New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-02-13
On the Screen
The Honor System" Has
Its Premiere at the
Lyric Theatre

The Honor System with lts twelve
postponements, five hundred soldiers, q
thousand MeXicans, two hundred horses
and an ali-star cast, Opened az the
Lyric Theatre Yesterday afternoon. Its
STAY is indefinite. but this much is GER
tain: "The Honor system" may stay as
long as it chooses. Every one who sees
il will send all OF MS friends 70 see
it. and b. that time It will be time Tor
him % see IL again. IL would be quite
welcome as twice told tale"
or course. THE Honor System" is
primarily a preachment, but so cleverly
is IL disguised that one does not realize
that he is being induced TO see the
light until too late, and then be has
already seen It.
The picture runs for nearly three
hours. As the curtain rises FOR the
first act the stage Is set for 8 prison
scene. and Milton Sills, who plays the
prosecuted hero, Is seen in prison garb
kneeling under a barred window. The
effect is quite weird and impressive.
Then a bell tolls, the theatre IS dark
and the picture is on.
No pains has been spared 70 make
"The Honor System" a success; those
who do not wish to be reformed, but
insist on going on, blind 70 the suffer,
ing OF their fellow men, may stay and
see the first act only. This deals with
wireless telegraphy. Mexican revolu-
tons. beautiful dance nall girls and
bar-oom brawls; also some exceedingly
clever and amusing children VINO. ID
their innocent glee, pelt one another
with bread dough and put the dog IN
the flour barrel. No reform there
Those who do not wish 70 think, how,
ever. would better 60 before the second
act. FOR this is bound TO give one pause
IL shows the hero imprisoned for life y
what is. alas, a real prison. The only
thing which is withheld is the name o.
the town. IL is somewhere IN Arizona.
The last act has 20 DO with prison re-
form, and IL makes every one Teel a;
glad and as virtuous as though he were
responsible fer the changed conditions.
IL is but a step from the sublime u
the ridiculous, and it would take JUS
such cast as has been selected q
make a play like "The Honor System
convincing.
Nothing finer ever has been seen OF
the screen than the scene between 10
semi Stanton and Governor Hunter
James A. Marcus makes the Governor I
wholesome, big hearted, broadmindet
man, who does his duty in the face o.
all opposition. As for Milton Sills
we'll. he has his audience with him "
the losthsome dungeon where SNAKES
crawl in and out OF the crevices. HC
takes the spectators with him as ~
stumbles, blinded by the light, up the
stairs. and as be falls almost llfeless al
the feet of the Governor who has come
TO inquire into prison conditions, the
women IN the theatre wipe their tears
surreptitiously for fear the persons
with them will laugh. They need not
have worried. for the companions were
too busy wiping away their own. II
takes wonderful acting 20 make men
weep at a moving picture performance.
GLADYS Brockwell, the dance hall girl
Is described on the programme as "a
product Of the Western saloon, beauti-
ful with the baIeful beauty Of the
poison Aower" Miss Brockwell never
has done anything better than her
Trixie Bennett.
The popular George Walsh IS quite
pleasing az Jack Taylor, but unfortu-
nately a Mexican bullet cut short his
career in the first reel. Miriam Cooper
Is Edith. who loves the convict and
narries the man she sees back Of the
stripes. Miss Cooper is not convincing
in the earlier part of the picture, bat
improves on acquaintance. Her role Is
one of the sugary sort, so difficult TO
ulav without apparent self-satlsfaction.
Charles Clary is a perfect type OF the
INSCRIPTIONS attorney who sells prison
labor.
One may not pass over Louis, Phelan
and Muggsey in mentioning the excel
lent work done by the cast. Ray Rice.
2. J. Cannon and Johnny Reese were
chosen for these characters. and u
would have been impossible TO ind
more artistic ard yillanOus trio. Not
the least Of Louis's transgressions was
tina. he wore a badger hair cut.
Some sort Of a working plan had
been arranged, which would have been
most disastrous had i miscarried. II
did not, however. When a dog was seen
20 bark on the screen real barks is-
sued from his canine throat. OF course,
they must have been produced of
stage, but il was most effective. Then
when Edith sang Lead Kindly Light
she really sang il, and when the noon
day whistle blew one could hear as
well as see 10.
The Mexican raid was accompanied
BIZ cowboy cries, and, as 1t says in the
primer, "the engine said 'Choo choo'
and the COW said Moo moo all small
things in themselves, but all helping 20
make the picture real.
The Honor system was directed by
P. 4. Walsh, photographed by George
Benoi: and edited by Hettie Gray
Baker. The musical programme was
arranged By S. L. Rothapfel. II. L.