The Actress (1911) User Reviews

The Majestic company has produced a picture that will prove its claim to serious consideration

[deickemeyer · 3 June 2016]

Sacrifice to duty is a fruitful theme of story writer and dramatist. Naturally, it crops out in the picture now and then. One of the best portrayals of this theme seen in some time is given in a Majestic subject entitled "The Actress." With an excellent cast headed by Miss Mabel Trunnellc and Herbert Prior, the Majestic company has produced a picture that will prove its claim to serious consideration. Briefly, it is the story of an incident in theatrical life, while by no means common, yet one that happens, testing the fortitude of even the strongest character. A new play is about to be produced and the company is at its last rehearsal on the day of presentation when the star receives a message that her child is seriously ill and likely to die. Abandoning everything, the distracted mother hastens to the bedside of her little one and the company at the theater is thrown into confusion. The manager attempts to find someone to take the part thus left without a player, but no one will undertake it. He is driven almost frantic, for he realizes that he must keep faith with the public. It is decided to make a final appeal to the actress upon the ground of duty. She yields with great reluctance and leaving her child in the care of the doctor and nurse, returns to the theater for the opening performance of the play. It is a comedy and, though her heart is torn with anxiety for her child, she must appear in her happiest mood. We see her in her dressing room laboring under the greatest mental strain, endeavoring to prepare for her appearance on the stage. She fairly staggers from the dressing room for her first entrance, her features drawn in agony, and then she appears upon the stage all smiles. In this manner the picture proceeds to the end of the play, giving a glimpse of the sick chamber when the crisis of the child's illness arrives, to illustrate the method of administering oxygen, an interesting bit of business that has been introduced here. The play being concluded and the actors having taken their final curtain calls, the mother hastens to the side of her child to find, happily, that its life has been saved. The story is well fitted to bring out the best in Miss Trunnelle. While we have always thought her best in comedy roles, where her sweet, girlish features appear to the fullest advantage, she has proved in this picture that she is quite as capable of portraying dramatic parts. The part is played with a tense earnestness that is certain to touch the heart of the observer, yet the closest scrutiny will fail to reveal the least exaggeration of emotion which might so easily have happened where the portrayal of so widely varying emotions is demanded. The subject recalls the Edison picture, "Comedy and Tragedy," in which Madame Pilar-Morin gave a similar portrayal. While the demands upon the emotional powers of the photoplayer are equally great in either subject, Miss Trunnelle's work does not suffer by comparison with that of the artiste of greater renown. If anything, it is more pleasing. As for the rest of the company there is much to be said in praise of the excellent manner in which they supported Miss Trunnelle. They seem to suffer in silent sympathy with her and sustain the illusion of tense anxiousness for the ability of the grief stricken mother to keep up her nerve and get through with her part. With a few more such pictures as this there will be no question as to the standing of the Majestic Company in the picture-making world. - The Moving Picture World, December 16, 1911