Jess—Part 1

“The novels of Sir H. Rider Haggard are particularly well adapted to the requirements of the picture play, for, in most of his works the study of psychology is subordinated to the development of action, and its characterization is of that simple and direct kind which is certain of making its appeal without unduly taxing the intellectual faculties, either of the exponents or of their audience. In adapting the story of Jess the Thanhouser Company have been very successful in retaining the point of main interest, and bringing out the plot in a very effective manner. The play opens on the South African farm of Silas Croft, an Englishman, who lives there with his two nieces, Jess and Bess, between whom there is a very strong affection. An English officer, Captain John Neil, joins Croft as his partner, and it is soon evident that he has created a very favourable impression on both sisters. He is, at first, attracted towards Jess, but she, finding that her younger sister is rapidly falling in love with Neil, determines to leave the field open to her, and for this purpose goes for a long visit to a friend in Pretoria.

“It is during her absence that the first disquieting rumours of the Boer rebellion are heard, and Neil is dispatched by old Croft to escort Jess back to her home. A Boer farmer, named Muller, is an unsuccessful rival of Neil for Bess’s affections, and, in revenge for his repulse, he accuses Croft of treasonable practices, and contrives to get the old man sentenced to death. Jess arrives at the farm the night before, in spite of desperate attempts on the part of Muller to prevent her, and, overhearing a proposal from his to procure the release of Croft, on condition that Bess consents to marry him, she determines that he himself shall die. Muller is so horror-stricken at her appearance, having believed that he had caused her death by drowning, that he throws himself over a cliff, and Jess succumbs to the exhaustion following her flight from Pretoria, her sister being united to Neil over her body.

“The two sisters both give very attractive performances, and the acting throughout is entirely adequate. The author does not present a flattering picture of the Boer forces, but as the villain is necessarily on their side, treachery and disregard of the recognised rules of war must be allowed to pass as necessary to the exigencies of the plot. The flight of Neil and Jess under the fire of the Boers is exciting in the extreme, and the catastrophe at the ford, where their wagon is overturned and they are carried away by a raging stream, is one of the finest pieces of realism we remember to have seen. This episode alone should attract lovers of real sensation. We are introduced to Oom Paul Kruger at his headquarters, and the camp scenes and the attack on the farm house are carried out with dash and spirit. But surely there are some real Negroes still left in South Africa—or have they all emigrated to America? In either case, it might have been possible to procure some farm hands who might have been more convincing in appearance, though their acting is excellent, and helps to fill in the detail of a very interesting and stimulating story.”

“Jess, from the adventure story by H. Rider Haggard, is now a Thanhouser ‘classic.’ It is in three remarkable reels. The sun-kissed sands of Africa fairly glisten and the desert winds whirl almost out of the picture and around the spectators. Such an exhibition of realism, fit to nature, and stirring character portrayals are rarely seen on the screen. ‘Jess’ sympathetic, heroic, self-sacrificing, makes an appeal such as is difficult to shake off. She worms her way gradually but irresistibly and stands out in relief, a noble martyr to love and self-sacrifice. The exhibition of pantomime and portraying these varying emotions and characteristics is a revelation. The title role is taken by Marguerite Snow. Flo LaBadie plays the sister, Bess. James Cruze is powerful in the part of Captain John Neil, the Englishman, and William Russell gets real hatred from you as Muller, the treacherous Boer. Miss Snow and Mr. Cruze seem to take their lives in their hands in the scene depicting their escape from Muller through the ford. The wagon in which they cross the stream is overturned by the strong current, and Mr. Cruze pulls Miss Snow out from under the vehicle just in the nick of time and swims with her to safety. It is the deed of daring that is not encountered in the motion pictures every day.

“The subject is so filmed that the love story of Jess and Neil is given in the first reel, which is released May 21st, and the story of their wartime adventures appears in the second and third reels, which issue the Tuesday following, May 28th. The fire scenes in the latter portion of the picture, showing the destruction of Silas Croft’s home, are very realistic; they are on a par with the fire scenes in Flames and Fortune, the house-burning Thanhouser sensation of last year. The picture takes on its highest degree of interest when Muller, whom Jess had rejected, is shown plotting the destruction of Jess in the man she loves, Neil. It is here that the overturned wagon figures. Jess and Neil are on their way to Pretoria, under official Boer protection supposedly, when Muller tricks the escort into thinking that Oom Paul Kruger wishes the couple killed. Crossing the stream, the Boer escort fire upon the pair and it is in the attempt to evade the musketry that the incident of the overturned cart occurs. Jess and Neil become separated and the girl reaches the farm of Croft, her uncle, alone. There she finds that the villain Muller has been ahead of her, that her uncle is a prisoner on a charge of treason. Muller, who is military head of the district, tells Bess that Croft will be convicted and hanged unless Bess consents to marry him. The girl, however, refuses; the court-martial is held and, when Jess arrives, her uncle is under sentence to die at dawn, a few hours away. There is no one to whom she can appeal, and Jess, grief stricken, decides to be her own avenger. And vengeance is hers in a way that is highly dramatic and highly moving-picturesque. The whole story is full of life and movement and holds the spectator’s interest every minute.”