With Interest to Date

A Rex Beach story, which contains vigorous elements that should make it popular. It relates the story of a young engineer, beaten by a prominent firm, and his method of securing a large contract, by having one man impersonate the head of the house giving out the contract, and ask for a large sum of graft. This, of course, advances the price, and the young engineer is enabled to underbid his rival, secure the contract, and incidentally the hand of the girl he wanted. The story is clearly told, the acting is all that could be desired, but whether the influence of the picture is all it should be, depends upon the point of view the audience accepts regarding that graft proposition. The picture apparently teaches that such a method of obtaining a contract is honorable; but, of course, that is open to question. Reputable business men would scarcely tolerate anything of that sort, and the moral influence of the film may therefore be on the wrong side. If it is intended as an illustration of how things are sometimes done, that is another proposition; but the story does not emphasize that fact. If this point were made a trifle clearer, there would be no criticism of this film. - The Moving Picture World, February 4, 1911