Variety (July 1915)

VARIETY 19 MY OLD DUTCH. London, July 2. "We've been together now for forty years and it don't seem a day too long; their ain't a lady In this land as I'd swop for my dear old Dutch." Albert Chevalier's most famous song has now been cameraed by the Turner Film Co., with Chevalier In the character which he created In song, and with Florence Turner as the wife. The story begins with the meeting of Joe Spudd and Sal at a "beano," which Is the equivalent for the American outing or picnic. Joe haB to fight for Sal to win her from another ooster and this begins his courting. Their wedding is shown at the old Shored Itch Church, and so on down through the 40 years of married life. It la almost a profanation to find fault with anything in these five wonderful reels. But the worst that can be said of It is that Albert Chevalier looks too old In the early portion and Florence Turner too young in the later section. In repose Miss Turner's features carry out the Idea of old age, but her Infec- tious smile contradicts same. Chevalier is young enough In spirit In the opening reels and his actions create the desired effect, but the camera Is not to be denied. It registers features with cruel exactitude. In collabora- tion with Arthur Shirley, the dramatist, Chev- alier has written a scenario founded on his song and to round out the effect of a happy finish there Is Introduced a baby boy who grows up Into a man. Also, to foster drama, the wife inherits $20,000 from a distant rela- tive. The parents devote every penny of it to educate and make a gentleman of the boy. On his majority the money Is placed at the boy's disposal and he very promptly cuts loose and squanders it. In a strong scene with the father, the male parent berates the boy In a long speech ending with "It was not my money that you squandered but your poor old moth- er's, and she worked and scrubbed so that you should have it. I curse the day you were born." These are not the exact words, cap- tioned, but are the gist of the old man's furi- ous outburst The son pulls himself together and tells his mother that he Is tired of being a gentleman and from then on proposes to be a man. As It should be in all well rounded out stories, he strikes "pay dirt" In a gold mine and comes back with the money In time to take his aged parents from the poor house. A touch of Chevalier's other song hit, "The Workhouse," Is Introduced where the old cou- ple, on entering the poorhouse, are assigned to separate quarters, thus separating thera for the first time In forty years. A rigid ad- herence to detail In depicting coster life con- tributes in no small measure to the general effect of this wonderful five-part feature. At its close which showed the old couple re- united once more In a home of their own, it can safely be stated that at the Trade show- ing at the Shaftesbury Pavilion thin morning, there was not a dry eye In the entire assem- blage. The beautiful sentiment pantomimed by Mr. Chevalier, ably assisted by Miss Turn- er, and augmented by a competent supporting organization, is one of those things that makes you go home and growl at your wife in order to conceal your genuine feelings for her and to avoid an overweening tendency to "mush- iness." Jolo. JOHN HALIFAX, GENTLEMAN. London, June 30. According to gossip in "the trade," the ma- jority of film producers have figured upon a scenario for a photo version of the world- famous English novel, "John Halifax, Oentle- man." To those familiar with the novel, It pre- sents, on its face, a problem of no mean propor- tions, from the fact that It Is not a story of ac- tion, but merely a chronicle of the life of a man who Is a gentleman at heart, If not by birth. The picture announces the novel was written by Mrs. Cralk. If memory is not faulty, the book, when published, accorded the authorship to "Miss Muloch." But after a score or more of years one cannot be certain of this point, which Is of no Importance in descrlplng the picture. One may be wrong, or "Miss Muloch" may be a pen name, or the author may have married after the book was written. It re- mained for the Samuelson Film Manufacturing Co. to produce the five-part visualization of the story, under the direction of George Pear- son. The exterior scenes were taken in the very places described by "Miss Muloch" in the cathedral town of Tewksbury, but for some reason the captions have been changed to read Norton Bury. There is no attempt at sensa- tionalism, the efforts being confined to good photography and excellent acting. One brief scene is tinted In two colors In rather tf unique fashion and the spirit of the story has been retained throughout. In an exceptionally appealing way the romantic tale of the home- less lad who, by dint of courage and Industry rises to honorable position in his community, this five-part picture makes an acceptable feature for a high class program. The rftage direction Is a faithful chronicle of the man- ners and costumes of the eighteenth century covering a period of approximately fifty years. One might try hard and succeed in discovering a flaw or two but It would be no easy task. The filming of "John Halifax, Gentleman" may be set down as a distinct success. Jolo. EUGENE ARAM. • After witnessing this four part Edison fea- ture which has everything In the way of story, cast and direction In Its favor, It Is interesting to note the difference between the feature production* of this company and the other short picture makers who are doing their first feature work. Edison Is not turn- ing out its features as fast as some of the others, but Is getting results with all of them. "Eugene Aram" Is from the story by Bulwer Lytton and put Into the film form by Richard Mr. Gustave Frohman desires to announce that he retains no connection, actual or implied, with the FROHMAN AMUSEMENT CORPORATION nor has this company further right to the use of the name aoe^M^ Ridgely, who also directed It. Marc MacDer- mot is the feature player in the title role. The remainder of the cast is made up of people well known in the Edison stock com- pany, all having been seen In starring roles. Thf story is of a poor chap who joins another to kill a rich man and get bis money. They agree to do the killing at night. When Aram gets there he finds he is late, the other man having done the killing. Aram inherits some money soon after this. The story Jumps five years and he is shown as a school teacher in another part of England. The picture takes place entirely in that country. He is very queer at times which cause* people to become suspicious of him. He falls in love with a girl and is to marry her. The son of the murdered man is trying to locate the as- sassins of his father. He eventually finds the murderer who, In order to save himself, blames Aram for the crime. He is arrested and convicted. The girl to whom he Is en- gaged becomes ill and dies upon learning that he is to be hanged. Aram, hearing that his sweetheart has died of grief, goes to the gal- lows unconcerned. It is a truly remarkable picture. EBB TIDE. There surely must be. something radically wrong with the Selig scenario department to let some of the scenarios picturlsed by this company get through. Selig releases a three- reeler weekly and invariably It la a picture without rhyme or reason and generally most uninteresting. "Ebb Tide" is an example of this. The company has thrown money away in producing It. It cannot leave a favorable impression wherever played and no matter how cheap the cost of production the company Is bound to be the loser, as this will surely hurt the name of Selig as a feature making concern. This three-reeler Is released on the dally program and If It Is an example cf the new feature combine's best efforts, there will be loud protesting by the dally release pro- gram people. "Ebb Tide" Is a story of a married man falling in love with another woman. His wife likewise loves the fiance of her husband's affinity. That surely Is a mud- dled state of affairs, but it tells the entire story which ends with the husband and wife being reunited, the fate of the others being left to the imagination. CORRESPONDENCE Unless otherwise noted, the following reports are for the current week. VARIETY'S CHICAGO OFFICE: CHICAGO MAJESTIC THEATRE BUILDING The police arrested two men who are sus- pected of robbing Midway Gardens last week. Colonel Selig returned to Chicago this week after a long stay on the Coast. " Waukeegan, Mich., will not let the feature film "Three Weeks" be shown within its city gates. The mayor found that the public li- braries would not handle the book and re- fused the license on these grounds. Mrs. Walter Meakln was operated on this week at the American Hospital, where she Is progressing favorably. The Haymarket here started last week with stock burlesque that will hold sway for the summer. "The Lady in Red" started its run at the Grand Opera House on Monday, where It will stay until the first week In September, busi- ness warranting. "It Pays to Advertise" will open at this house Sept. 3. Mabel Hamilton of Clark and Hamilton Is framing up an act for vaudeville. The act wl.. consist of two boys and Miss Hamilton. Cert Clark, her partner, Is appearing here with "Maid In America." It Is aald that a dictagraph was placed In the dressing rooms of the Palace afualo Hall last week In order to ascertain what the chorus girls talked about between numbers. It Is not known who wanted the Information, hut the Instrument Is said to have been removed before the chattering had started. The Council Committee of Buildings refused to pass an ordinance last week that would al- low the showing of moving pictures In Chi- cago schools. Professor Starr of Chloago Uni- versity has taken some travel pictures and It was through his efforts the rejected measure was framed. Margaret Anglln dodged a bailiff -—■—- fully last Friday night when he tried to serve her with a writ of attachment la a suit for