"Drifting, a two reel photoplay produced under the direction of Jack Navin, ACL, is an old school melodrama, planned, played and directed to ring the last harsh change on the "wages of sin" motif. It is distinguished by consistently dramatic lighting, a smoothly sequenced filming plan and a definitely mature understanding of cinematic treatment. In it a large cast plays well and with a thorough seriousness that adds much charm to the original melodramatic conception." Movie Makers, Dec. 1932, 561.
"Another melodrama, delightful in its serious characterizations and adroit in its cutting and camera treatment, has been completed under the direction of Jack Navin, ACL, producer of Sophistication and Those Mad Barclays. The new work is Drifting, a direct descendant in the Navin tradition, as it tells a tale of the relentless downfall of too, too pretty Ellen Rowen in vain search of her kidnapped little brother. Once the toast of Paris, in the end a drab of Montreal slums, Ellen drifts inevitably to a harsh fate, protesting bitterly on her pathway that she "was once a lady." Elizabeth Sutherland played Ellen with " a defensive delicacy that was touching. Other parts were ably carried by Virginia Simmons, Margaret Newnan, Gretchen Rickel, Mary Reynolds, Nellie Navin, Martha Blodgett, Coman Munroe, Junie Newnan, Ted Newnan, Bobby Sutherland, Fred Griffiths, Bill Laurie, Thayer Hutchinson, Bob Drysdale, John Hutchinson, Edward Mackenzie, Bill Newnan, the Blodgetts and Mr. Navin."
Movie Makers, Dec. 1932, 575, 577.
"A tale of greed, murder and passion set in a French provincial town in the 1930s. The focus is a tawdry basement drinking and gambling club. Rejecting the violent advances of a man who returns to her rooms with her, a local girl kills him and is assisted in the disposal of the corpse by her regular beau - a cynical, louche cardsharp. A vigilant detective brings her to court for murder. Witnesses take the chance to blacken her name by giving false testimonies but she is acquitted. Her freedom is soured by her lover's rejection of her and she returns to the streets" East Anglian Film Archive.
"East Coast, produced by the Rockville Cinema Club, is a picture that keeps the most jaded critic interested in its outcome. Carefully staged and convincingly acted, this story of the eternal triangle has an original twist. The production shows painstaking attention to story detail and photography, that leaves with the audience the feeling of having seen a finished picture. The acting was far above the average and shows the result of the club's previous experiences in making this type of picture. The sets were largely laid out of doors, but, both indoors and out, the exposure and lighting were handled in a most finished and competent manner. Smooth and logical, the scenarization, editing and titling represent a vast amount of careful preparation." Movie Makers, Dec. 1936, 542.
"Drama produced by the Stockport Amateur Cine Players Club. Millionaire jewel collector James Welholme buys the famous Emperor's Sapphire at auction. On hearing of this, a rival collector resolves to steal it from him, and sends one of his employees off to do it. The robbery is initially successful, but complications occur and Welholme's daughter is kidnapped by the thieves. The plot is foiled by a family friend, who has been following them. He gets the diamond back and the girl" (NWFA online).
"Four 8mm. films, however, found places among the honorable mentions. Included among these may be mentioned Earl Cochran's 'gay 90's' melodrama, 'The Engineer's Daughter,' which, in addition to being most amusing, was well photographed, excellently acted and costumed, and a more than ordinarily creditable job of production. It suffered, however, from a few strictly technical shortcomings — mostly in directing." American Cinematographer, Feb. 1938, 76.
"Strangely enough, although its producers may or may not have intended it, Entre dos Rosas (Between Two Roses) is essentially an old-fashioned morality play set forth in fairly modern filmic turns. For here is a handsome young artist as the protagonist of the action. Here, in the girl of a white rose, is the embodiment of virtue; while there, in the girl of the red rose, is the embodiment of evil. And, overlooking this eternal tug of war, is the figure of Fate or Destiny. Only at the end does Entre dos Rosas turn away from the classic formula, since, with a realistic and more modern psychology than that which stirred the medieval dramatist, it refuses to resolve the ultimate struggle. To the drawing of this age-old triangle, Carlos Barrios Baron has brought stimulating though deliberate direction, while Alfredo Rubio has interpreted his ideas in monochrome imagery which is both visually creative and dramatically compelling. Although Entre dos Rosas of leaves its classic central problem unsolved. It is a striking experimental film well worthy of study by less daring movie makers" PSA Journal, Jan. 1954, 50.
"Escape, a black-and-white film from Richmond, Surrey, England, is by Alan Lavender. This is a story of a small boy's life under a difficult marital situation and how all of the problems are solved with one final blow. The story is not new, but is handled cleverly and holds audience interest to the very surprising end. 14 minutes" PSA Journal, Nov. 1969, 57.
"In his one reel film, Girl with a Dress, Clyde Hammond, ACL, has made an appealing and remarkably successful attempt to portray a drama of the spirit rather than of action. Through long weeks of bitter economy a girl accumulates enough money for a new dress. It arrives from the mail order house just in time for a summer's picnic with her friends and, happy in prospect, she wears it proudly. Then, because in it she is more charming than they, her friends will not like it, make mocking fun of her and she leaves them in tears. Stumbling home, she is caught in a shower and the dress is ruined. A simple enough tale, but in its very simplicity and sincerity lie the strength of downright tragedy. It was planned and directed with imagination and played, in its leading role, with definite and sensitive skill." Movie Makers, Dec. 1932, 562.
"Goyai our first 9.5mm film entry in many, many years, is a neat little package that portrays an elderly man who, in the twilight of his light, goes back to see the old homestead that he knew in earlier days. An excellent track is a great help to the mood of the film" PSA Journal, Sept. 1966, 35.
Total Pages: 12
Amateur Cinema