The Adventures of Billy

A well-shot film from D. W. Griffith about an orphan boy who falls under the control of a couple of tramps who force him to beg for them. The role of Billy is actually played by female child actress Edna Foster, while a young Donald Crisp plays one of the tramps.

This film pictures the influences that surround such a waif as Billy, a newsboy. To be effective, such a picture must ring true. To the reviewer the picture seemed "manufactured" so as to be dramatic and effective, but a policeman who saw it was asked for an opinion and he said, "It's the best film I ever saw. That boy was sharp and I think the dog was fine, too" Billy saw the yegg tramps kill a man for his purse. They intended only to stun him. It became necessary to get Billy out of the way and he is saved by a clever bulldog, who brings help. Yet the picture doesn't give the full and powerful effect that absolute truth would have given. It is, however, a very good story. - The Moving Picture World, November 4, 1911