Life, 1921-05-19 · page 33 of 36
Life — May 19, 1921 — page 33: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page is primarily an advertisement disguised as a narrative story, promoting Colt Automatic Pistols for home defense. The fictional scenario depicts a burglary in progress at a wealthy New England home. When the husband discovers intruders, he's unable to call police because the criminals have cut the telephone wire—a common vulnerability of the era when homes relied on single telephone lines. The ad's "point" is that the husband previously dismissed his wife's concerns about needing a firearm for home protection, but now realizes his mistake. The Carringtons subsequently purchase a Colt Automatic, positioning the weapon as essential security for upstanding middle-class citizens. The accompanying image shows a man confronting an intruder on the home's exterior, dramatizing the threat. This advertisement reflects early-20th-century anxieties about burglary and home invasion, marketing firearms as the solution to domestic security concerns.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
((THE SILENT DRAMA.) . Recent Developments : (The regular Silent Drama department will be found on page 728) Decertion (Peramount)—The romance of Henry the Eighth and Anne Boleyn pro- vides the story for a spectacular production of great artistic merit. (United Artists).—The genius of D. W. Griffith goes very sour in this weak attempt to repeat the success of “Broken Blossoms.” Deeam Street Uscitarten Seas (Metro).—Alice Lake in a story of the frozen North which left us cold. Tus Queen or Supa (Fox).—Take R g's circus, multiply it by a hundred, and you have a faint idea of the magnitude of this vast spectacle. Bow Hamrrox or Pacer (First Na- Marshall Neilan melodrama of frontier days, which includes a realistic de- piction of Custer’s last stand, Heavex (Goldwyn).—Tom - as a fireman in a very lukewarm tional) — Mave IN Mo stor Tur Sky Pivor (First National).—Ralph Connor's novel made into a film which starts well, but which weakens badly toward the finish, The exterior scenes are excellent. Tue Sky Raxcer (Pathé)—One of the best serials ever produced, with George B. Seitz and June Caprice supplying more than the usual amount of thrills, T e House Tuat Jazz Burtt (Realert)— Wanda Hawley as a wife who, paradoxically, jazzes so much that she becomes weak from want of exercise, and almost loses her hus- band. Morne Erernat. (Abramson).— stuff, very badly done. Tuer Ham sob Srvexs (Vitagraph)—The ro- mantic Antonio Moreno as a convict in a prison drama of vigorous dramatic strength. Tue Baksartan (Pioneer).—Monroe Salis- bury is effective as a big, deep-chested he- man of the Canadian Northwest, but the story fails to put over the requisite punch, Tue Travettnc SaLesMAN (Paramount).— R. Fanty Arbuckle in another broad comedy, which gives him the usual opportunities to be funny at his own expense. Biack Roses (Robertson-Cole)—Sessue Hayakawa goes into the New York under- world and gets mixed up in all sorts of crime The acting is good, but the plot is awkward, Sxinrs (Fox).—Clyde Cook tries his hand six-reel picture, but his drollery is throttled by the excessive footage. Desreate Your (Universal)—The at- ere of the old South is laid on thick. ing. mildly entertaining picture of which Gladys Walton is star. Home Srretcn (Paramount).— s MacLean as a jockey. Not his best, but good enough. Tue Citarminc Decetver (Vitagraph).— Small-town stuff of very moderate merit Why the Carringtons Bought a Colt 'OM!” she cried. “There they go. Telephone the police.” “Telephone — noth- ing!” her husband ex- claimed. “I can't. They've cut the wire,” and he held up the tele- phone with the severed wire. “Oh, dear, why can’t you make them stop?” his wife wailed. “ Because I haven't a Colt,” retorted Tom, “and when I told you a few days ago I was going to buy a Colt Automatic Pistol—the best that money can buy for home protection— you said, ‘ What's the use?’ Now you know.” A true incident. The Carringtons now own a Colt Automatic and know their home is safe from loss by housebreakers so long as it is there. The Carringtons live on one of the best residential streets pf a New England city. Tom Carrington is perhaps the last man you would think that robbers would molest. He played half-back for his college and is a fearless, young, upstanding American citizen. The Carringtons had been awak- ened just in time to hear someone on the side piazza. Tom Carrington was up in a flash. No one was going to break into his house without an argu- ment. His wife followed him in a rush to the stairs. An open window at the first landing told the story. Major's Rebber and Leather Comets st three Linds—20e per bottle. At MAJOR MANUFACTURING CO. New “York 1G BRAINS IGARS -MADE AT KEY WEST.— “Telephone nothing,” he said. “ The wire’s cut.” But the intruders had gone. Mrs. Carrington saw them climbing into a waiting car. And that was the last of the Car- rington silver. : Your dealer will be glad t9 show you the earions m SC Pistols or Colt Revoleers and adi Jou WAIA bs the best for your home protection. Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Mfg. Co. HARTFORD, CONN. Mann facturers of Colt's Revolvers Colts Automatic Pistols ‘Cal's (Browning) A: Machine Guns Coit's (Browning) Actomatic Machine Rites And bullt) into every. * strength that makes it last for y catalog. 3,000 canoes in stock. §) or factory. rite for p from dealer LD TOWN CANOE CO. ol 1135 Middle St., Old Town, Mai: comicbooks.com