Variety (March 1916)

22 FILM REVIEWS THE HUNTED WOMAN. Joanne Virginia Pearnon John Aldroua 3. Rankin Drew Old Donald McDonald Frank Currier Fltzbugn. Jr George Cooper Fltrbugh, 8r Charles Wellesley Bill Quade Ned Flnley Bllra Barker Denton Vane Paul Blackton Harold Fosbay Peggy, hla wife Mae Greene Marie. B»»le Billings The publisher of the novel from which the flTe-part Vltagraph Blue Ribbon (V-L-S-E) feature has been adapted, ought to contribute a goodly sum toward the coat of booming "The Hunted Woman." The morbidly Im- pressionable folks who witness the screen rerslon of the book will undoubtedly purchase th<» novel Itself for more complete descriptive detail of a strongly sexual situation. A young woman, at the dying request of her father, marries a youth. Just as the cere- mony Is concluded the young man's mistress bursts upon the scene with a child in her arras. She refuses to live with blm and Is "wife In name only." Receiving news finally that her husband Is dead, and later tbat he la still alive, sh» goes to British Columbia, where the alleged demise was supposed to have taken place, seeking verification, and hoping "the worst" baa happened. There she encounters a bad man who covets her Illegally and an author with legitimate aspirations for her love. Husband's "grave" Is found with bis watch In It, and author pursues his suit and Is accepted. They are guests at the "aback" of the superintendent of construction of a railroad and are Invited to view a tre- mendous feat of blasting. Through a land- slide they are caught In a cave, with the blast due In ten minutes which will blow them to smithereens. Author puts his arms around the "wife In name only" and says: "If we must die, let us die aa husband and wife." The lady hangs her head modestly to Indi- cate submission to hla desire, they repeat a brief nuptial ceremonial and a fade-out leaves nothing more to witness but much to Imagine. They are rescued and the bad man calls upon his partner In crime to help him kidnap the woman. The partner turns out to be the hus- band and both bad men fight for the woman, the husband being killed and other wicked person shot by an ally of the author. Prior to the killing of the evil persons the author has discovered that his sweetheart's husband la still alive. (This comes to him shortly after he has married the woman.) The couple are In the wilds of the mountains and she says to the author: "Why Is It you treat me aa If I weren't quite your wife?" (Very natly put; probably culled from the novel. That must be a "warm" piece of literature.) II Anyhow It all comes out all right and. it Is to be hoped (though the picture makea no allusion to It) tbat the author Isn't a "cold proposition," after he has secured a clear title to the procprty. The story Is by Jamea Oliver Curwood, produced by 3. Rankin Drew. Plenty of full-blooded action (no reference to the sexual relation Intended), and an ex- ceptionally well-drawn set of characteriza- tions ; also good atmospheric detail. Jolo. SHOULD A BABY DIE? Chas. K. Harris five reeler released via the State rights route by the Hanover Film Corp. Notwithstanding the fact that the picture has what c an be termed a freak title it Is interesting throughout. The story has as Its principal character a young man of wealth who wishes to make a name for himself through hard work. He uecures a job as laborer in a fac- tory and while working In this capacity meets the daughter of a pawnbroker. He falls In love with her Immediately and wishes to make her his wife. Her father, through the suitor being a Gentile, Is opposed to the match. The frlend» of the man, upon learning whom he wishes to make his wife, strongly object. The title of the picture comes In at this point when It la learned that the pawn- broker's daughter was only adopted and that she was really of rich parentage, her mother and father being killed In an accident and she being brought up from Infancy by the pawn- broker and his wife. The girl when adopted was very weak and was not expected to live, the doctors giving up hope, saying It best to let her die, with the old Jewess having faith and she alone being responsible for the girl's life being saved. Arthur Donaldson does Home capable character work as the old Jew with a supporting cast of merit. "Should a Baby Die?" Is a good state right proposi- tion. Mrs. Rankin dlea from abuse and the boy la brought up by old man Rankin, out of re- gard for the misguided wife, who paid the penalty of sin. All of which was sordid and unnecessary for the ultimate denouement, for the child might Just as well have been Rankin's and Blair eliminated. The boy and the little Wlnthrop girl grow up and become attached to each other. Winthrop's father dies and he Is called east, taking his family with him. Mrs. Wlnthrop and the daughter hanker after "civilization." The mother has ambitions for her daughter and fixes up a match for her with a dissipated young swell. Ben Blair, now grown to manhood, reads of It, comes to New York and gives the girl twenty minutes in which to pack and return with blm. For nineteen minutes she remains obdurate, but finally yields. The wild west- ern life Is admirably plrturlzed, Including desperate gun fights and cowboy riding. While a good picture In many respects, it is hardly up to the Paramount standard. Jolo. BEN BLAIR. Ben Blair Dustln Farnum Florence Wlnthrop Wlnnlfred Kingston James Wlnthrop Herbert Standing Scott Wlnthrop Lamar Johnstone Mrs. Scott Wlnthrop .Virginia Foltx John Rankin Frank A. Bona Tom Blair F. Burns Ben Blair, the boy Gordon Griffith Five part Pallas (Paramount) feature, star- ring Dustln Farnum, directed by William D. Taylor. Scott Wlnthrop, a young married man. Is ordered west by his physician. Hla wealthy father buys him a ranch and there be takes his wife and little daughter. His nearest neighbor Is John Rankin, whose wife deserted him for Tom Blair, who Is a drunk- ard and rowdy. Rankin's wife has a young boy (admirably played by Gordon Griffith). THE RAIDERS. Scott Wells H. B. Warner David Haldeman Henry Belmar Dorothy Haldeman Dorothy Daiton Jerrold Burnes Robert McKlm Jimmy Callaghan George Elwell Dr. Hartman J. Barney Sherry The current week's Triangle feature release Is a Ave part Kay Bee Photodrama entitled "The Raiders," In which H. B. Warner 1k starred. Mr. Warner has the role of a care- less young society favorite, who through the death of a wealthy uncle has the source of his Income cut off and Is forced to accept the po- sition of Junior clerk, which Is the high-sound- ing title they bestow on bead office boys In Wall Street, with a brokerage firm. Scott Wells is the name of the role which the former stage star portrays. He falls In love at first sight with Dorothy Haldeman (Dorothy Dai- ton*, the daughter of David Haldeman (Henry Belmar), who Is the president of the Big Five R. R. and one of the clients of Jerrold Burnes' brokerage Arm, where Scott Is employed. David Haldeman. who Incidentally Is made up to strongly resemble the late J. P. Morgan, Is In HI health and his physician orders him to the mountains for a complete rest. No newspapers, no communications with the marts of trade and above all no means of getting Into touch with the Stock Exchange. Before leaving he places all his affairs In the hands of his broker with instructions that he Is only to be called In case there Is urgent need of his advice regarding the Big Five. Burnes Immediately formulates a plan to raid Big Five stock In the absence of the Railroad King and calls bis henchmen to his assistance. Through a mischance he leaves the receiver of his telephone off of the hook and Scott overhears the plan to ruin the railroad millionaire. He tries to warn Haldeman, but la unsuccessful. The day of the millionaire's de- parture Is the date set for the raid. Haldeman leaves and tbe raiders begin to get In* their fine work on the floor of the Stock Exchange. Scott finally manages to reach the daughter and the two set about to frustrate the plan of the Burnes clique. Dorothy has five blank checks tbat her father has left her. The check book shows that there Is a balance of $306,000 In tbe bank. With this as a basis and her father's card as a trader on the 'change Scott Jumps Into the fray and manages to withstand tbe first day's raiding. Through an office boy In Burnes' office It Is discovered that Haldeman Is held a prisoner at Round Lake by tools of the crooked broker. A party of tire daughter, Scott and the office boy rush to the scene of the captivity in a motor car and rescue tbe father so that he arrives In time for the opening of the Stock Exchange the next day and to carry on the battle tbat results In the ultimate defeat of Burnes and his henchmen. The reward to Scott Is the daughter of the railroad king for his life's partner. There are several corking thrills in tbe picture. One is the automobile race across the country to the rescue of Halde- man and several of the scenes on the Stock Ex- change floor. There Is abundant comedy relief throughout the picture and the interest la held at a tension point at all times. Mr. Warner was just right In the role of tbe young clerk and Miss Daiton most charming as the daugh- ter. As the aged financier, Mr. Belmar, gave a performance tbat ranks blm as one of the foremost of the screen's character actors. Mt. McKlm rather overplayed the role of Burnes. "The Raiders" Is a corking picture that is full of romantic Interest and Is sure to be enjoyed. Fred. THE PRICE OF MALICE. James Clifford Hamilton Revelle Grace Weston Barbara Tenant Capt. Mills Wm. Davidson Lady Marlon Helen Dunbar Lord Deuberry Wm. Calhoun Carson Frank Glendon Cabman Hugh Jeffrer Colonel Brendon Wm. Heck A five part Rolfe (Metro) feature, directed by O. A. C. Lund, starring Hamilton Revelle and Barbara Tennant. It has "class," dealing as it does with the English secret service, but the story can be picked to pieces and resembles one of the Craig Kennedy series of detective Btorles. which are poor imitations of the "Sher- lock Holmes" tales. At the finish the hero gets the girl and the villain commits suicide after having been dismissed from the service in dis- grace. Despite the foregone conclusion the tale is worked out In virile fashion and splen- didly acted throughout. A good program pic- ture. Jolo. SHUBERT FILM CORPORATION l|IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII | EQUITABLE = Motion Pictures Corporation Presents Presents KITTY GORDON The Statuesquely Lovely Stage Sensation in The International Success | "AS IN A LOOKING GLASS'' ] = Miss Gordon's Pre- Live, Wide-Awake Ex- = = miere As A Star Of hibitors Are Due to Open = B The Shadow Sta*e «P a Golden Bonanza with = ADELE BLOOD Famous as "Everywoman" EDWIN STEVENS AND MONTAGU LOVE IN Miss Gordon's Pre- miere As A Star Of The Shadow Stage Her Startling Gowns Alone Malta This Lavishly Produced Feature A Big "Self- Advertiser." Miss Gordon Has Outdone For Brilliant Orlfinality Even Her Most Talked About Creations. A Different Gown Of Sweeping Symmetry Of Line, And Lavishly Ornate Richness, For Every One Hundred Feet of Film. Live, Wide-Awake Ex- hibitors Are Due to Open up a Golden Bonanza with This Photodrama. It deals with a trap set by a scheming and surpassingly lovely society woman for a man whom, too, late, she realties ■he loves with a burning passion that halts at nothing. • How does she save him from the mashed fate she herself has planned for him? "THE DEVIL'S TOY" | A Stupendous Triumph of Film Art. s= Three Great Dramatic Celebrities in Their Screen Debut 55 Premo Film Corporation Production 5S Here is a Feature That Towers Head and Shoulders Above g| the Average from Any Point of View. Supremely Dramatic, == Superbly Photographed, Splendidly Staged by a Masterhand. ss Bound to Set a Record Mark from the Box-Office Standpoint. Es RELEASED THROUGH WORLD FILM CORPORATION 1 130 WEST EXECUTIVE OFFICES 46th STREET BRANCHES ALL PRINCIPAL CITIES. 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