The Washington herald., 1914-07-22
Stories Of the Photoplays.
eth Pre.ident'. Special,

(Edison.)
The Edison Company has always ex-
celled in melodramas founded on Incl
dents connected with the train service of
our railroads, and has exceIled itself in
The Presidents Special" especially in
the exciting race between a train crowded
with children and an automobile driven
by Gertrude Mccoy in dashing style, even
IL she did not make the seventy miles
an hour claimed by the amiabIe and
able-bodied publicity manager OF the Ed
ison Company. She drove her own car
in this spirited chase with q skill and
display Of nerve that carried her into the
front ranks of girls who dare and do
more than the average man would at
tempt or accomplish under the same
circumstances. II President Wilson saw
this picture, and Miss Mccoy called
upon him Immediately thereafter In per-
son to sue for political recognition of
American Nwomanhood, our political
structure might soon receive at wom-
ans hands the housecleaning 1t has lond
needed.
Director Charles Brabin visualIzed the
story with the following cast: Railroad
president Robert Brewer; head switch
man, Charles Ogle: his wife, Gertrude
MCCOY. Several other characters and
numerous pretty children.
Even the researchfuI Brewer need not
have been mentioned-the work falls en-
dreiy upon Brabin. OgIe and dashing
Gertie. Brabin has provided a realistic
scene OF wreck, in double exposure, a
vision of Ogle after he went to sleep
at the switch and permitted the picnic
train to pass on a single track. headed
straight for the Presidents special, COM
Ing the other way. Ogle goes mad with
visions OF what is about to occur. his
mind picturi4g the wreck in ell its Dos
sible horrors, to the extent that spirits
Of the victims arise from the wreck and
denounce him. This looks like a triple
exposure from in frontal any rate, II
is admirably done.
Meanwhile. We are In a terrible state Of
suspense. until Gertie realizes that a
catastrophe is impending and starts On
her trusty steed, her swift little motor
car. to overhaul the picnic train. She
rides with such a reckless. disregard for
consequences that one becomes almost
as anxious about the brave girl as about
the children in one train and the we'll
fed president in another. An actual
screen view is given from in from: Of the
picnic train. speeding on to its doom and
Gertie driving her car at a terrific pace
on road that parallels the track She
gains slowly. while telegraph posts flash
by. and puts on a magnificent spurt Just
before reaching a grade crossing She
stops her car where il crosses the track
In front Of the approaching picnic train.
and II is halted only a few PAGES away
from her She backs on. climbs aboard
the engine and implores the engineer to
back at full speed. 1t is she who leaps
on at a switch. where Ogle has gone
mad. sidetracks the cars full of children
an instant before the Presidents special
flashes by. Miss Mccoy has made a
stirring melodrama-Brabin and OgIe as
sisting-and brand Of new reputation
for herself at the same time.
The famous Selig Company are the for
tunate possessors OF great emotional
actress. who has many and many a time
sent US home with a softened heart and
minus some real reel tears For emo
tiOnal roles are lovely Adele Lanes spe-
cialty. She is as much at home playing
q touching scene as one can be, and the