave satisfaction. The Ramo at times has gone out of Its way to make the luxurious homes of Its two rich fleures look like the real thing and some elecantly appointed Interior scenes are nicely set. One defect bobbed up ronsplcMiotisly In the ball room srene. Care should have been taken that th^ floor planks were tichtiv linked or cemented toRcther and given the appearance of being "glnssily waxed" but instead one sees some lonp rracks In that dandnn floor. The story mak»'s a d<«splcable cad out of a rich Mr. Hall who nt the windup craves his wife's indulgence for havinc: been a barl boy and accusing her falsoly when a bold bad man breaks Into their home and friu'htens every- body btit the babv. Mr. Steele is also rich and a broker like his fellow-man. Hall. Steele'H wife Is pretty but. like many wives, flndlng time b'.ntrinK heavily nn their hands. went otit of the beaten path to make roo-uoo eyes at TP.II. And whilp Hall was down at the exchnnj^p pit earh dav hi- love f'>r his pretty wife and darlinR baby irrew i-older anti colder. Steele's wife betrays a business plan of her hubby's In an endeavor to acnuire Hall's everlasting gratitude and favor. Steele over- hears at th* bftll and onloada ao mttoh of his B. k U. R. railway stock that Hall Is finan- cially depressed. Hall, much chagrined, as a matter of course, throws discretion to the winds and goes to the Steele home, where he upbraids Mrs. Steele for the info she slipped him. Of course Old Man Steele surprises them and there's a merry howdoyoudo. Mrs. Steele exonerates Hall after making a grandstand play that Hall had attempted liberties with her and that her loose hair was sufficient proof. Hall goes home to wlfey and baby and the picture ends. One Jack Dallas, who caused a lot of misery In the Hall domicile by his ungallant actions towards Mrs. Hall when she interrupted him In the act of robbing her home, tries to escape two brave detec- tives In an auto and meets death when the machine plunges headlong over a leteep em- bankment. This fllm phase was not badly worked up by the camera. A couple of sleuths they were to rush right Into thick bushes after a boy who was desperate enough tc kill them offhand. But film detects can do a lot of things that Just plain ordinary city trackers wouldn't think of doing. The movie was capably acted with a generous display of stage heroics. Too much of the mob scene in the exchange pit Looking the "Wives" picture once over one must gdmlt the Ramo Co. 1j bound to put one over later that will knock somebody's picture eyes out. The Ramo bunch Isn't afraid to tackle a live subject. Mark. FIRE AND SWORD. A spectacular, panoramic movie affair that shows what can be done with a Coney Island amusement concession Idea, with a love story entwined and the services of a first-class pic- ture director brought Into play. Furthermore, close Inspection to those familiar with the beaohes and attractions of the Coney Island places Is furnished ample proof that one does not have to go to Rome or the Sahara desert to fllm such a movie feature as "Fire and Sword." On the road where there are millions, who know nothing of Coney's (Luna Park) former attraction, "Fire and Sword," this pic- ture is going to prove more of a novelty than hereabouts. "Fire and Sword," properly boom- ed and billed, should make money for Its pro- moters. In getting the scenes supposed to be enacted In the thick sands of the desert the camera man has been stationed at a high angle point which enabled him to click the men and horses atop the sand surface without camera- Ing any of the water waves. It's a good trick and splendidly put over by the fllm experts. In fact the sand views, as far as photography Is concerned, could not have been excelled, pos- sibly In the heart of the Sahara. Of course, there would have been more of the horizon en- vironment and all that, but the main idea with the "Fire and Sword" spectacle Is to give 'em the red-flre thing In the last reel. T. Hayes Hunter Is credited with staging this slx-reeler advertised as an "International photoplay of love and daring," using "10 acres of flames and 1,000 people." After seeing the picture one won't deny that ten acre-thousand people line. In fact, one Is Inclined to think that the camera boys used about forty acres of reel In getting the burning of the Sultan's palace. There's too much repetition of the "flames." and some of the grand flnale stuff could well be omitted without spoiling any of the thrill which some of the action supplies from time to time. The story is a long one and calls forth strong play upon one's imagination. The daughter of a wealthy American Is abducted by the Grand Vizier in the streets of Tanglers and her rescue by an American reporter af- fords the photographer a lot of exercise. Those Arabic begarbed natives look suspi- ciously like a lot of the foreigners Sle Ben Hassan All brought over for amusement exhi- bition In America, the belief further strength- ened by the stock brand "HB" on the horses' flanks. Admitting that Coney Island had a lot to do with this "Fire and Sword" reproduction, one must admit It affords a splendid back- cround for the replaying of a desert scenario. Hunter has done real well, considering that it's easier to stage a mob scene any day than it Is to group a bunch of natives and aupes In a fighting position In front of a burning building without destroylnpr the picture effect. The photoeraphy. as a whole. Is capital. Some of the "bits." such as the fall of the Grand Vl/.ler from his Kallopinf; horse on the sanrl. were cleverly done. Isabel Rea played the American girl, and nt times rose splendidly to the oc- casion. Tom McRvoy was the New York re- porter, who was hung up by the toes because of his efforts to rescue the heroine. Tom mUht have worn more congenial outfit for his ad- venturous sojourn In the tropical sands, and he would have looked more "matinee Idolish" In white (lannelH or outing wear. "Fire and Sword" has many things from the Orient to typify the nctlon. camels, for instance, being used. Ctittinp out a portion of the burning climax would help In hastpnlnp the dramatic action of the production Immensely. (Kismet Co.). Mark. Not one foot of film was choppe<l from the Pan-.Amerlcnn Film Co.'s feature. "From Dupk T'ntil Dawn" by the Chlcaco board of censors. This Is the multiple reeler which has Clarence Darrow. the labor attorney, as one of Its innln figures. Hon. Dean C. Worcester, fifteen years Sec- retary of the Interior of the Philippine NIands. I'^ makinc n new series of special pictures, en- tilNnl "Worcester's Philippine F'ictiires" Gene Gauntier. now with the Kair-m Co. t)lays the title role In "The Colleen flnwn " H. B. MuUer, late of Warner's Features, has Joined the Audustries Motion Picture Co., a new firm formed to produce Industrial and educa- tional pictures. Henry Olnsberg Is the direc- tor. The company has opened offices In the Longacre building and their studio and labora- tory Is In Newark, N. J. Jack Oleason's round the world baseball pic- tures will be ready for a showing shortly after the tourists strike New York. March 7. Once more the TImea Square movie house Is dark- This picture theatre, opposite the Broadway, has often tried to make photoplay pay. Blaine Ooldlng swam the Panama Canal In December and pictures were taken of the feat which were shown In Rochester, N. Y., Feb. 19, at a private exhibition by her manager, Wil- liam J. De Bus. The Oeorge Klelne Company haa turned oat another blf picture of the spectacle nature, entitled "Napoleon," and It'a scheduled for market releaae. It la In eight reels. In a Thanhouser February releaae, entitled "A Can of Beans." the Turner twins make their movie appearance. William C. Dowlan Is now a member of the Golden Seal Co. He's a former stock lead. Tofft Johnson, made up as Oeorge Wash- ington, appeared personally at the Vltagraph theatre Sunday and Monday, providing a Wasn- Ington Birthday feature. Asalsted by several Vltagraph players, he presented a "silent drama," "The Birth of the American Flag," In addition to the regular show. The Rolands Feature Fllm Co. has finished Its latest special, entiteld "Trapped In the Great Metropolis," but the private exhibition of the film for exhibitors had to be postponed laat Friday, as the fllm owners were not quite ready to show It. The picture will be displayed later at the Mldgar Features Co. offices. The Rudolph Wurlltzner Co., of New York, obtained a Judgment In Supreme Court. Ro- chester. Feb. 17. against the Fltshugb Hall Amusement Co., of that city, for $0.4S4.70. The theatre owners bought a unit orchestra organ from the plaintiff, but were Irregular In pay- ments. Deputy Sheriff Brockway placed a levy on the theatre and managed It for two hours. The owners then ralaed |2.000 and agreed to pay the balance at a later date. The theatre Is In an out-of-the-way place. James T. Falrman. advertising manager of the Motion Picture News, and previously of the Exhibitors' Times, severs bis connection with the News March 1. He will continue his ac- tivities In the picture advertising field. The Universal Is sending to Germany, Hugo Amberg to take over the publicity department for that concern In Germany. Austria and Den- mark. Amberg Is an Americanized German, and hopes to be able to Introduce American press agency methods on the Continent. Jesse L. Lasky left New York Sunday for the Pacific Coast, where he will look over the studio of the Lasky Fllm Co. out there. Philip Rosen, for two years prize camera man with the Edison, has been captured by the Universal. Wade Scott, stock leading man and man- ager, is now assistant director with George Hall, of the Imp, also contributing scenarios and acting In some of the comedies. The World Fllm Corporation has found its present quarters In the World Tower Rulldlng too small and is about to move to more spa- cious offices. The California Motion Picture Corporation Is publishing an eight-page monthly devoted to the exploitation of its wares. It is attractively printed on super-calendered paper and pro- fusely Illustrated with "stills" of Its films. Up in the Bronx and around Washington Heights the movie fans are strong for the weekly fllm review of the different picture cor- porations. In all the foreign quarters, east side, west side and all around the town, views of the European troubles, etc., attract many an additional nickel and dime. The flrst of the Sellg-Hearst Pictorial He- views (weekly) Is announced for Feb. 27. The General Film Co. will handle the distribution. It takes a lot of railroad mlleaKe to keep track of Carl Laemmle. the chief execiitlve of the rnlversal. Laemmle Is now burning u[» ties along the Pnclfle Coast and on his wnv back east Is booked for a lot of stopovers. Theodore Wharton has wlfbHrawn fnirn Hie stage directing forces of the ?>><nnay PennantH of the Mutual Stars have Iteen added to the l)Oosting game bv tlit* Mutual film pubiiclsts seriously lamp this crowd at some "private exhibition" of the movies. You gotta give 'em credit for the asnect of frigidity and severity. Philip Mlndll Is devoting a lot of hla time to the editing of Reel Life, gotten out In the Interest of the Mutual Fllm Corporation. Since Philip took hold of the sheet one wouldn't know the old pamphlet Now that Ford Sterling. Robert Thornhj, Fred Balahofer and H. Pathe Lahrman have deaerted the Keystone comedy shop, with which they have been connected for some time, for the Universal, which haa the quartet'under oontract, la going to get out a Ford Sterling brand. The Universal Is offering 920 to the man or woman who will submit tne best name for the new lalMl. Harry Benham, a prominent member of the Thanhouser. la one of the tallest leada. He's a six-footer, tips the scales at 175 and Is a trained athlete. When Christy Matthewson reaches the Mer- lin (Texaa) spring training camp of the New York Olanta a number of New York photo- play men will make him an offer to stage his "The Girl and the Pennant" for the morlee. They figure that with "Big Six" featured that the "special" would get a piece of money on the road. Muriel Ostrlche. of the Princess Co.. Is being billed as "the youngest leading woman In pictures." The Sellg Co. turned loose Its Rex Beach feature, "The Spollera," this month. It's an eight reeler. In many of the uptown movies the Renfax picturea are being played up and, strange to say, are becoming popular through the Intro- duction of topical songs by the phonograph Bach song Is enacted a la talkers witn the phonograph doing the rest. In one house a movable screen hides the machine from the audience. While no mention la made of "talk- ers," the managers are billing 'em as "musical comedy numbers In motion picturee." The up- town natives at one movie house Sunday night applauded the song more than the regular pic- ture display. Another newspaper story bobs up in photo- play in "Suppressed News." whlfh Sell^: has for future release. Harold Vosburgh plays the reporter. Talk about a dignified bunch of reel critics! .lust c.itch the bevy of boys who review the feature films for the various fllm jeurnals. When it comes to dignity and taking things CLASSMATES. Loew's American showed the Klaw A Br- langer-Blograph New York releaae of "Claaa- matea" at the American for the flrst three days of this week. The Loew Circuit has the flrst run rights for the picture In New York, and probable for other K. ft B.-Blo. feature sub- jects, secured through the General Film Co. "The FaUl Wedding" Is at the same house for the last half, that picture having been displayed recently for a solitary week at the Palace. New York, to secure a line on Ita value as a vaudeville attraction. "Claas- mates" Is In four reels, with the American running In the "One Minute, Pleaae" caption between parts. This might be done away with there since a feature fllm Is to be an estab- lished turn at the house for some time at least It would be better also to Join this 4- reeler Into two parts, giving but one wait dur- ing the 70 minutes or so of Its running. The fllm closed the show on the Roof, and did it well, especially as the flrst half vaudeville bill was a poor one. "Classmates" was easily the best Item on the program. It Is reproduced from the play that was a Broadway success some years ago. Away from the original piece, however, and disregarding bow closely the "book" may have been followed or other details which always seem to come In for com- ment In connection with a play-picture. "Classmates" by Itself, as a feature fllm Is unusually worth while, and It will start some discussion In the combination of a feature with a vaudeville show. "Classmates" lacks comedy, but that is not noticed, for It has everything else a full picture show could give, excepting "dirt." This feature la clean, full of romance,and spirit, holds considerable ac- tion, and Is exceptionally well played by the niograph company, nianche Sweet taking the principal Ingenue role. The story runs from a country town to West Point, where the dress drill of the cadets is seen as well as the bud- dlnji soldlerfl at an out-of-door hop. Into the jungles of South America and back to New York. Two youths In love with a girl, the Imbibing father of one of them and the ultra society mother of the other, with Incidental scenea thereto, make up the scenario, likely following In the main the original script of tho piny. The South American scenes wher- ever ohtalnod are unusually Interesting, hav Ing a somewhat deep foliage surrounding with reptiles of different species and sizes often [dared In the foreground. The son of the society woman Is lost down there, and the four classmateH from West Point, who were ex pelled throuf^h his machinations, ro to the lunKle together as a relief party, all finally hecominic lost, the malarial fever sendlnir the most of them Into deliriums. It ends as If should, of course. The men In the picture <UiUi\ out as the best players, althouah the -on of the drunken fiifher at time does not look the youthftilnesH he Is supposed to pan- ■es< "Clas«Mial<"s" Is n wholenome feature fl'iri that ul!l hifere'^^t '-verywhere It mav nit Ik sfr.ru' <nouKh to draw by Itself hut wliere properly surrounded, either by other pIciurcH or vaudeville, may be depended upon to create a most favorable Impression. 8ima