The World's Great Snare (1916) Famous Players Film Co. Distributor: Paramount Pictures Corp. Director: Joseph Kaufman. Camera, Edward Gheller. Cast: Pauline Frederick, Irving Cummings, Ferdinand Tidmarsh, Frank Evans, Riley Hatch, Buckley Starkey. 5 reels. This film appears to be LOST

An advertisement which appeared in Moving Picture World

Review from Variety, June 30, 1916

Pauline Frederick is the star of the picturization of E. Philips Oppenheim's story produced by the Famous Players, under the direction of Robert G. Vignola. The story has at least the redeeming feature of being replete with action, which is speedy enough to carry it along on that any little inaccuracies are glossed over. Miss Frederick has one of those roles of a woman of the dance halls who has been the mistress of more than one man in her past, and is finally successful in winning the love of a young man, who after twice leaving her flat on the lot finally returns, undoubtedly out of the sense of gratitude, and casts his lot with her, evidently renouncing his right to an estate and title to remain with the woman. She loves him but just what the future had in store for both of them after the woman's past had been so thoroughly bared, is entirely problematical, and as for the moral--well, there just ain't none, that's all. However, the story does serve other purpose of placing Miss Frederick on the screen for four thousand or more feet of film and that is all that seems to be required these days. Pictorially there is nothing that can be asked for. The supporting cast was extremely capable and both Riley Hatch, Irving Cummings and Ferdinand Tidmarsh scored in their roles. As a money getter "The World's Great Snare" is "there."

Review from Moving Picture World

"The World's Great Snare"
Pauline Frederick Has the Lead in a Stirring Famous Players Five-Part Production.
Reviewed by George Blaisdell

The Famous Players' adaptation of this story from E. Phillips Oppenheim's list results in a stirring story, one that steadily holds the attention throughout. "The World's Great Snare," a five-part subject released on June 22, features Pauline Frederick. Miss Frederick's role is one containing wide sweep of emotion--from the depth of despair to the heights of great happiness. Myra, the dancer of a Montana cafe, emerges from the domination of a besotted overlord; she meets the "one man," and "throwing away the worser part" wins him through the influence of what is best in woman. There has been struggle in the beginning to effect the change from the old order' there is a greater one in the latter part of the story--the renunciation of self, the securing of a document that would raise out of her sphere the man she loved when the price of obtaining it was the reversion to the blackness of the beginning.

The player invests her characterization with a force that makes for illustion, [sic] that drives in the story. She alienates no sympathy; she consolidates it. There is excellent support, too. Irving Cummings is Byran, the man who goes to San Francisco, in search of Huntley, the former butler who had betrayed a trust and concealed the identity of his one-time employer's heir. Riley Hatch is Rutten, the San Francisco gambler, smitten by Myra's charms. Ferdinand Tidmarsh is Huntley, the butler turned reprobate. Frank Evans is an old miner, and Buckley Starkey is Skein, who when he shoots Huntley pulls the one thread that unravels these tangled lives.

[Omitted: Photo of Frederick holding a man while another lies on the floor.]

There is a fight between Bryan and Rutten that makes for realism--they crash through the rail of the box in the dance house to the floor below. This, however, is but an incident on the side of the melodramatic. The whole bulks well because of its story-telling quality.

Last revised, December 25, 2008