User Reviews

Charles L. Gaskill has not scored any triumph in this picture, which is rather artificial in its situation and easily done. V. Ranous, its producer, has chosen very interesting backgrounds for his scenes, which are all outdoors; but hasn't succeeded in throwing the illusion of plausibility over the scenario's shortcomings. It is a rural love story in which an authoress, who seems always conveniently placed, acts as the dia ex machina, disentangling a rather knotty situation. Edith Story plays the girl, Esmeralda, and at times makes the character very human. Helen Gardner, as the authoress, is never human; she has the part that Minerva plays in the very early romantic dramas. Ralph Ince and James Morrison play country lads, but the genius of neither is really fitted for such characters. They are very intelligent, however. Tefft Johnson is better as a farmer than is Rose Tapley, who plays his wife. The story seemed to interest a small audience; but never seemed to get a very strong grip upon it. - The Moving Picture World, August 24, 1912