Variety (July 1915)

18 FILM REVIEWS THE FIGHTING HOPE Robert Granger George Gcbbardt Anna Granger, his wife... .Laura Hope CrewH Robert Harold Granger Gerald Ward burton Temple Thomas Melghan Craven Richard Morris Miss Gorham Florence Smy the Cornelius Brady Theodore Roberts Rose Fanchon Clco Rldgeley Detective Clark Tom Forman I )etectlve Fletcher Billy Elmer The Paramount release for this week, at the Strand, New York, Is the Laeky-Uelasco production of "The Fighting Hope," with Laura Hope Crews. The play is thoroughly known to book readers, and it has secured a position on the speaking stage. In pictures it will also endure, possibly may And an over the average demand for return dates, since the story has a gripping hold at times, in the manner presented on the screen. There is heart sentiment in it and the absence of any undue action is not noticeable, since the tale's thread is sufficiently strong to make the auditor Intently look and wait Lasky has given it a production that should bring no criticism. It was not a scenario that called for a great deal, scenlcally, and what was required nicely sufficed, whether in or out of doors. The standard feature maker**, among which is Lasky, appear to be going In for artlstlcness In detailing a feature on the film. This involve* study by the director and at times it becomes too studied, so much the effect sought for does not harmoniously blend Into the running. This may be caused at times by the too frequent employment of the fadeaway scheme, although where the next scene is abruptly brought to the screen, and In Its abruptness shows the posing for the cameraman's start, that might, it seems, be corrected in the cutting and Joining pro- cess. In this feature the "pose" is always there. Mayhaps through Miss Crews' new- ness to the camera she was caught waiting -*""for the photographer two or three times, but her "posing" in each instance was unneces- sary. Placing a woman against an open door for a light effect to shadow her face la so palpable to the picture patron the director Is merely wasting his time, unless he can do It quite in the natural order of events. But still all these small matters that reviewers may rave about without knowing what they are talking of will correct themselves In time. No one as quickly sees these things anyway as a director, who should ever be the best critic of his work, if be Is honest with himself—and it's no use kidding yourself, as Griffith so ably put forth in "The Avenging Conscience." "The Fighting Hope" Btory is worth repeat- ing in brief. It Is of the over-certification by the cashier (or treasurer) of a trust company of a check of $700,000. That caused the bank's suspension and the arrest of the can bier. Newspapers Implicated the president, who had previously refused to certify the' cheek, and he was indicted after the cashier had been sent to prison. The cashier was Robert Granger. His wife had a cousin act- ing as secretary for the bank's president. She Induced .her cousin to exchange places with her, the wife substituting to secure proof of her husband's innocence. Instead Mrs. Granger became convinced her husband was the criminal, and Burton Temple, the presi- dent, was Innocent. Temple and the wife fell In love while this worked out. The wife also discovered her husband had been carrying on a Mason with a woman of easy habits, and had invested his share ($100,000) of the 9700. (MM) in trust for tho other woman while he Hhould remain in prison, she to receive the income, with apparently no provision made by the cashier for his family. The cashier escaped about the middle of the last reel and was shot in the last 100 feet. It left hU wife h widow to marry the president, Which she no doubt did. Miss Crews as the cashier's wife left her home to assume the post of sec- retary, carrying a small hand bag. How long she was In the president's employ, and long enough at least for him to fall In love with her, isn't mentioned, but Miss Crews con- tinuously wore the same costume. Nor did Thomas Melghan as the president ever alter the little curly rows of his hair. One would have almost said all scenes between Miss Crews, Mr. Gebhardt and Mr. Mleghan were taken in one and the same day. The cast, Including Theodore Roberts, was nicely bal- anced In suport, and there is no fault to the acting, not any sharp faultB at all unless the detective work in connection with Rose Fan- chon could be said to have been too rapid for belief. This feature, however, la purely a matter of the story, and holds up so well mostly through that. Simme. DR. RAMEAU. Dr. Rameau Frederick Perry Munzell, the artist Stuart Holmes Dr. Talavanne George Alison Conchlta Dorothy Bernard Adrian Jean Sothern Conchlta's Mother Bertha nrundage Roselle, a maid Edith Hallor Dr. Rameau's Mother Mayme Kelso Robert Graham Velsey Young Rameau Thomas Carnahan, Jr. "Dr. Rameau" the five-reel feature which Fox exhibited at the Broadway theatre last w»>< k nt a special showing opened with a punch that wbb as stronr »« « n "thlng in "The Mirth of a Nation," •»-.' picture nar- rowed down to the I ■! tlon was too drawn out to keep '* ta speed that wan shown at the co The direc- tion of the picture b avis Is fault- less to an extreme. i this feature marks him an a producer and director with a great future. The acting and the pbotog- graphy are also very good. Frederick Perry Is starred In the featuce and the Fox offlss made a happy selection In him. One or two of the Fox stocks who have done good work in the past were not at their best in this picture. This fact is particularly true of Stuart Holmes in the earlier parts. He did not really start to work until the love scenes In the studio. Prior to that time he was crude. Oeorge Alison was good at all times and earned praise. Of the women Dorothy Mernard and Jean Southern bore the brunt, although Mayme Kelso was very much in evi- dence at the beginlng. As to the direction In detail It was good throughout with the ex- ception of two points. One where a scene was permitted to run too long and the other where there were too many repeats of action entirely too similar. The former Is the scene where the doctor after many years finds that bis dead wife had been unfaithful to him and that the child reared as his daughter Is the offspring of another. This discovery comes when the girl is IS or 20 and Is about to marry. The father, searching for her birth certificate, comes across evidence proving the child la not his. In his fury he wrecks the apartment. This could have been done In a few minutes, but the scene runs too long. The latter is where the doctor's friends try to convince him he should perform an opera- tion to save his child's life. In this there are two repetitions of the same business. It is really these two scenes that cause the picture to drag toward the finish. At the opening then* la tho most wonderful thunder storm ever pictured. At the time Dr. Rameau Is but a child. His father Is a drunken sot who returns to his home during the storm and starta beating his wife. The boy offers a prayer to Ood to protect his mother from the father and in answer there is a flash of lightning from out of the heavens and the mother falls dead. This destroys the boy's faith in God, which plays an Important part In his after years. The boy Is adopted by a physician after the mother's death and In time becomes the most noted surgeon In Paris. He marries the daughter of a poor patient, the girl accepting him out of gratitude for her mother's deliverance. The doctor at the time Is about 50 years of age. His most In- timate chums are Dr. Talavanne and Mun- zell, an artist. The wife while having her portrait painted by Munzell falls In love with the artist. Later when a child. Is born to the doctor's wife it has the blonde characteristics of the artist. The wife dies and the doctor in his grief orders her apartment be closed and sealed. Later when his child has grown to womanhood and is about to be both roth ed he learns of his wife's duplicity and becomes a mad man for the time. He drives the daugh- ter from the house and she becomes 111. Physicians are called In but confess them- selves unable to save the life of the patient. Her father only can bring about her recovery- Prior to this time the father would never admit big cases were ever successful because of the assistance to a Higher Being, holding recoveries were due to science alone, his faith in God having left him with the death of his mother. However, during the night of the crisis in the Illness of his daughter he offers a prayer which la answered by the recovery of the girl. The picture holds many thrills and should be a winner In the feature line If only because of the strength of the opening. Fred. New York force, most noticeable among whom was Pete Schmid, the publicity promoter. "Kllmeny" will fit in the Paramount pro- gram, but It will never make a big name for Itself. KILMENY. 'Kllmeny'' Lenore Ulrlch Gypsy Chief Herbert Standing Barouche Howard Davles Tlerre Marshall Mackaye Ijord Leigh Frederick Wilson Lady Leigh Myrtle Stedman Mob Merldlth William Desmond "Kllmeny" is a MoroBCo feature for re- lease upon the Paramount program. Lenore IMrich makes her screen debut as its fea- tured player. Had Miss Ulrlch been aided by a Btory that held more possibilities for pic- ture work she would have achieved greater success, but as it is she Is 00 per cent of "Kllmeny." It is a Gypsy story which naturally relieves all expectations as to a novel plot. The kidnapping of a child starts it off. The time lapses until the child Is a young woman. Miss Ulrlch steps In at this point. She escapes from the Gypsies, gets Into the home of a Lord, but finds that she can not live there happily through causing jeal- ousy In the household. She returns to the camp of the wanderers and is to be married Jo one when rescued by her father, who comes down the road- In an automobile Just as the marriage ts to be performed. Miss Ulrlch possesses all of the natural require- ments for the role and her acting showed great zest. This young woman could well be retained for pictures, as she has the power to please as a screen artist but a more worthy scenario would be a big help. Herbert Stand- ing as an old Gypsy Chief was easily the best bet in the male division. No part seems Im- possible for Standing, as is being shown in the number of pictures he has appeared in of late. Myrtle Stedman, with the only other female role of any weight, made a charm- ing appearance. Miss Stedman may have finished her starring vehicle for this company earlier than expected and took this part as more of an extra bit than anything else. Marshall Mackaye as a lame boy is a con- vincing actor, as is also Howard Davles in another Gypsy role. William Desmond as the lover failed to impress. It was prob- ably due to the shallc vness of the part and little real work that he was cast for. The production 1b made up almost entirely of exteriors. Splendid photography throughout The Interiors were not specially noticeable for their class. An Interesting finish to the picture was the arrival in New York of Miss Tlrlch (in proper person) after she had Un- shed It oa the eoast She was met by'the CONFESSION OF MME. BARASTOFF. A Broadway Star Feature in three reels re- leased by the Vttagraph. with a Btory of Rus- sian love and military Intrigue as Its plot It Is a poorly written, badly constructed, wretch- edly acted and a frightfully produced piece of work as a whole. The story tells of the love affair between a young officer In the army of the Czar and the daughter of one of his su- perior officers. The father of the girl gives the hand of his daughter In marriage to an aged general, who takes.the girl, even though she tells him she is only obeying the wishes of her father but not those of her heart. Some time later the young officer 1b attached to the ataff of the general who married the girl he loved. The general becomes suspicious his wife Is unfaithful to him and that the young- ster Is her lover. He plots to have the officer commit a breach of military law which will bring about his execution as a traitor. The young man falls Into the trap and leaves his tent during the night to visit the general's wife. He spends three hours In her apart- ment and on his return to quarters 1b arrested. The order for his court martial Is Issued and the general orders his wife to be present at the hearing, believing her love of the officer will cause a confession he was with her to save his life and Incidentally bring about her own disgrace. The girl Is about to confess when her lover halts her and he goes to his death before a firing squad commanded by his own brother. The firing squad and the execu- tion are shown through an open window and as the volley crashes out the Madame rises to shout her confession but It Is too late, for her lover has carried his secret with him to the grave. There are so many impossible angles in the plcturlzatlon that there are times when the tale Is extremely laughable. The audience at an uper Broadway house seemed to like the unsought for comedy effects Immensely for they laughed time and again. Fred. THE CUB. Alice Renlow Martha Hedman Steve Oldham John Hlnes "Cap." White Robert Cummings Becky King Jessie Lewis Stark White Bert Starkey Paggy White Dorothy Farnum This five-reel William A. Brady feature Is founded on the Thompson Buchanan play of the same title and released through the World. It has Martha Hedman as the star and John Hlnes should be the featured player. He ap- pears as the "Cub" and as that role Is the most prominent he has all the best of the situ- ations. The star is overshadowed by his op- portunities, though he makes the most of them. Miss Hedman will undoubtedly prove a valuable addition to the large gallery of photoplayers, for in addition to possessing all the natural charm and beauty that are the first essentials of a screen actress she Is also an artist of consummate ability. The picture Is Introduced by a view of the mountains In which the action of the play takes place. Next there 1b shown the originator of the feud on which the story Is based, after which the comedian Introduces the principals of the cast who appear In a frame. The Introduc- tions are quite humorous. The story tells of a feud ranging In the Virginia mountains. The star reporter on a big paper Is 111, and only one of the "cubs" can be spared. Steve Oldham, a "cub" of the "millionaire reporter" type. Is handed the assignment to cover the row. He togs up like a war correspondent and starts for the scene of the fray. On his arrival he becomes mixed In with both fac- tions of the warring clans and a series of re- markable humorous adventures occur until finally he, in his Ignorance of existing cus- toms In the mountains, kisses a mountaineer's daughter at a dance and with this his engage- ment Is announced, although he Is really In love with the daughter of one of the leaders of the opposite faction. He then Is captured and held a prisoner by the Whites and sen- tenced to be shot. Just previous to this tak- ing place he has written a telegram to his city editor, which while exceedingly rambling is finally deciphered as an appeal for help and the paper sends a troop of cavalry to the reporter's rescue. They arrive in time to rescue him from a building where he and the father of the girl that he loves have been standing off the Whites for what seemed al- most an hour. The picture Is a diverting fea- ture and while containing a pretty love story has many elements of comedy that make It a delightful entertainment. Fred. HER VOCATION. That a novel story will make a feature worth while Is evidently what entered the mind of the Edison scenario chief when selecting this feature in three reels. It deals with news- paper and literary life. A wife with all the luxuries Is not satis"*'* Qhe decides to write. Her first work Is ac . . . * she is tempted to go on with it. * jIb she (u .s, much to the disgust of the people around. With the taking up of the writing everything else Is dropped, including friends and family. She Is at work upon a novel of the Blums, but It needs local color. She persuades her husband to go to a notorious low life reaort for material. He agrees to go. Upon arriving at the place he is seated at the table with a young woman. They begin conversing, he making out he Is a safe blower and she a stool pigeon. They stay very late. The wife, at home, nervous, sets out for the place. The sweetheart of the girl (she Is s newspaper woman getting ma- terial for a story) is also worried and starts to find her. The wife and man meet. They go to the dive, but are refused admission and then the place Is raided. The couple inside after being caught are haled Into the police station, where everything is straightened out and the wife gives up her literary career. Well selected cast do all that is asked In a picture that calls for little real acting. The produc- tion will do. The story holds this one up. THE WHITE TERROR. Matthew Brand Hobart Henley Eleanor Boyd Frances Nelson David Duncan William Welsh Emerson Boyd Howard Crampton Clifford Cole Alan Holubar Mayor Otto Hoffman David Boyle Fred Sullivan As far as this four-part Imp feature of the summer product of the Unlversal's advertised 'Masterpieces" is concerned the story Is of secondary consideration. It's the camera fling the Imp takes at quack medicine makers and the sweat shop owners and what filth and un- aanltary condition in factories will do toward undermining the health of the human beings therein employed. This aspect Is set forth fairly well and makes the moral so obvious any one could reap some sort of benefit How- ever, it has come to pass that various state legislatures and reform workers have been after the factory men and show operators un- til there has been results In many of our commercial centers. In this film the scenario writer, Raymond L. Shrock, has depicted scenes of the evils of child labor, of "vile housing and factory conditions, crooked poll- tics and graft and the excesses of the Idle rich," with a love story running somewhat In- congruously throughout. Much of the film Is devoted to the rich mill owner, Emerson Boyd, awakening to the true facts of his plant's con- ditions and how he makes amends, incidentally approving of the match of his daughter, Eleanor, to Matthew Brand. There is a villain in David Duncan, also in love with the manufacturer's daughter. Brand, being rich, buys a paper and stirs up a hornet's nest In his attacks. At times the camera gives views of the factory conditions with the film having the owners at a banquet. Fairly well earn- er aed and well acted. Stuart Paton did some splendid directing In some of the scenes, his finale being most effective. Mark. THE GARDEfTOF LIES. The Jane Cowl feature by the Universal, called "The Garden of Lies," has Mlas Cowl in the least interesting role of a good film, viewed from its romantic trend. It looks very much like a novel unfolded. There are a prince, morganatic wife and a young American, the latter taking the place of the prince as husband to save the reason of the wife. When the duplicity Is discovered by Mrs. Prince (Miss Cowl), she Is greatly incensed, not hav- ing gone insane, and will not accept the American by himself, though botfc stow tnsy are deeply in love with on* another. - The Prince, a bug on honor, had arrlwd lad at once started to beat up everyone In sight ex- cepting three conspirators from his principal- ity, who notified the title it would have to re- nounce the morganatic wife or abdicate. The Prince started to whip the American in a fist ffght, but got the worst of it, and again was defeated when fighting him a duel. Then the conspirators abducted the wife and the American saved her, reaching her place of cap- tivity about three minutes ahead of a mob bent on the name object. So they saved her altogether, but the American and the Prince were shot In the ensuing scuffle. Everybody seemed to take it for granted the Prince had been killed, as though the director had tipped off that section of the scenario, for they all paid attention only to the American. He wasn't dead. They took him to the house and laid him on a couch. He asked for tho Prin- cess and she went to him, calling him "Den- nis," bo the Impression left was the reverse of the usual one, for It looked as though the American would recover and live happily with the girl, even though his name was Dennis. A neat bit of light humor was begotten from the duel scene. The duel was excellently handled and repeated In retrospect for the audience, when the American's second explained to the wife how he had defeated the Prince. He ex- travagantly elaborated upon the scenes to place the American as the most heroic figure. The two leading male characters were well taken. Miss Cowl, however, was In a sort of lay role, merely a buffer or the centre of ac- tivity with the centre quote quiet. The story Is holding and Is placed in a pretty woodland setting. It has general appeal for young and old. "The Garden of Lies" should help the Universal name in the feature branch. Rime. THE OCTOPUS. Sellg's latest three-reeler, as uninteresting and unfathomable as most of the other long pictures released by this concern of late. This one deals with a "mama's boy." Archie, who goes to the city, gets a Job and makes rapid advancement. He becomes mixed up with women falls in debt, and has a real lively time, from all appearances giving little thought to home or mother until the writer of the story sees fit to bring it to a close. Then Archie learns the man he has been working for is his own father, but he had never mar- ried Archie's mother. After hearing the man's sad story the boy decides his place Is with his mother. The third reel closes with the Is'her gazing out of the window as If he bore the weight of the world upon his shoulders. The regular stock players make up the east It Is punishment to sit through the picture.