Wid's Filmdom (1921)

Some Short Reels “Twelve Hours to Live’—Universal Pe UDG Gio er GOUCLION vee: oa c+ ho vn able aK cose 1 reel comedy Vyere it not for the fact that the idea in this has already been used in almost the same way, this single reel comedy would be splendid. Yet even so, the idea is so good that it well deserves a repeat, and this will be welcomed by many. The story, like all good comedy themes, is simple, extravagant and swift. The young man is about to elope with his girl when they are stopped by her father, who asks: “Can you support my daughter in the manner in which she was brought up?” That ends the elopement and the young man turns his thoughts to suicide. Failing at that he is approached by a thug, who means to hold him up, but the disappointed young man strikes a bargain with the criminal and gives him $37.50 for a firstclass killing. He is to be shot before midnight. In the meantime he pays a visit to his girl and while he is taking his last farewell a telegram arrives informing him that he has fallen heir to a fortune. They rush to the church and are married, but on their way home he suddenly discovers the thug and reminds himself of the bargain. The bad man, who was beat ing the bass drum for the Salvation Army, now gives chase and pursues the young fellow to the top of a high building. Here at a dizzy height he finally traps him and returning the check informs him that the bargain is “off,” for in the meantime he has “got religion.” All ends happily. The groom returns to his bride and the thug to the bass drum. The action in this comedy is smooth and swift and the laughs are numerous. The original idea is held uppermost and kept in the foreground, and the comedy work is well timed. This is a lively single reeler, built upon a good idea, and will be well received by almost any audience. “Kitchen, Bedroom and Bath’—Paramount ype pLOGuctiOn mess sara ss ss eens 1 reel animated cartoon Mamma, Papa, the Baby and the Cat, to say nothing of the rats, are the main actors in this animated cartoon. Unfortunately the main ideas that go to make this cartoon deal so much with the sordid and unpleasant that the fun is robbed of its sting. The house is infested with rats. They frighten the baby, trap the cat, chase papa and run down mamma’s ‘back. Nature’s most sordid traits are here presented and the artist has failed to give any of his creatures a single human touch. The baby and the cat are perhaps the only two that seem to understand each other, and that only when they plot to rid the house of the pests. They stuff the holes and as the rats run out of the last they are banged on the head and flung from the window. The grand pile on the sidewalk is removed by the Chinaman who keeps the chop suey joint. And this final is the most unpleasant portion of the entire reel. The laughs in this are few and far between. “The Wolver’—Pathe Type of production........... Mae wnt «aera 2 reel western “The Wolver” is the second of the new series featuring Tom Santschi, In this a decided improvement has been made over the former production. More care has been taken in the details and the story, too, is not quite as ordinary or evident. Although you feel that the hero will in the end clear himself of his doings and explain his motive, still the cue is not given away and the climax is well concealed. The director, too, seems to hold a firm hand and allowed little or nothing to interfere with the suspense. Jim Carvel takes a cabin in the woods and under the pretext of trapping wolves clears the town of the bad sheriff and his lieutenant. The girl’s brother is the cashier of the bank, and after falling into debt to the bad men is forced to take the amount from the bank and place explosives in the vault. Jim watches him from the window and before the fuse is burnt runs in and steals the money from the vault. When he is surrounded in the girl’s home he manages to get the drop on the mob and shows his badge revealing that he is the U. S. Deputy that the village judge had sent for. The sheriff and his aide are arrested and the girl forgives Jim. A little love scene concludes this western, which is a little above the ordinary and should get over before an average audience. “Just for Fun”—Educational BLY DCMO bP OU UI GEO Il aeepe ones teks! 5) «Po xie Sects apeiron tie) ot 1 reel novelty “Just for Fun” is quite an amusing novelty of the “Sketchograf” series. The scenes are all taken from Coney Island, where the merrymakers are caught by the camera. From the chutes to hot dogs, nothing has been omitted. The novelty part of the reel is produced by the artist, who first draws his impression of the scene before the fade-out occurs and the reality is shown. Not only are the amusement parks in Coney Island shown, but also the beaches and the avenues of approach. The various ways of getting to the island from New York are cleverly illustrated. There is no amusement resort in the world that is as spectacular and as well known as Coney Island and aside from the reality the pictures of the island are the next best thing and will certainly be appreciated in towns distant from New York. Although this reel contains little that has not been recorded before, still it is told in a very amusing and novel manner and should be well liked before the average audience, “Hold Your Breath”—Century-Universal "Ty DEL Ope UCONN tate cw aera hh «il i oage as » epee 2 reel comedy Double exposure and trick photography receive the credit for the thrills in this comedy... Hanging on the edge of the roof, a hundred feet above the street, and falling into the lion’s den are two of the thrillers recorded in this two reeler. While both of these stunts have been done many times before, they are nevertheless sure fire screams. The production opens with Charlie and Bert both drunk on the coping of a tall building. This is followed with a good deal of bedroom farce, some slapstick and an attempt at a badger game. A chase follows in which both Charlie and Bert fall in with the lions. The production. ends showing Bert having tamed his lion by sprinkling salt upon his tail. Although this presents little that is new, it is, however, full of laughs and isquite entertaining. Slapstick work runs through from start to finish, and if your people like the rough and tumble kind of fun they will enjoy “Hold Your Breath.”