Number 16 Martin Street (1916) No. 16 MARTIN STREET LAEMMLE Drama in two reels, deals with modern criminology as it applies to the dope evil. Written by Bess Meredyth and produced by L. B. Carleton. Cleo joins the cabaret. Cleo helping Fournier. CAST Cleo Dorothy Davenport Jacques Fournier Emory Johnson Audrey Devine Gretchen Lederer Brown Alfred Allen Max Jack Abbott NO. 16 MARTIN STREET combines two significant phases of modern life; one is the rise of the science of criminology, and the other the prevalence of a new vice, the "dope" evil. In this picture the "movie fan" is given a treat which has long been known to the readers of A. Conan Doyle and Craig Kennedy. In addition the cover of metropolitan life is ripped off and the seamy side laid bare. A drama of vice and crime and their detection. Cleo, studying music at the conservatory and short of funds, is forced to give up her lessons. She returns home, heartbroken, and reads an advertisement for singers at the Follies Cabaret. She decides to answer it and is engaged by the manager. In the meantime, Jacques Fournier, one of the greatest criminologists in the country, is engaged in the solving of a murder mystery. Browne rushes to Fournier's office and tells hm of the discovery of his wife's body. Fournier accompanies Browne to his home and there finds the dead woman, whose jewels are missing. Fournier discovers that Browne is a cocaine fiend and also that Mrs. Browne was killed by a Spiess gun. He returns to his office and see in his files that Browne has been associated closely with Audrey Devine, a singer at the Follies Cabaret. He resolves to go to the cabaret and met (sic) the girl. That night Fournier meets Cleo and saves her from the advances of Murphy, an Alderman. She tells him of her poverty and he enlists her services. Cleo informs him that Audrey Devine, who she has met in the dressing room, is addicted to cocaine and Fournier tells her to find out where she obtains the dope. Cleo returns for the second show and, finding Audrey alone, pretends that she is a cocains fiend and begs Audrey to get her some coke. Audrey calls Max, the piano player, and he gives her a deck, which Cleo pretends to take. She later informs Fournier that Max has the drug. In a note Fournier tells Cleo to play up to Max and have him take her home, and that he, Fournier, will hold them up and try to find out where Max obtains the drug. She follows his instructions and in the fight Fournier obtains Max's coat with the cocaine decks and the address, "16 Martin street. The next morning, Cleo, in slavery disguise, starts out for this address. Fournier has given her a powerful narcotic and skeleton keys, with instructions to substitute the narcotic for the cocaine. When Cleo reaches the hall at 16 Martin street, Audrey is just leaving, but does not recognize the girl in her slavery costume. Before this Audrey is shown inside the room with Max and Joe, another fiend, preparing the decks of cocaine. Audrey goes through a secret panel and gives decks to some one inside. The person's identity is not shown until the end. When Cleo enters the room she finds it deserted and immediately starts substituting the narcotic. She also discovers the presence of a secret panel and is about to investigate when she is interrupted by the return of Joe. That night Fournier waits at the police station for orders from Cleo. Plain clothes men watch No. 16 Martin street and see Audrey and Max enter the house. After the show Cleo goes directly to the police station and acts as guide to Fournier and the police. They surround the house and Cleo leads them to the door. Well, we may as well tell you now that the mystery is solved in the end and that Cleo becomes Fournier's partner. Whether or not she becomes his partner for life we can't say, because the picture ends here. from The Moving Picture Weekly, July 8 ,1916  p. 22 with Dorothy Davenport and Emory Johnson. Directed by L. B. Carleton. Laemmle/Universal. More Information on this film...                                      This work (Number 16 Martin Sreet (1916), by Universal), identified by Bruce Calvert, is free of known copyright restrictions. Books (none) Last Modified April 28, 2012.