New-York tribune., 1919-11-18
On the Screen
Guy Empey's s'The Undercur-
rent" 1s Feature Picture at
the Capitol
By Harriette Underh;ll

Iuy Empeys The Undercurrent' >
which is the feature picture at the
Capitol this week, is an expose Of the
methods employed by the Bolsheviki tc
win men to their cause.
The picture was something of dis
appointment to us, inasmuch as there
was IN it none of the fine humor and
imagination which is Mr. Empey's. And
the titles are not the sort we would
have expected Mr.. Empey to do, but
perhaps he did not do them. 1t is a
plain statement OF facts, however
which should be convincing to any one
who needs to be convinced.
When the story opens you see huge
tank coming toward you, and when il
gets near enough to be a "close up it
opens up and Mr.. Empey steps out. He
is on his way home after leaving the
war
This is a good beginning, but imme
diately a fellow soldier comes up, and
seeing the sergeant reading a letter,
says: Tell us all about it," which
gives him chance to tell his story in
pictures-meeting his girl, getting
married, leaving a son and so on up
to the present moment with the two
sitting on the tank
50 you are we'll acquainted with
wife and child when Sergeant Duncan
goes home and joins his family.
Almost as soon as the happy soldier
arrives in his native town the Reds
mark him as their victim, for this pic
ture is story of Bolshevism and the
undercurrent is the unrest which
Ia ,
sugar strikes, milk strikes, coal strikes,
etc.
They work in mysterious wav and
their agents are everywhere. What
they cannot do by appealing to man s
sense of fairness" they endeavor to do
by a different appeal One Of these
appeals was played by Betty Blythe,
who is lovely enough to turn any man s
head.
For any one who likes riots, fires,
fights and mobs we recommend this
picture beyond all others. 1t is big
picture in the literal sense Of the word.
and there is one thing it does not do:
it does not show the employer as some
thing little less human than a
hyena, aughingly taking the crusts
from the children's mouths John Lor-
ing was very nice sort of person who
was in no way to blame for the under
current of unrest in his mills.
The cast is a strong one In sup
port Of Mr.. Empey are seen Florence
Evelyn Martin, Marguerite Courtot,
Charles Stevenson, Sally Crutt, Eugene
Strong, and Arthur Donaldson
"a Star Over Night" is interesting.
because of the cast. Of course, in a
case Of this kind no one expects any
thing in the way of plot.
David Belasco is seen for the first
time on the screen. He is directing
new play, in which Jane Wolf has a
small part. But, at the last moment.
the star of the production, in fit of
temperament leaves the theater and
Jane is thrown into the, part. Thus
she becomes star over night.
Elizabeth Risdon is seen as the lucky
star. The young playwright is Bruce
Rae: Hilda Spong is the chaperone.
Capitol Band is given larger section
and GLADYS Morris, Kathleen Nesbit,
Mrs. Nate Rothschild and Edward
Martndel are also seen In the picture.
We must say that Mr.. Belasco seems
totally unconscious Of the camera as
ne directs his players.
Ned Wayburns Demi-Tasse Revue
remains the same and Arthur Pryor's
Capital Band is given larger section
OF the program than usual.