The Unafraid (1915) User Reviews

The photography and the realism in this feature are worthy of praise,

[deickemeyer · 22 November 2019]

This story, somewhat after the fashion of the Anthony Hope novels, deals with the more or less romantic politics of the Balkan states. Instead of mythical kingdoms we have the definite kingdom of Montenegro and Austria Hungary thinly disguised as the "Dual Empire." The theme is based on a romance of Eleanor M. Ingram. The school is that of Hope. Miss Jolivet, who plays the part of the American heiress, has appeared once or twice on the American stage. She is a French woman of striking beauty and of some histrionic talent, but in the part of an "American" heiress she is miscast. A more typically French woman could not be imagined. As "Delight Warren," the American heiress, Miss Jolivet falls in love with a prince of Montenegro, who' really does not reciprocate her love but only wants her money. He has received a lot of money to betray his country to an agent of the Dual Empire, splendidly acted by Theodore Roberts. Instead of attending to the betrayal for which he has been paid the prince goes to Paris and squanders his money in such riotous living as a careful board of censors will allow to be shown on the screen. The secret agent is furious when he finds out the carelessness of the prince and gives him a week to either perpetrate the treason or restore the money. As the restoring of the money might hurt his royal standing the prince lures the handsome American actress into accepting him. He has a good brother, who is loyal to Montenegro, and this good brother manages to get both the lady and the money, thus making a very happy ending. The photography and the realism in this feature are worthy of praise, but there is evidence of a neglect of detail and of an undue haste in speeding the action of the play. In one scene, which is very important for the proper development of the play, a wicked servitor of the bad brother wants to poison the good brother. He resorts to a simple expedient. Just as the waiter brings, in the food he pours the poison into the coffee. The waiter never asks a question and places the drugged liquid on the table of his master. This may seem a trifle, but audiences nowadays notice trifles. The atmosphere in "Montenegro" breathed rather the lively and modern spirit of America than the local color of the Balkans. The picture introduces a very fine looking young girl, "Marjorie Daw," in the minor role of a kinswoman of the prince. She is a charming type of American girlhood and with proper training may develop into a capable and attractive performer. House Peters made the best of a rather poor part. - The Moving Picture World, April 10, 1915