The Hills of Strife

On three points this picture of a mountain feud rises pretty high, and besides these it has other good qualities. Its best is the high-class tragic situation. We mean that it has a situation that can make a human being suffer and in or from its suffering grow wise. Tragedy has its sole value in the human wisdom that it is able to show and it is, therefore, the highest form of art. The picture's second big element is the character, ably taken by Eleanor Blanchard, of the mother of the clan, terribly vindictive at the first, then tragically suffering and growing thereby tragically wise and forbearing. The venomous hate and relentless animosity of the head of the other clan, played by Arthur Mathews, is of a lower order; but it, too, is tragic in the high sense. The situation is pretty well developed, though it has its weak points where it followed the conventional path rather than looking for a better and it is not always adequately acted. Taken as a whole, it appeals to us strongly. It was written by E.C. Hall and produced by John Ince. The staging and camera work are excellent. - The Moving Picture World, September 27, 1913