Volume II: Filmography

THE FEAR OF POVERTY

(Pathé Exchange)

September 10, 1916 (Sunday)

Length: 5 reels

Character: Drama; Pathé Gold Rooster Play

Director: Frederick Sullivan

Scenario: Agnes Christine Johnston

Cameraman: Charles Wilbur Hoffman

Cast: Florence LaBadie (in two roles; as mother, Grace Lane, and as daughter Florence), George Marlo (John Durland, the artist), Robert Vaughn (Jim Lane), Ethyle Cooke (Betty Alsted), Edwin Stanley (Alfred Griffin), Tula Belle

Location: Some scenes were filmed in New York City's Lower East Side

Note: This film was originally scheduled for release on September 24, 1916, and many notices and listings were printed with that date. Other notices give other dates, especially September 11, 1916 (schedule in The Moving Picture World, September 30, 1916, for example). The date of September 10, 1916 is that used in Thanhouser-Pathé advertising.

ARTICLE, Exhibitors Herald, August 26, 1916:

"Florence LaBadie has just finished The Fear of Poverty, a Thanhouser feature to be released through Pathé. In this picture Miss LaBadie plays two parts - a mother and her daughter. Nearly 1,200 feet of double exposure work was necessary before director Frederick Sullivan finished the feature. Miss LaBadie's characterization of the two entirely different types is one of the best things she ever did."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, September 9, 1916:

"To attempt to satisfy the demand, Mr. Thanhouser has decided to release on September 10, Miss LaBadie in The Fear of Poverty, a five-reel drama, written by Agnes C. Johnston and directed by Frederick Sullivan.... In The Fear of Poverty, Miss LaBadie is supported by Robert Vaughn, George Marlo, Edwin Stanley, and Ethyle Cooke. Miss LaBadie plays two parts, a mother and her daughter, and a great deal of double exposure work was necessary in order to perfect the play. It is the story of a girl who was reared in poverty, who marries for love, but who finally acquires riches. She protects her daughter from the sorrows that she herself suffered. The daughter is reared in luxury and marries a man she does not love, hoping thereby to find the happiness she believes comes through wealth and social position. A novel twist in the tale, a thrilling denouement teaches mother and daughter that only through unselfish love comes true happiness."

ARTICLE, The Morning Telegraph, September 24, 1916:

"The Fear of Poverty, a story written by Agnes C. Johnston and directed by Frederick Sullivan, has lately been released, in which the Thanhouser star has a most difficult role. I frankly confessed that I was curious in regard to the technique of this dual part. 'You may well be,' Miss LaBadie said, 'for a double exposure picture tests the actress as nothing else in pictures. It is exacting and wearing. For instance, take one scene in The Fear of Poverty in which the mother enters and discovers that her daughter has had a rude awakening. First we had to rehearse the scene many, many times, keying the action to the count of the cameraman. The mother has to speak on the count of nine, the daughter on the count of twelve. You see, I had to play both parts and converse with myself. While the cameraman counted I played the mother. Then I changed my entire costume and make-up and played the daughter, after the cameraman had wound back the film and changed his shield so as to expose the other half of the negative. Nearly 1,200 feet of double exposure work was necessary before Director Frederick Sullivan finished the feature. After all the work some little thing may go wrong and it has to be retaken.

"'Greek?' she said, noting my helpless look, and as I nodded she laughed. 'After The Fear of Poverty was finished,' she continued, 'they gave me a vacation, which I improved by getting arrested for speeding. When I left for the country I vowed that I would forget all about the film world, but my hotel was situated on a big cliff and all I could think of was-wouldn't it be a dandy location for a leap? You see, I told you, it is in one's blood, it is the child of one's brain and one cannot get away from it.'

"Miss LaBadie has the reputation of being a most generous star, not only willing, but anxious to extend the helping hand. When I ventured to broach this subject she said, 'Do you realize how many walk alone and unknown when the stretching out of even the smallest hand might be able to lead them from the narrow lane into the broad avenue of achievement, if only that hand would be willingly stretched? We who have been fortunate can sometimes turn so easily the knob of the door of opportunity and throw it wide for another-then why not? 'My motto is, 'Give every one you possibly can a chance.' It is then up to them whether they remain weeds or blossom.' As I was leaving Miss LaBadie said, 'Will you kindly, through your paper, extend to my fans my sincere appreciation of their devotion and tell them that the thought that it is mine has stimulated me many a time?' And so I left this girl - so simple in her speech, so direct in her manner, realizing that the success she has already won she fully deserves."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, September 9, 1916:

"The Fear of Poverty, the Pathé Gold Rooster release for September 10, has a title which in itself commands attention. If it is true, as it is said, that over 80% of the population of the United States is either wholly or partially dependent in old age, then the fear of poverty may be considered as an almost universal characteristic. Taking this as the theme, Miss Agnes C. Johnston, the brilliant young author of The Shine Girl, a recent Pathé release, has written a story which will excite wide interest. Florence LaBadie, star of The Million Dollar Mystery, as well as many successful features, is the central figure of this production. Her part is unique, since she is required to play four separate and distinct roles - first, that of a young girl brought up in poverty; secondly, the same girl married to a wealthy man and taking an active part in society; thirdly, that same girl as a middle-aged mother, and, fourthly, her young and frivolous daughter, capable of great depths but as yet not aroused to her inner self. Such a part is a strong tax upon the artistic resources of the player, and that Miss LaBadie is always convincing in her various roles speak strongly for her talents.

"The story in its later phases, where the rich young girl has yet to find that she has a soul, brings to mind the famous play The Poor Little Rich Girl, which was one of the biggest Broadway successes of recent years. In each a girl surrounded by all that money could buy was, by reason of her wealth, a lonely figure without real friends and by force of her training never allowed to be her real self. The cast is excellent, including, as it does, in addition to Miss LaBadie, Ethyle Cooke and George Marlo. Elaborate settings and beautiful exteriors signalize a production which evidently received unusual care from the Thanhouser Company, which produced it."

SYNOPSIS, The Moving Picture World, September 23, 1916:

"A struggling family lose their toilsome savings of years with the failure of a savings bank. With it all hopes are lost of leaving the sordid city behind and building a cottage in the country. The shattered dream instills in the heart of the daughter the fear of poverty, which clings to her throughout her life. Even after she has married and wealth comes to her the constant fear haunts her. A daughter is born, and surfeited by every luxury, she develops into a narrow and selfish nature. Two men come into her life - an artist whose love is real, and the other, a wealthy social butterfly with a nature narrower than her own. But the artist is not destined for worldly riches, as he paints the truth - people's souls - and he paints a sleeping pose of her because, as he tells her, 'Your soul has never been awakened.' The mother, prompted by the old fear, forces her to marry wealth. With the fear of poverty comes a poverty of the soul. Then through a great sorrow her soul is finally awakened to the realization that happiness can spring from humbleness and that true love's redeeming rays finds its saving way to the clouded depths of her heart."

REVIEW, Exhibitors Herald, September 9, 1916: This review is reprinted in the narrative section of the present work.

REVIEW by Agnes Smith, The Morning Telegraph, September 3, 1916:

"The Fear of Poverty is a drama which strikes a note of sincerity. Agnes Johnston, who wrote the story and who is also the author of The Shine Girl, a recent Thanhouser feature, has taken a 'slice of life' and turned it into a screen play which should have a wide appeal. Two logical and finely drawn character studies are to be found in the production. One is Mrs. Lane, the mother, who, having known the sordidness of poverty, has educated her daughter to believe that in wealth only will she find happiness. The other is Florence, her daughter, who is the natural result of her mother's training. Both of these characters are so deftly drawn by Miss Johnston and so nicely played, by Florence LaBadie who is seen in a dual role, that they make a human appeal for our sympathies.

"A prologue to the main action of the picture tells us of Mrs. Lane's early struggles against poverty. Her husband invents a machine which makes him rich and shortly after achieving success he dies, leaving his wife in comfortable circumstances. Florence Lane, their daughter, is brought up with the idea that she must make a good marriage. Alfred Griffin, whom her mother supposes is wealthy, wins her love and, refusing a young portrait painter who is genuinely in love with her, she marries him. Not long after she learns that her husband had believed her rich and that he had only married her for her money. Poverty is inevitable for the loveless young couple. Rather than face it, Griffin shoots himself, carefully planning his suicide so that it will appear that Florence had killed him. The testimony of the butler clears her. By the tragedy, both she and her mother are awakened to a new realization of life.

"Frederick Sullivan has brought out the main points in the story in good style and the production moves clearly and convincingly. Florence LaBadie's natural, sincere and unexaggerated acting is a pleasure to watch and she gives intelligent portrayals of the roles of both mother and daughter. As the elderly Mrs. Lane she avoids obviously artificial make-up. Other members of the cast are good and the photography and settings are satisfactory."

REVIEW by Patrick Kearney, Motion Picture Mail, September 9, 1916:

"Rather depressing throughout, but artistically depressing and not simply morbid, is this Thanhouser production. It is built out of a theme eminently true, and unusual for pictures, and it is worked out logically in good and effective sequence. The tragic note of the tale, persistent throughout, is lightened at the end, which is really in a sense tragic by a glint of hopefulness in spite of defeat. Thus, the ending is exceedingly tragic, but one is given to understand that the future of the characters will be brightened on account of the tragedy. The teaching is thus optimistic and will therefore find favor in the eyes of those who don't care for the utterly hopeless.

"The story is quite simple. Grace, a poor girl, always used to hard work and squalid living, marries a man who afterward becomes rich. Her life has been so imbued with the horror and fear of poverty, however, that she takes no enjoyment from existence. Her daughter is brought up to believe that wealth is everything. She is, therefore, persuaded to marry a rich man in preference to one whom she could really love. Unhappiness results. After her marriage her love for the other man grows; her husband is worthless and unfaithful. In the end he commits suicide, and Florence is left free to go to her young artist, which she is no longer afraid to do. Florence LaBadie plays the parts of both mother and daughter. Complete understanding and feeling are evident in both characterizations. The balance of the cast is good, and the picture is skillfully directed."

REVIEW by Margaret I. MacDonald, The Moving Picture World, September 16, 1916:

"The second of Agnes C. Johnston's stories appearing in the Gold Rooster Program evidences the same carefully devised characterization, and the same remarkable insight into things human. There is the same tendency to picture life in snatches rather than to arrange facts in a conventional story form, and the effect is good because the central idea is made clear. Florence LaBadie is the featured member of the cast, playing a double role, that of mother and daughter. Miss LaBadie is to be especially commended for her portrayal of these two distinct characters - the one that of the girl reared in poverty, who later realizes her desire for wealth, accompanied by a fear of poverty which saps the sweetness from every joy, and the other that of the daughter whose mother, in constant watchfulness that her daughter should want for none of the luxuries of life, aids in the development of the selfish nature. The tragic result of her marrying a supposedly wealthy social parasite rather than the poor but manly artist is a fitting climax to the story. In the supporting cast are George Marlo, Edwin Stanley, Ethyle Cooke, and other competent players. The production has had the advantage of careful staging, and, as would be expected from the nature of the subject, is of excellent moral tone. The scenes, taken on New York's East Side, are well chosen and interesting. There is plenty of opportunity in the play for all concerned, the result being that the flow of action is continuous and easy."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, September 23, 1916:

"This five-part production was made by the Thanhouser Company from Agnes C. Johnston's scenario. Florence LaBadie is the featured member of the cast and plays skillfully the double role of mother and daughter. The production has been staged effectively, and will be much enjoyed. A full review will be found elsewhere."

REVIEW, Wid's Film and Film Folk, August 31, 1916:

"While really this is not an exceptionally new thought, nor does the story provide many new angles, still, with a production which satisfies, the offering will register generally as a rather pleasing one. It is the story of wealth failing to bring happiness which runs through two generations, finishing with a dramatic situation that was rather good, and a happy ending. Brought up in poverty, a working girl married an inventor and with him hoarded their wealth through the years so that their daughter need never know 'the fear of poverty.' The mother found that too much attention to money matters had resulted in her missing happiness, she always being haunted by the thought of the early days of want. This was the weak spot in the story, to me, because few will understand the thought of refusing to enjoy wealth after it was attained.

"Nevertheless, the daughter was persuaded to marry for wealth instead of love, this being easily accomplished by the fact that she had become self-willed and spoiled, with the result that she played for a wealthy idler after his engagement was announced to another girl, simply because she wanted what she felt was difficult to secure. The passing years brought unhappiness, because her husband was unfaithful and because he ruined himself financially entertaining other women. The poor artist lover, who had been refused, lurked in the offing until the no-account husband killed himself, and then we saw the happy ending in sight.

"There were many parts of this story which were very draggy and the only truly big situation was that preceding the suicide of the husband and the scenes following where the wife was accused of his murder. A servant witness quickly cleared her, and then we knew that true love would win. While some of the interiors in this were particularly well lighted, some of them were a bit ordinary. The same was true of the sets, some were splendid and others were just passable. We had many good close-ups, some of which were exceptionally well lighted. Miss LaBadie was presented in the dual role of mother and daughter. She made her characterizations convincing and at times she was quite beautiful. Fortunately there was not too much of the dual role with double exposures as to make it objectionable. The double exposure scenes were particularly well done, being timed perfectly, with no trace of the line dividing the action.

"Edwin Stanley, as the wealthy idler, had the most important role in support of Miss LaBadie, and his work was very good, he being a good type for such a character. The others in the supporting cast were good, but none of them registered personality enough to make their work stand out in a distinctive manner. Supporting were Robert Vaughn and George Marlo.

"The Box Office Angle: This is not an exceptional film but I believe that it will satisfy because of the fact that it takes the time honored sentiment of love dominating wealth and glorifies it. The title of the film should pull some business at the box office, and Miss LaBadie's long term of service in regular program productions as well as many features has made her name well enough known to insure considerable business. I would not promise too much on this as to the production or the star, but would resort rather to arousing interest in the theme of the story. Use such lines as these in your advertising: 'Will your children have to face the fear of poverty?' 'Are you denying yourself true happiness by saving too closely?' 'See The Fear of Poverty.'"

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