The Clayton citizen. [volume] (Clayton, Union County, N.M.) 1906-19??, 1916-11-23
A COMPARISON OF
TWO SCREEN PICTURES
THE PATRIOT" AND THE
SHRINE OF HAPPINESS"-A
CONTRAST

The "Shrine of Happiness" with
Jackie Saunders as the "star" at the
Mission last Saturday evening was
picture-play worth while. With the
exception of the one tragedy scene,
which could easily have been avoided
with far more interesting outcome,
it is one Of the very best, high-class
pictures ever filmed. 1t is sprinkled
here and there with just enough COM
edy to heighten the life and effect Of
the story taken as a whole. The
simplicity of the beautiful Marie in
the home of the bachelor brothers,
the elder of whom was an old time
friend of her father, who dying sent
her to his friend, is natural and is
brought out by "Jackie" with pleasing
effect. After her school days, the
force of which brings to view whole,
some characteristics in the foreground
of life in the career of beautiful Marie,
the triangular sacrifices in the lives
of the three begin to evolve, and,
through intricate, but natural, plot
with pleasing, rational detail, continue
to happy ending for all. Such screen
stories are worth while. They are ed
ucational and uplifting and are really
what ninety per cent of photoplay pa
irons want and appreciate. There are
no longer any thrills in the tragedies
of human life, Stories that tend to
uplift in life, rather than down-pull
to tragedy and death, are what the
people want. In doleful, painful con-
trast is the story of "The Patriot" in
which William S. Hart, the great
screen actor, was the star "The Pa
triot" starts out well and is true to
life up to the episode in which the man
who had fought for, and been betray-
ed by the agent of his country and
agent Of it's system of legalized usurp-
alton, supplanting and robbery, de-
termines to go to Mexico, join the
bandits and betray his country. From
that point to the end the episodes are
mere vagaries in cumberland, and,
though Hart fails in nothing assigned
him, the balance of the story appeals
only to the most primitive and unedu-
Gated, unthinking minds. The intrigue
with the Mexican bandits, an impos-
sible episode for the transaction of a
"patriot," the death of little Boobies
mother just in the nick of time, and
for no other purpose or reason than
to give "the patriot" who is betray.
ing his country,-just think of such
inconsistency-an opportunity to re-
pent, the display of military or rather
bush-whacking, action, the final vic
tory of the American forces over {
handful of ordinary bandits, the res
cue of little "Bobbie" by the repentant
redeemed patriot" and his final es
cape to the mountains with littl,
"Bobbie" in his arms on a government
horse as the reward Of his double &C
of perfdy, first to the forces of hi
native country and second to the Mex
lean bandits are all cheap appeals t
the poorest, weakest spots in the hu
man makeup; and yet the people, VIII
expect higher and better things o
photoplay producers and help to main
tain the industry by their patronage
are imposed upon, not by the exhibito
who is also imposed upon, but by tn
producers whose story titles are to
sften misleading and deceptive. Wi
liam S. Hart is a wonder in screenlanC
but his own native screenland, in sue
productions as "The Patriot" is ira
tor to his screen capabilities, reduC
ing the exponent of his screen power
to the lowest possible figure.