Wid's Filmdom (1921)

Tr Some Short Reels Screen Snapshots No. 4—Federated Film Exchanges Type of production.......-+eeee eee eres 1 reel fan magazine Never before have so many real film stars been caught mingling together. They all appear in the mammoth carnival staged in Los Angéles by Daniel Frohman for the actors’ benefit. Frohman himself opens the show by receiving a message of good cheer from the film actors tendered him by Bert Lytell. Big Bill Russell appears next, and Gloria Swanson is shown helping Carter De Haven put on his moustache. A Chaplin kid contest is staged and-the clever little imitator is awarded a medal by Edna Swanson. Snub Pollard and Sunshine Sammy do some funny work with a trackless trolley that they brought along with them for the occasion. Charles Murray took no chances and built himself a home right on the grounds—in the shape of a saloon called the “Days of 49.” The place is fixed up inside like the real thing—and the same is on the bar. Not alone is this dazzling pagent confined to actors, but authors too are shown doing their share. Elinor Glynn reads your past, present and future and decides that the stars say that you will contribute to the actors fund. Rupert Hughes, Gene Stratton Porter and Sir Gilbert Parker harbor around the auction block to sell an author’s manuscript. Now Buck Jones ard Tom Mix heard something about a chariot race in pictures so they decide to have one all of their own, Antonio Moreno and Tom Ince appear on the track, and Charles Ray plays conductor of a country band. But where did Hal Roach get the ladies’ hose that he sells to William Desmond? Censorship is staged: in the City of the Living Dead—Lee Moran is judge and—Thou shalt not Laugh. The best comes last. Bebe Daniels, Will Rogers, Ruth Roland, Dustin Farnum, Ethel Clayton and all the rest are there, to say nothing of Mary Pickford, who makes her bow as Little Lord Fauntleroy, and Douglas Fairbanks with his other two Musketeers. This one is the best of the series and is certain to please your film fans. “The Fur Raiders”—Universal Type of production...........+eseeeeeereenes 2 reel Canadian The warden gives the hero a chance to prove that he is innocent and in the end he manages to prove himself perfectly innocent of crime, but certainly guilty of a thoroughly bad production. It is hard to imagine that at this stage of the game the public will stand for a picture, that looks at least ten years old. Audiences are not as stupid as some directors believe. The smallest of Western towns has at one time or other shown a first class production, and audiences are demanding better stuff. The hero of “The Fur Raiders” travels out to the frozen North in his shirt sleeves, and brings the outlaw back to the land of justice, carrying him all the way in his hands.» Much of the work is done before painted drops or shot in the studio lot. No attempt was made to create a Canadian atmosphere or to work out a logical story. The camera was evidently set up in a place where there were a few trees and shot at all angles. The different cabins all look alike. The Canadian mounted policeman did not get his uniform quite right and any boy will tell you this at a glance—boys know and it is difficult to fool them. “The American Badger’—Pathe "TY DE) Of DEOUMELION £ 4,2 2h io vont dp welesingey oes 1 reel adventure This is one of the series of the “Adventures of Bill and Bob” showing how the boys capture a badger. They set off for the woods in the start of the reel, but when they arrive they discover that their matches were left behind. Accordingly they demonstrate how to light a fire without a match. A badger’s burrow is then found in a sandy hill and the trap is set. But the animal is suspicious and avoids the trap in spite of its camouflage. At length, however, the animal steps into the trap and is captured by the boys. There is some very good animal photography in this and it is up to the standard of this series. The interest of this is educational as well as entertaining and would make a fair program filler. Kineto Review—Kineto Type of production... occ eect eee sete gueteces 1 reel travel This magazine deals with the daily life in Jerusalem. The streets, buildings, walls, and gateways of the Holy’ City are all shown. The ancient city of Damascus, with its stone fortifications and crumbling watch towers, is brought into focus, Life in the streets showing the merchants peddling their wares and the donkey traffic are illustrated in this travel magazine. The wailing wall and other landmarks, made famous by the Bible, are also reproduced. Other scenes of interest include the Turks in a coffee house smoking their water pipes and girls drawing water at a well. There are some very good bits of photography with some unusual shots taken through the gateways of the Holy City. “On the Trail”—Producers Security Company Type OF PEOUMG AOi esis seve 5 mse acoinin sae fo. 6 3 oie oot ake 2 reel drama “On the Trail” is a story of the Canadian Royal Mounted Police, planted in the mountainous section of that country very near to the snow line, The crack-shot bandit and his gang not only succeed in murdering one of the Mounted Police, but also hold up a motoring party and carry off the girl, The hero finds the body of his comrade and sends the dead man back to the station strapped to the saddle, while he gives chase to the outlaws. In a cabin past the snow line the girl: is taken. Here she is gagged and bound while the outlaws devour the lunch and whiskey that they took from the auto. The Mounted Officer arrives and a thrilling fight takes place in which the leader of the gang shoots one of his crew by mistake. The fist battle between the officer and the bandit is fierce and violent, A final upper to the jaw sends the bad man crashing to the ground and the girl is saved from violence. There is certainly more action in these two reels than in many feature productions. The attention and interest is well sustained, and the fight at the climax will hold your audience spellbound, You can expect a good deal of cheering and applause from your audience when the brute gets his final crack on the jaw. The whole set seems to tremble at this crash. ‘Both the photography and acting are splendid throughout. The locations were well chosen and the titles are brief and to the point, From the reception that this two reel drama received when presented at the Rialto theater in New York, you need not hesitate if you are looking for a good tworeeler. It would make a suitable leader for a short reel program that was balanced by a two reel comedy.