The Totville Eye

A slight tale from Edison in which a printer and his assistant completely change the type of stories run by the newspaper at which they work while their crusty old editor is away on business. Well-meaning and positive, but it lacks the charm needed to put this kind of story across

Bannister Merwin easily keeps in the front rank of photo- playwrights. In this picture he has provided another amusing and humanly pleasing offering. It isn't strongly convincing as real life, but was made in sympathy with the way the human mind and heart work when they take a holiday together, and very plainly pleased a large audience. "The Totville Eye" is a village newspaper of four pages, and the Edison producer seems to have put out an edition of it just for the picture. The edition one day was ready to go on the press, when the crusty old editor (Robert Brower) was called away. The printer and the boy (Walter Edwin and Yale Boss) were lifting the front page form, when they "pied'' it, and it was just type scattered over the floor. The paper had to "come out," so the printer sent Yale out for some news and determined to have the paper "right" for once. Yale's news items showed that he had positive genius, and Totville saw itself, when the paper reached the street, as others saw it. The result is more pleasing than probable. Among others of the cast, Edward O'Connor, a tramp printer, passes through, looking for a job. Yale sees him putting whiskey into Dominie Bigelow Cooper's soda water, and his- report saves that man from being asked to resign his pulpit. This minister's role was the only poorly played part in the picture. Harry Beaumont and Bessie Learn have a lovers' tiff, and Yale's item about that brings a reconciliation. Charles Ogle plays a miserly landlord, and the young reporter's writing him up makes him reform, he comes in to thank the astonished editor, which is running pretty hard on the goodness and wisdom of human kind. It made us expect that the landlord would marry the poor widow whom he had turned out into the cold, but the story isn't as romantic as all that. Bliss Milford plays the widow. Alice Washburn has a minor part. It is an unusually likable offering and will please everywhere. - The Moving Picture World, December 14, 1912

If only it was that easy. This short is quite modern in its themes of publicity, media, and its influence on society. The publicity of ones doings acts as a mirror here, held up to the face of the people commiting acts they probably wouldn't do if they knew someone else was watching. "To see ourselves as others see us". We know its not that easy these days, and seems almost like a fantasy, as we've gotten too comfortable in the spotlight of society, which unfortunately has no effect on the way some of us behave. At least we have films like this to remind us that the possibility of change is always there.

With lots of detail and clever story ideas, this is a very funny short comedy that also shows a good handle on the standard film-making techniques of its era. The characters are humorous and slightly exaggerated, yet believable, and the story combines humor with a few light but worthwhile observations on human nature.

The story starts at the offices of "The Totville Eye", a local newspaper, and shows what happens to the paper when its stodgy editor is called away, leaving the printer and a young assistant to run everything. The results are quite amusing, with the young assistant being sent out as a cub reporter and completely changing the kinds of stories that the paper runs. Besides being funny, it is also sympathetic to its characters, and while very light in nature, it is not without some value as social commentary.

Yale Boss shows why he was a popular child star of the era, with several good scenes. He makes good use of his facial expressions, and provides some good moments with his imitation of the editor and with his reactions to the subjects of his stories. The cast as a whole does a good job, behaving in comic fashion without overdoing it too much. Robert Brower plays the grouchy editor to good effect.

Many of the scenes also contain some interesting details, and there is a good variety of settings. The whole thing works quite well, and it is still enjoyable to watch.