Variety (May 1916)

FILM REVIEWS 27 THE MOMENT BEFORE. Madge Pauline Frederic* Harold Thomas Holding Duke of Maldon Frank Lo a ee John, The Gypsy J. W. Johnaton OJoe Edward Sturgls Israel ZangwiU's drama, "The Moment Be- fore," has been adapted for the screen and serves as the starring' vehicle for Pauline Frederick in the latest Famous Players' re- lease. Robert Vlgnola, who directed the plo- turlxatlon, Is to be credited with a fine sense of the moment dramatic on the screen, and in selecting locations for the exterior scenes of the feature he has shown rare discrimination and taste. The story unfolds on the screen in a manner which grips the attention from the start and holds It until the final flash. The closing chapter la first visualised. The Duke and Duchess of Maldon, both advanced in years, devote the greatest part of their lives to charity. Through an accident while riding the Duke is fatally Injured. His widow, while at services in church is so touched by the ser- mon preached that she arranges that in the event of her death, her entire fortune is to be devoted to charities, then as she kneels in prayer before the altar she is stricken, and in the moment before her death her past life passes in plcturised review through her mem- ory. It was In her youth she had fractured practically all of the ten Biblical command- ments. Starting as the belle of the Gypsy camp, she is betrothed to John, who has thrashed his rival for her affections. One of the other women in the camp reads the hand of Madge and sees in it that she is to be a duchess, commit a murder and finally die on the stroke of noon. All of this, and more be- sides, comes to pass and, as the dying woman lies at the altar rail, it is all visualised on the screen. There is her meeting with the younger son of the Duke of Maldon, when John Is caught poaching on the game pre- serves, and the younger son, who is the black sheep of the family, permits John to go free on the plea of Madge. Later he visits the camp and finally persuades Madge to enter service as a maid in the home of his father. Later the elder brother and Harold, the younger eon, quarrel and the latter strikes the elder down. Madge's gypsy husband en* ters the house, he tries to force her to return to him but she refuses. In escaping she runs into the elder brother, who is Just recovering from the blow. He grasps her and Oypsy John enters and, picking up the andiron that was used a few minutes before, strikes the elder brother over the head and kills him. Later Harold la accused by his father of hav- ing caused his brother's death, and not know- ing of the later circumstances, believes he is guilty. Years later in Australia, where he as wandered, he reads of his father's death and starts for England to claim his heritage. On the way he stops at a hut and there finds Madge and her husband. A revolver duel follows, In which It looks as though Harold is to meet his death, when Madge, who is lying on the ground where she has been flung by her husband, rises and shoots the latter. Then Harold and she leave together for Eng- land. This closes the vision of the dying woman and the picture cuts back to the scene at the altar rail, where she passes away. The picture Is a corker from all standpoints and the only question that arises is, where did Pauline Frederick, as Madge, get the Turkish dgaret that she smokes in the hut situated in the Australian bushT Fred. • —— —— HER MATERNAL RIGHT. Nina Seabury Kitty Gordon Mary Wlnslow Zena Keefe Emory Townsend George Ralph Amoe Matson Frank Evans "Her Maternal Right" Is the picture that Director John Inoe walked out on during its making in tbe Paragon studio. It is now being released by the World with tbe name of Robert B. Thornby on it as director. Kitty Gordon's name Is starred larger than the name of the feature and probably will draw when plastered up In front of a mov- ing picture theatre. But as a screen actress she is exceedingly poor—doesn't even photo- graph well. Her undoubted beauty doesn't seem to register—she is merely a bovine clothes-horse, and not a graceful one at that. The Idea Is to show her as a conscienceless actress with a personal manager who re- ports to her on the financial resources of her male admirers. She is first shown with the regulation couch, reclining thereon and smok- ing a cigarette—"passing up" one man who has gone broke buying her jewels, the man committing suicide, etc. All this to show her character, without a single redeem- ing trait. Then comes a young cashier, who steals $12,000 from his bank to keep pace with the siren, only to be cast aside for a millionaire whom she marries. The cashier goes away to forget, meets a simple country girl and marries her. Bank puts expert on the books and prison Is imminent at a time when the cashier is about to become a father. Stifling his pride he goes to the siren's house and pleads for the money to save himself and family. His wife has followed, heard all and pulling a "gun" compels the siren to write the check on threat of killing her and all involved, first telling the entire story to the newspapers. But, as before remarked, Miss Gordon doesn't look sufficiently allur- ing to suggest the type of woman men would go crazy over. She lacks "class," and looks more like an over-dressed servant girl In- stead of a 100 per cent, gold-digger. Then again characters drop out of the story and are never heard of again ; tbe re is a lot of fuss and feathers with very little happening and, from all angles, it Isn't a good story, without which there can be no satisfactory release. Jolo, I TOLB DO ffWJKrslfroJ The Marjoh Daily gram. TREMENDOUS PUBLICITY BEATRIZ MICHELENA (CELEBRATED PRAIA DONNA) Is speaking to over 10,000,000 people every week through "TALKS WITH SCREEN-STRUCK GIRLS'* • CoprrW* 1916) \'-\ SCENE FROM BEATRIZ MICHELENA •» 'THE WOMAN WHO DARED" Editors declare that these "talks" are very unusual features—the readers like them. That means that the readers are interested in BEATRIZ MICHELENA; they want to see her on the screen and will go to the theatres that show her pictures. HAVE YOU BOOKED BEATRIZ MICHELENA IN "The Unwritten Law"? NOW IN PREPARATION "The Woman Who Dared" To b« R«l«M«d in M*y 1 CALIFORNIA MOTION PICTURE CORPORATION ALEXANDER BEYFUSS, Genersl Mansger SAN RAFAEL, CALIFORNIA ffiT rv toij^te* 3 * Mcrunes- DAVID GARRICK. David Oarrlck Dustln Farnum Ada Ingot Winifred Kingston Simon Ingot nerbert Standing Squire Richard Chivy Frank Bonn Aramlnta Lydla Yeamans Titus Ada's Aunt Oliver White Fanny Lacy Mary Mcrsch There have been several more or less suc- cessful attempts to plcturlze the story of David Oarrlck, but It has remained for the present production of the Pallas (Paramount) Co. to attain somewhere near a state of screen perfection!. With Duntln Farnum as Mr. Oarrlck. Winifred Kingston as Ada Ingot, Herbert Standing as Simon Ingot, Frank Bonn as Sir Richard Chivy and Lydla Yeamans Titus as Aramlnta, there was assempled an Ideal cast. The scenic, sartorial and other en- vironment has also been given every pos- sible attention. The manners, etc., of the peo- ple are so historically correct as to entitle the '^atjaft vffWSvS TTf 18 ATTVa NOIUVK 3111 I|jl40u*tftj0|fl|]} l-uvifi Anvrj x& director, Frank Lloyd, to special commenda- tion. It seems almost incredible that the com- pany responsible for this production could he the same one that exhibited recent releases under the same brand. One or two more screen productions an good as their "David Garlck" and they will have redeemed them- selves with exhibitors. Jolo. SUSAN ROCKSTHE BOAT. Susan Johnstone Dorothy Olsh Larry O'Nell Owen Moore Jim Cardigan Fred J. Butler Jasp«r Thornton Frpd A. Turner Randolph Johnstone Edwin Harley Mrs. Randolph Johnstone Kate Bruce Percy Wlnton Clyde B. Hopkins Patrick Casey James O'Shea A rather short Ave reels In this Triangle- Fine Arts feature with Dorothy Olsh as the star, supported by Owen Moore. Bernard McConvllle Is responsible for a rather wishy- washy atory that at timet has a thrill but which, In the main, la quite colorless. Paul Powell directed the plcturlsatlon. Miss Olsh in the role of a society girl with a desire to do the herolo In romantic manner, seems to be constantly getting Into trouble. The open- ing with the after effects of too much riding on a polo pony quite apparent In tbe manner In which the girl walks after the game Is good for a laugh. Later Susan goes In for settlement work and there meets Larry O'Neill (Owen Moore), the son of a politician In the slum district, who Is loved by all the good people and respected by virtue of his father's position by the others. Lsrry saves Bussn from Jim Cardigan and Is shot for his trou- ble. Susan nurses him back to health and finally the two manage to get into each other's arms and then there Is no res son for continu- ing the picture. "Susan Rocks the Boat" Is not a good example of feature according to the mark the Triangle has set for Itself In the past.