Volume II: Filmography

UNDER FALSE COLORS

December 22, 1914 (Tuesday)

Length: 2 reels

Character: "A drama of the shams of society"

Scenario: Adapted from Sarah Doudney's story of the same name

Cast: Florence LaBadie (Mary Newel), Frank Wood (Mary's lover), Mary Elizabeth Forbes (Genevieve Watts, the artist), Virginia Waite (Genevieve's aunt), May Dunne, Mrs. Frank Farrington

Notes: 1. The length of this film was listed erroneously as one reel in some notices. 2. An unrelated five-reel Thanhouser film with the same title, Under False Colors, was released on the Pathé Exchange Program on September 23, 1917.

BACKGROUND OF THE SCENARIO: The Thanhouser scenario was derived from a work by Sarah Doudney (1843-1926), an English poet, novelist, and writer of children's books. Under False Colours was first published in 1889. Doudney's typical novel had well developed characters but very little plot.

ADVERTISEMENT, The Moving Picture World, December 19, 1914:

"This drama is the first Thanhouser release featuring Florence LaBadie since The Million Dollar Mystery appeared. It is an exceptional two-reel play with Florence LaBadie in the title role...."

ARTICLE, The Moving Picture World, December 26, 1914:

"The million admirers Florence LaBadie gained for herself while playing in The Million Dollar Mystery would be delighted to learn of an opportunity to renew their screen acquaintance with the exquisite French-Canadian actress. She is soon to appear on the mutual program in a two-reel Thanhouser featured called Under False Colors. This is to be the first of a series of strong, dramatic pictures in which Miss LaBadie is to play the leads. Her work in the serial mentioned above, while it served to emphasize that girlish grace and charm which always has been hers, proved also that the little actress has a forceful dramatic instinct all her own. She has nerve, too, and there has yet to appear a risk she will not take on sight for the sake of making a picture good. No wonder her followers are a loyal lot."

SYNOPSIS, Reel Life, December 12, 1914:

"Genevieve Watts, an heiress, weary of society life, remonstrates with their conventional aunt, declaring that within a year she will convince her that society is all sham. Several months later, Genevieve, who has gone to the country to sketch, meets a charming young girl, Mary Newel, whom she invites to spend a winter in New York. Genevieve buys Mary the most beautiful clothes that the city affords, and introduces her to society as a mysterious princess driven to the United States by the war, where she is traveling incognita. Soon the young man with whom Genevieve is in love becomes infatuated with the supposed princess - and so before long the heiress exposes the fraud. Immediately all the world turns cold to Mary, who is glad to escape back to her own country home and her own people. But Genevieve has proved her point."

REVIEW, The Morning Telegraph, December 20, 1914:

"To prove the truth of her statement that society is a sham, Genevieve brings a pretty country girl to the city, buys her wonderful clothes and introduces her as a princess driven here by the war. All the men flock to her side, and in a little while the man who was supposed to be in love with Genevieve becomes infatuated with the supposed princess. Then Genevieve exposes the fraud. The little girl's 'friends' disappear and she is glad to return to her home, but Genevieve has proved her point, however cruelly."

REVIEW, The Moving Picture World, Jan. 2, 1915:

"A two-reel offering in which an heiress with artistic yearnings induces a country girl to go into society. Flo LaBadie plays the latter part in an appealing way. The heiress becomes jealous of her protegé and reveals the deception during a dance, afterward repenting. But the country girl goes back to her own people. This is constructed in an entertaining way and well photographed. It makes a good offering of the society type."

REVIEW, The New York Dramatic Mirror, December 30, 1914:

"Flo LaBadie is one to win respect and appreciation, even lacking a role which seems to call for more than the usual amount of sympathy. If people must be humiliated they would rather see it in private than at a public reception, which is the place that the author chooses for it. That and a true estimate of human affection constitute its strength. It tells the tale of the artist girl who promises to convince her aunt that society is a sham by introducing a member who shall prove her intention. She cleverly arranges to introduce the pretty country girl into her set as a certain 'princess,' and at the big reception finds her own young man in love with the person of the girl she is imposing on society. She then consents to give up the man whom she sees is not worthy of her, since he loves another, but the girl prefers to go back to her country lover. The plot, a rather simple one, is worked out for its full possibilities. Close ups and other attenuating expedience help to extend it two full reels. The picture receives the best of treatment from a mechanical standpoint."

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