The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-31

moving picture shows as a part of the
daily routine Of their lives.
II has developed into a big business.
this moving picture form Of entertain
ment and now hardly any section Of the
city is without It's little picture palace,
and all seem 10 thrive
Down town some are open from noon
until II o'clock, while others shorten the
hours from o'clock until 1890 In the
residential sections they are open only
in the evenings. and are usually packed.
Remarkably fine pictures are shown at
times-little plays that tell stories Of
everyday life. some are humorous, some
sentimental and touching, and others
full of thrills. 1t is impossible, naturally,
with the daily change of films, to keep
the average pictures up TO the high
standard. They are good. bad. and in
different or three or four pictures 10
be seen for a nickel. one usually has
merit. and sometimes two; but il rarely
happens that all are worth seeing. New
ortheless. they hold the attention Of the
multitude night after night.
The Ever Changing Film.
The really good picture one chances
TO see tonight in Seventh street, for ex-
ample. may be found AT some picture
palace out Mount Pleasant way to-mor-
row night. If one looks hard enough for
IT, 1t is q case Of come and go so far
as any one place is concerned. Dropping
in at random. one may or may not see
something new. He may see the same
pictures he has seen the night before,
unless he keeps the titles in mind and
reads the announcements at the door It
is all a chance. due TO the constant shift
ing about Of the pictures. Therefore. tie
wary patron Is disposed to stick 10 one
show. or. at any rate. familiarize himself
with the programme before giving up his
nickel and entering.
When II Is said that many Of the pic
lures are bad this does not mean that
they are immoral. or necessarily harm
full, but that they are without point or
value. Ali the moving picture places seem
honestly to desire 10 show only clean
pictures, and the censorship in New York
IS sufficiently strict to prevent any glaring
affronts. But, in spite OF all this, the
pictures generally are far from uplifting
The taking Of human life is one of the
predominant features. There is shooting.
shooting, shooting The wild West. as II
exists in fancy. is pictured largely. with
its Indians and cowboys dashing madly
on horseback over rough mountain roads.
with dust flying. In connection with these
fine scenic effects are often produced The
American Indian usually is pictured as |
long-suffering. much-abUsed person. It IS |
seldom that the swarthy figure resembles /
an Indian in the least. save in makeup. |
Indian girls and squaws are sometimes /
better represented.
The Breaking Up of Homes.
Next 20 the portrayal Of Western life, |
domestic infelicities come in for the
largest share Of attention from the pic
ture makers-stories OF deceived hus-
bands or deceived wives with woe in
evitably following. and forgiveness and
reconciliation usually in the end.
Occasionally pretty love story Of alb
sorbing interest is told by the films.
Universally popular with the patrons OF
the moving-picture places is the depic-
ton Of war scenes. Some Of these are
done in the most graphic manner. Dur
ing the past week. for instance. there
was a Memorial Day picture Of unusual
merit. First came the parade OF griz-
zled veterans. followed by a platoon OF
police and the ladies OF the women's re-
lief corps and children with flowers: then
a scene in the cemetery. where the
graves We're being tenderly decorated;
then a banquet scene, with the veterens
listening 90 stories Of the war. and
finally one-armed corporal was shown
in speaking attitude. and the story he
told came in a subsequent picture. show
ing. first. a part OF the battle Of Shiloh;
second the then manly young corporal
summoned 20 the colonel's headquarters
and given important duty 10 do as a spy;
third. showing him making up as an old
black washerwOman In order TO get
through the enemys lines. fourth. his
reaching the quarters OF the Confederate
regiment without attracting suspicion
and seizfng. unobserved. an important
paper on the officers table; then his
safe departure. followed by the pursuit
and running fire with his pursuers, in
which he killed two or three Of them
and himself was shot in the arm: and,
finally, his getting back 10 his colonel. !
half dead, with his right arm hanging
helplessiy az his side. but the important
paper preserved. The final scene was in
the banquet hall again. with the one
armed corporal finishing his story 70 the
plaudits Of the veterans 1t was very
effective indeed-one OF the best pictures |
yet shown in Washington.
The Trail to the Hills.
During the week several Of the houses |
showed a picture entitled The Trail 70 |
the Hills" It was the story Of a young |
husband called away on a business trim.
and the first scene represented him tax |
ing affectionate leave OF his young and /
pretty wife. The second picture found /
him at a hotel, inquiring anxiously for !
mail. his wife not having written him. /
Then two scenes, in which the long-dis- /
lance telephone was brought into PLAY. |
and in which he was apprlsed BY his /
butler at the other end Of the line that
his wife had gone away and had left a
letter for him. The letter was read and |
thrown on the screen. Il told him bluntly
that she had gone with another man.
whom she loved better. The next scene
showed the erring wife reduced 10 pow
erty and her drunken paramour abusing
her shamefully. Then a scene in which
the wronged husband found her dying.
and by means OF a locket which she
wore about her neck and which he took.
discovered the picture Of her betrayer
He goes in quest OF him. and herein the
picture gets its title-"The Trail 10 the
Hills" He goes from one ranch to an
other. and finally Identifies the despoiler
Of his home as faro dealer. end shoots
him down in cold blood. Then he es-