Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-08-15
DUSTIN FARNUM IN
THE V|RG|N|AN'
What the Metropolitan Critics
Say. .
Five Reel Production of Famous
Western Novel Proves TO Be
Splendid Entertainment.
What the Metropolitan Critics
Splendid Entertainment.

A peculiarly human quality per
vades this fve-reel photo-play, pre-
scented by Jesse l.. Lasky. TO get a
this quality one must go back boti
to the play by Kirke La Shelle ant
the novel Of Owen Wister, each 0
which met with great success
Through the entire drama the observ
er is at all times in. sympathy with
The various characters, knows then
intimately and shares their. joys ant
sorrows. laughter, tears and ap
plause greet the performance and il
it's turn the screen production will
undoubtedly take rank with novel ant
play. :
The setting is Western and there is
at all times a gratifying choice Of
scenes, ranging from plains to the
mountains themselves. The photogra
ply is smooth and clear and much o.
it is of a soft sepia tint, which proves
restful to the eyes. .
Dustin Farnum, so long successful
in the stage version Of "The Virgin
lam plays the leading roe. His
pleasing stature and appealing per
sonality carry the interest Of the Oh
servers from the beginning. Wini
fred Kingston plays successfully the
role of Molly, the girl from Vermont
who came West to teach school. J
| w. Johnston. a we'll known screen
favorite in Western parts, adds to his
laurels as the ill-fatcd Steve. Minor
characters ale not neglected and this
production is a model in the clever
manipulation Of characters.
The story itself is fEll of good hui
NOR at one moment and stalking trag
edy the next. Particularly amusing
was the exchange of babies durine
the barbecue, the excited parents
coming back after driving miles away
from the ranch before the trick was
discovered.
The tragic trend of this story in
trudc5 itself gradually through nu.
merous scenes. The Vi-ginian frs:
meets Trampas in the saloon and
here is brought out in a subtitle the
famous exclamation: "W:.en you say
that to me, smi!e.' Later Trampas
wins Steve and other cowboys to
his standard and they are rounded
up as cattle thieves. The hanging OF
Steve and his companion was effect
lively suggested by the shadows IN
the sunlight from the suspended bod
les. While this .ale is brutal in rlac
es, none of tle scenes are allowed t.
become unnecessarily depressing. .
Meantime progresses the wooing OF
Mollie by The Virginian. She learns
of his connection with the hangins
and is so repel,ed by it that she in.
tends returning East. All Of the heav'
Ter incidents Of the story are given
additional force by bringing out the
manner in which they react upon this
slip of a girl.
One material change from the stage
version is in the shooting Of Trampas
by The Virginian on their wedding
day. Instead Of drawing out this IN
pleasant business, there is one brief
scene in the barroom, where the chal
lenge is passed, and then fellows
swiftly the shooting itself. While
this robsAthe latter part of the pro
duction somewhat of suspense, it doe
not seem to detract from the strength
Of the story, which is in every Way
a superior Western production.
At the Grand Theater Monday on.
ly.-Adv.