Then as the curtain went up, for the first time in the history of motion photography the wonders of the polar world were exhibited to the world. Mr. Randall was something more than a mere photographer. He had infused his scenes with rare human interest, every one of them.
“A New World” was a faithful reproduction of all that appertained to the far away, almost unattainable Arctic circle. The film was four thousand feet in length, divided into that number of sections, and a story and a romance were deftly woven into it.
A spellbound audience saw something new, indeed—pictures of a land and people that they had only heard of or read about in books.
There was shown the building of a snow house, the capture and skinning of the bearded seal, the hunting of the caribou and ptarmigan, the skin boats of the natives, the most northerly white man’s dwelling on the continent. There were the dog teams of the Esquimaux, the famous mud volcano on Lagton Bay, the wreck of a great whaler, cooking with oil for fuel, heather and dwarf willows, and a scene showing polar bears swimming in the sea.
The last film seemed to revivify some grand transformation scene. It was here that the art of the expert Randall shone at its full zenith. There burst upon the view of the enchanted audience the glories of the aurora borealis.
There was one unified breath of delight as the last reel ran off. A flutter of the most grateful appreciation swayed the great audience, and the motion picture chums realized that the future of the Standard photo playhouse was assured.
“We’ve got to celebrate,” voiced bluff, hearty Mr. Hank Strapp, as the last light went out in the beautiful playhouse. “Entertaining the world in the right way is a big thing. Educating ’em at the same time is a bigger thing. My friends,” and he gazed devotedly at the bright faces of his young business associates, “it was a lucky day when Mr. Hank Strapp of Montana met you—yes, sir!”
“You have made my last days my best days,” said the old professor, with a tender touch of feeling.
“Why,” cried the impetuous Pep, “this is only a beginning in the educational film field.”
“Yes, we must keep our eyes open for still other conquests,” declared Frank Durham in his cheery, confident way.