Wid's Filmdom (1920)

Some Short Reels “India,’’ Mentor Two widely different sections make up this colored Mentor offering, which opens with a scenic study, shot in India, and which has another portion devoted to a pair of lion cubs. The former is rich in the elaborate architecture of the Orient, and includes numerous beautiful scenes taken along the banks of a river, showing the temples and other structures. In addition to the lion cubs, some monkeys, a duck and a pretty little girl appear, and it will certainly appeal. As good a colored one-reeler as has been seen hereabouts in a long while. “His Fatal Bite,’’ Gaiety Comedies You have probably at some time or other experienced the sensation of having a dentist poke his different tools into your mouth, jab his thumb into your eye, torture you slowly with a variety of drills and pincers and otherwise annoy you. This Gaiety comedy which features George Ovey, in the role of a dentist, shows several amusing scenes in a dental parlor. Some years ago, there were several pictures in which dentists were satirized, but recently, there have not been very many films of that type. This has a fairly clever theme, although not a strictly novel one, and although it ends rather suddenly, the good work of the cast and commendable direction, will get it across in good fashion. “Holland’s Rustic Life and Waterways,’’ Educational Scenic pictures of Holland must have their wind-mills, and although almost sixty per cent. of this deals with the different Dutch types of people, a wind-mill shot opens producing a fine effect, and a satisfactory cloud bits closes. Much that is beautiful and colored is included in the reel which is up to the mark. The usual fault with colored productions—the manner in which faces are tinted, or allowed to remain blank, is to be observed here, but pictures of this sort are enjoying great popularity just at present and you will probably please your crowd if you sign to play it. “The Screaming Shadow,” Hallmark People always have an awe for the supernatural or that which mystifies them. In serials, especially, has it been found profitable to deal with unknown quantities, and thus impress those who are fond of the drawn-out drama, \““The Sereaming Shadow” is said to be based on the monkeygland theory of the prolongation of human life, but is actually a weird concoction of the combined imaginations of J. Grubb Alexander and Harvey Gates. It has little to do with the recently discovered idea if the first three episodes may be taken as a criterion. Four mythical maids, each of them, having retained youth and beauty through over a thousand years, are supposed to bear on their personages the secret to permanent life and a crystal, in possession of the villain is the key which can unravel the mystery. Beyond that little is clear. There is some sort of a squabble over the possession of the Huropean kingdom of Burgonia, and a resemblance between one of the quartet of virgins and a girl newspaper reporter furnishes one of the big twists in the theme. Some semi-invisible sort of an arch-criminal is the cause of several murders, and the spectator sees little but his shadow most of the time. He is in the habit of uttering a cry like the roar of a lion and those whose earthly existence has terminated, bear a strange mark—the imprint of a set of teeth. In each episode someone is killed, everyone appears to be fighting everyone else, and much to think about is in evidence. There is no great danger of anyone’s outguessing this, nor any great likelihood that they’ll be able to keep up with the story, but it will draw. One great thing in its favor is that it is out of the ordinary, and that will probably get them to come and see if, although they probably won’t know what idea the authors are trying to convey to them for a long while. Ben Wilson and Neva Gerber are starred, and Joe Girard plays the leading heavy role. Burke Thorne directed and King Grey cranked the camera. “The Black Secret.’’ Pathe George B. Seitz, who was co-starred with Marguerite Curtot in ‘‘Bound and Gagged,’ and who is directing this serial, makes his entry into this production in the eleventh episode, called ‘“‘The Death Studio.’ He plays a German spy this time, and certainly helps to thrill ’em. Bray Pictograph, 419, Goldwyn Effects of the moon and sun on tides are dealt with in a series of diagrams that make up the opening portion of this Bray Pictograph, which has a part devoted to the hunting of wild ducks following, and an animated cartoon, called ‘‘A Chip Off the Old Block’’ closing. On the whole, this is a creditable screen magazine, although by no means the best of the series. “Why Go Home?” Pathe Several corking situations, in which a colored youngster, Snub Pollard and other members of the cast figured, made the start of this a riot, but towards the finish, it developed into a series of chases and shooting. Although the latter part of this is not up to the standard of what goes before, this one-reeler will probably prove acceptable almost anywhere. It includes much that is commendable. “The Rink,’? Clark—Cornelius Men and women who have laughed at Charles Chaplin the vagabond, policeman, floorwalker, waiter and so on, will surely laugh at Charlie, the skater. The Chaplin feet on level ground proyeke mirth, and on rollers, they are just as funny. At the start, a great deal of this is hackneyed stuff, but after a while, when the star starts traveling about the rink, his antics provoke an unlimited amount of mirth. Chaplin can skate and he shows to fine advantage here. The superfine quality of the greatest part of the offering make the re-issue valuable. “The Story of the Jaguar,’’ Universal Jaguars, according to the information dealt out by Major Jack Allen who wrote and produced this, are fierce animals and exceptionally difficult to capture. Regardless of that fact, however, the Major skips out to the jungle and using a few feet of rope captures one of the animals, and according to the story wins a wager. Undoubtedly, this will prove of interest, for it has one big thrill in the scene showing the animal falling upon one of the hunters and the manner in which it is shot, and much more that will hold the eye. A short subject worth a bit of exploitation. “Chicken a la Cabaret,’’ Fox Chester Conklin is the shining light in this knockabout affair from Hampton Del Ruth’s fun factory. He plays the role of the chief of police and, with Harry Booker, as the mayor, gets taken in by a pair of slick crooks, one of whom is Billy Armstrong. The crooks offer their services to assist the policemen’s benefit and by an old and still very funny trick they make off with all the watches in the party. A wild chase then ensues with the crooks operating their car with its garage as a covering. There’s some great comedy business in the chase concerning the efforts of the police to overtake the garage and gain admittance to it. Eventually chasers and chasees are blown skyward by dynamite. They descend into the police station where the crooks are promptly jailed. There are enough laughs in this to put it in the best slapstick class.