The Film Daily (1918)

Thursday, December 19, 1918 zjM% DAILY Exceptionally Human Characterizations in Convincing Atmosphere :e This Sure Fire Winner Mildred Harris in "BORROWED CLOTHES" T-ois Weber Production.— Lois Weber Special. DIRECTOR LJi3 Weber. AUTHOR Marian Orth. SCENARIO BY Lcis Weber ART DIRECTOR Edward Langley CAMERAMAN Roy Klafki. AS A WHOLE Exceptionally human characterizations and convincing atmosphere make this impressive and distinctive. STORY Registers principally because rather well known characters are given new twists in development. DIRECTION.. Mad incidents and important situations impressing by intimate characterizations and intelligent treatment made atmosphere realistic. PHOTOGRAPHY Generally excellent. LIGHTINGS .... .Particularly good on star in closeups; generally pleasing. CAMERA WORK Very good; some distinctive angles, and good clcseups. STAR Made you believe it and has sure fire appeal. SUPPORT Cody, excellent, almost-willun hero; others splendid tvpes. EXTERIORS Blended into reality of atmosphere. INTERIORS Very good; many of them taken in homes. DETAIL Verv good ; some fine little touches. CHARACTER OF STORY. .... Human treatment developed character thought to be willun into pleasing hero. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 6,000 ft. We have come to know that the Lois Weber productions mean an intimate study of characterizations presented in an atmosphere that is convincing and her general treatment of any story is always such as to lift it out of the ordinary and make it distinctive. Here we have the we'l known unhappy shop girl dissatisfied with the marriage that is offered her. This is not played a la pictures but very much a la real life because the proposal comes Trom the type of man who might very logically propose to such a girl and there's no question about the fact that a large percentage of marriages in this country are the result of just such a ;e1 of circumstances throwing two psop e together. The handsome stranger enters, with Lew Cody doing this part, and immediately everyone gets set for the regrlar willun-attacking-fhero stuff. A tire at a beach -which is particularly well handled, cause, confusion and makes possible the meeting between willun and Miss Harris which results into his taking her to his home. It looks like we are going to have the regulation ruff stuff because we have seen the ex-favorite being dethroned, but when this exfavcrite tips eff the police and they come to raid the house, with the result that little Mildred jumps from the window to escape, we find change of heart coming over our wicked willun. Meanwhile Mildred's sister had stepred in and usurped the little business man who had wanted to marry Mildred, but when she happened over to her prospective husband's partner's home and saw how his wife had a family to take care of and her own washing to do, mercenary sister changed her mind and beat it for a new job in another town. With the family disgraced through Mildred's return clad in a gown not her own, after the raid and the new difficulty over the sister's abrupt leavetaking, we find the first jarring note when the parents force Mildred to agree to marry the waiting bridegroom. It m'ght be that this would happen, but it did not quite register with me. Anyway, our willun-hero who had been thinking things over in the woods, returned at the psychological moment and said he would marry Mildred, which busted up the newly proposed wedding makeshift, finishing our 61m with Miss Harris apparently happy in Mr. Cody's arms. A good many of the interiors in this were aoparently made in a real home and the general atmosphere was particularly effective. Any audience is going to appreciate the genuine realism of both the atmosphere, the types and the characterizations. They'll Certainly Enjoy This. Play Up Director and Star's Marriage Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor. M you can't get money today by announcing a Lois V\ eber production, there is something wrong with your method of exploitation. She has had more distinctive successes advertised with her name as producer, prominently enough displayed to establish it, than any other director in the business. Her successes have been films that have made people talk and T am quite sure that the film fans everywhere are familiar with her name and know that her films are generally very worth while. Tt is possible if you have not carefully handled your exploitation of her subjects that some persnickety people have an idea that Miss Weber makes on'y sensational things because they have been so impressed by the titles of her releases. It would seem to me to be an excellent idea for you to devote some attention to making it very clear that the dominant feature of all Lois Weber productions is the fact that she makes true to life subjects presenting real people in realistic atmocpliere rather than showing a lot of actors doing impossible things. "P.orrowed Clothes" was released in New York at iust the time that the marriage of Mildred Harris to Charles Chaplin was announced and immediately those handling the picture took advantage of this situation to mention Miss Harris as Mrs. Charles Chaplin, which is undeniably an excellent thing to do. I want to impress upon you however, that you are making a grave mistake if you use the name of Mrs. Charles Chaplin so prominently that you miss the benefit of the fact that this is a Lois Weber production, and you shouTd also make it clear that Mrs. Charles Chaplin was Mildred Harris because Miss Harris in her work with Miss Weber has made many friends. In order to attract some who may be inclined to believe that this is not a "nice" film, you might use the line "An intensely interesting study of real life Demonstrating the power of a good girl's influence."