Camera (May 1922-April 1923)

CAMERA ! "The Digest of the Motion Picture Industry' Page Fifteen Contemporar'y Criticisms (Continued from Page 14) that such a tale carries an appealing quality. " 'The Yellow Stain' follows a regulation groove. There is not much surprise in the development of the plot and you know pretty near how it will end. "The sets, photography and acting are adequate." — Motion Picture News. " 'The Yellow Stain' consists of a 'rich man, poor man' theme that generally can be counted on to satisfy a large class of patronage. It offers some good melodramatic situations without committing too obviously the act of hitting the spectator between the eyes with too much premeditated villainy. There are some fine moments of suspense for those who take their amusement in this form and the whole story is rather pleasingly done. "The story progresses evenly and interest is sustained throughout." — Exhibitors Trade Review. THEY'RE OFF" Aywon-Anchor " 'They're Off!' "Right, they are all off in this melodrama. Ye shades of Nickelodeons. Here's the 'mellerest' melodrama this reviewer has seen this year. They hand you everything from a fire to a horse race — and that's some stretch that even the 'dreamiest' dreamers of the turf seldom draw. But there is pep, life and realism in it — a combination that offsets the antiquity of the theme. "Photographically, the picture is a gem. The double exposure is perfect and a credit to the photographer. The direction was flawless and Francis Ford lost no opportunity and overlooked no bet. The settings are picturesque and a treat to the eye." — Moving Picture World. "Probably if there had not been so many pictures with stories so very similar to 'They're Off,' the production would stand a much better chance of going over, but coming as about the hundred and first repetition of the famed 'Checkers' plot, it cannot brag of anything original, and the production isn't big enough to get it anywhere. "The picture is typical of the 10-20-30's and contains all the earmarks of that class. "A fair thrill is found in the horse race, but it is such a frequent occurrence in films that it loses force with every repetition. Ford has attempted to create a suspense, but it is not effective. The cast, with the exception of the featured player, who works hard, is poor." — The Film Daily. "KISSED" Universal "Charming as ever is Marie Prevost in 'Kissed,' her newest starring vehicle for Universal. This, however, is not one of her best productions; the story is very light and several minor incidents have been given undue footage to make it a production of feature length." — Moving Picture World. "Marie Prevost's latest release follows along pretty much in the same line as her recent Universal pictures. It is a fairly pleasing offering that serves to exploit the star to the best advantage, and will likely get by with the average audience because it does not tax their imagination, require any strict attention to follow it and at the same time is sufficiently interesting to keep them watching, even though it never grips. "The story is of an improbable nature with a surprise finish that is effective but not convincing." —The Film Daily. "Marie Prevost's piquant personality, her ability to interpret a flapperish type of heroine, her gift of wearing smart clothes, a faint dash of romance, some clever titles and a tasty production — these are the sole assets of 'Kissed,' which travels along on two cylinders with very little gas to keep it going. In fact, the plot is inconsequential JANE STARR Supporting Wanda Hawley in "Bobbed Hair" and really belongs as the background of a two-reeler. King Baggot, the director, had done wonders, however, in adding enough incident to extend through four reels. The padded scenes are not overdone and they do not grate on one's patience." — Motion Picture News. "THE PRIIVIITIVE LOVER" First National "This latest Constance Talmadge vehicle registers as capital farce comedy, full of snap and ginger and safe to make a hit wherever it is shown. It is bully good stuff, alive with rollicking humor, moving at a fast clip and providing the ever popular leading lady with just the sort of role suited to her versatile talents." — Exhibitors Trade Review. "The film is a delicious travesty on many a 'man and his mate' story, and the atrocities often perpetuated in the latter are shown up with amusing skill. It is a riot at times. "One of the best scenes shows the spirited Miss Talmadge being thrashed and i)addled by her ex-husband. One wonders after seeing this part of it how many present-day actresses would undergo such handling even for the sake of so amusing a picture. "The subtitles are an entertainment in themselves." • — Moving Picture World, " 'The Primitive Lover' doesn't show a marked improvement in the way of entertainment over the star's recent offerings and although it may get by with her admirers, it is way off the mark set by her recognized winners of two or three years back. 'The Primitive Lover' isn't really any worse, but it is no better than the star's recent pictures. "Director Fi-anklin has not been able to retain an even interest and the result is a picture that is dull for a long stretch, brightens up, gets over a laugh or two, and .settles back into a rut until finally another laugh is secured. And then the laughs are not usually the spontaneous kind. Frequently it takes the title to get it. Incidentally, many of the titles are poorly written. "The star photographs pretty well in this and will please her admirers." —The Film Daily. "They've got an old established formula as the theme of this picture — one which has served Constance Talmadge before, the slight difference in 'The Primitive Lovei' and others which have preceded it being found in a larger vein of drama. The humorous element doesn't enter until the third or fourth reel which of course puts a tax upon the star's emotional capabilities. One is almost .inclined to believe that the story in the introductory chapters is more suited to sister Norma. "Some of the titles are snappy with humor and the later scenes are filled with entertaining comedy well balanced with romance and incident. It is well played by the star after the third reel." — Motion Picture News. "GAY AND DEVILISH" R-C Pictures "Pleasing light comedy, frivolous, rollicking incidents to take the place of any depth of plot is Doris May's latest picture, 'Gay and Devilish.' .... The action is livened up with plenty of good, peppy titles, which are, in themselves, able to win laughs. "On the whole 'Gay and Devilish" is something like a cooling drink on a warm summer evening." — Motion Picture News. " 'Gay and Devilish' is not extra gay nor excitingly devilish. Doris May is pleasing. The comedy has amusing situations and pleasing moments but suffers mainly through lack of character and aimless rambling. "The story presents little that is new and runs very much along well tried lines. . . . . .The situations are easily recognized before they are reached. "Doris May has had a poor lot of stories of late and is forced to work under a handicap. "Director Seiter has also labored against the aimless story but has achieved some results, especially with the star. He has taken a lot of trouble to show her off to the best advantage under the circumstances." —The Film Daily. "It is typical of the entertainment with whicli Doris May has recently identified herself, only perhaps more so. Grandly described it is a paean of youth, buoyant and effervescent, with Doris May always in short skirts and always scampering, never walking about, in a demonstration of inexhaustible pep. "Tlie theme has been consistently developed with enough originality in the complications to be stimulatin,g." — Moving Picture World.