es
him at last and chases him faster, faster, faster, and faster, and
finally catches him. If the film was made in the days before the National
Board of Censorship, it ends with the cowboy cheerfully hanging the
villain; all details given to the last kick of the deceased.

One of the best Action Pictures is an old Griffith Biograph, recently
reissued, the story entitled "Man's Genesis." In the time when
cave-men-gorillas had no weapons, Weak-Hands (impersonated by Robert
Harron) invents the stone club. He vanquishes his gorilla-like rival,
Brute-Force (impersonated by Wilfred Lucas). Strange but credible manners
and customs of the cave-men are detailed. They live in picturesque caves.
Their half-monkey gestures are wonderful to see. But these things are
beheld on the fly. It is the chronicle of a race between the brain of
Weak-Hands and the body of the other, symbolized by the chasing of poor
Weak-Hands in and out among the rocks until the climax. Brain desperately
triumphs. Weak-Hands slays Brute-Force with the startling invention. He
wins back his stolen bride, Lily-White (impersonated by Mae Marsh). It is
a Griffith masterpiece, and every actor does sound work. The audience,
mechanical Americans, fond of crawling on their stomachs to tinker their
automobiles, are eager over the evolution of the first weapon from a
stick to a hammer. They are as full of curiosity as they could well be
over the history of Langley or the Wright brothers.

The dire perils of the motion pictures provoke the ingenuity of the
audience, not their passionate sympathy. When, in the minds of the
deluded producers, the beholders should be weeping or sighing with
desire, they are prophesying the next step to one another in worldly
George Ade slang. This is illustrated in another good Action Photoplay:
the dramatization of The Spoilers. The original novel was written by Rex
Beach. The gallant William Farnum as Glenister dominates the play. He has
excellent support. Their team-work makes them worthy of chronicle: Thomas
Santschi as McNamara, Kathlyn Williams as Cherry Malotte, Bessie Eyton
as Helen Chester, Frank Clark as Dextry, Wheeler Oakman as Bronco Kid,
and Jack McDonald as Slapjack.

There are, in The Spoilers, inspiriting ocean scenes and mountain views.
There are interesting sketches of mining-camp manners and customs. There
is a well-acted love-interest in it, and the element of the comradeship
of loyal pals. But the chase rushes past t