Across the Divide (1909) User Reviews

The characters almost speak

[deickemeyer · 7 January 2015]

A Western drama from Selig which develops dramatic situations and deep feeling as scene after scene appears upon the screen. The fidelity to scenery in the West, the careful illustration of character, as shown in the change of Barton, the miner, and finally of Mason, the gambler, and the homely, trustful piety of the two women who do all they can for the man who robbed their protector and pray for the repose of his soul at the close, all these are characteristic scenes which appeal to the heart and are productive of a greater comprehension of the possibilities of motion pictures to interpret character, even though no word is spoken. The details of this picture are worked out with care, and it is only in one or two instances, and those of a minor character, that one notices any slip. The entire picture, the sentiment it illustrates and the emotions it creates are all so human in their development that the characters almost speak. It is no wonder that the film wins applause at the close. It deserves the hearty plaudits of any audience. The acting is good enough to warrant it. - The Moving Picture World, October 9, 1909