The Toll of War (1913) User Reviews

Conventional war picture centering about an attractive girl spy

[deickemeyer · 3 September 2017]

A production in three reels, the last of which pictures graphically the assassination of Lincoln. The last reel is very interesting and overshadows the first two, which are conventional war pictures centering about an attractive girl spy, portrayed by Miss Ethel Grandin. Her role is not one to awaken much sympathy, as she is called upon to steal a dispatch from her lover. The war scenes were strong, but the movement of troops meaningless so far as the plot was concerned till toward the last. The portrayal of Lincoln was better from the full face view than from the profile; the scene at the death bed suggested famous pictures of the dying president. William Clifford gave a splendid portrayal of the assassin. Booth, and the portion of the story beginning with the shooting at the theater was its strongest part. - The Moving Picture World, May 17, 1913