San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-28
EMPIRE is GOOD.
Showing Booth Tarkingston'- Story OF
the Old South.

The bull doing, bullying. rip-snort-
ing, feud fighting. gentlemen" of the
days preceding the Civil War are re-
vived and put into action in most ef-
fective manner in the James Cruze
production at the Empire Theater this
week. The Fighting Coward is an
amusing comedy drama of the South
by Booth Harrington. that is filled
with action throughout, and sweeps hi
lariously IN TO an amusing and happy
finish. The show is given to the
screen by James Cruze, the director
who made "Ruggles OF Red Gap"
The Covered Wagon" and Holly
wood
Tom Rumford. who is southern
born lad, but who was raised in Phila-
deiphia by Quaker relatives, returns
to the home of bis father. on the
Mississippi river front. and falls In
love with his pretty foster sister FL
vira. played by Phyllis Haver. The
birds and the flowers offer a strong
appeal to the Gentle Tom Rumford,
played by Cullen Lands. and all runs
smoothly in his love affair with e.
vira, until Major Patterson, a former
rejected sutton of Elvira's, admirably
played by Noah Berry, returns from
serving a Jail sentence. and imme-
diately starts trouble. Major Patter-
son and his brother Joe are out gun
ming for Willie Jones, who had them
jailed for three months for killing his
brother. To the Pattersons this is, a
smirch upon their honor and they re-
fuse to rest in peace until this blot is
removed by killing Willie Jones.
When this is accomplished, Major
Patterson, now that his honor has
been INDICATED by this second murder.
returns and again asks Elvira to
marry him. When Elvira refuses. tell
ing the major that she is engaged to
Tom Rumford. Patterson Immediately
decides that the time has come for
Tom to be killed. and challenges him
TO duel by presenting his card. I'm.
accustomed as he is to Southern GUS
toms. Tom refuses to fight, and as a
result of this is banished from his
home by his father. after suffering
much humiliation at the hands of the
Patterson brothers. and being called
a coward by everyone.
So Tom leaves his home again. and
in bis wanderings meets Gen. Orlando
Jackson, n notorious killer" the pro-
prietor Of gambling den, who is
afraid of no man in the world but a
''CunBel' Blackie, who has eighteen
successful due,s TO his credit. In an
encounter with Colonel Blackie. who
calls himself the widest ourang-out.
ang of the "a United States. and the
unclaimed alligator Of the dismal Flor.
ida swamps" Tom delivers, with the
aid of two empty Lins. AM several
chairs. a most severe punishment upon
the notorious "Cunnel" Blackie. and
declares to the world at large that be
is THE notorious 'Cunner Blake. the
widest alligator of the "a United
States, and the baboon of Florida"
As a result Of this fight Tom Gre
ates reputation. and upholds this
reputation with the assistance of a
great deal of noise and much bluff. He
becomes famous all along the Missis-
sjppi river and returns home several
succeeds in making monkeys OF those
who had once deemed him a coward
1t all ends well. and Tom succeeds in
causing ALL the onetime DULLES to
chase butterflies with a net, TO train
themselves for fighting.
The comedy is Midnight Blues"
There is also an interesting colored
pieturization OF the history of Old
Glory. partly in pastel paintings and
partly in regular color pictures. A
touch Of Southern atmosphere is fur
rished by the Empire Orchestra over
ture, ''The Sunny South" conducted
by Don Philippini.