The Film Daily (1918)

Tuesday, December 24, 1918 tMA DAILY Star Scores Fine Characterization of Indian Girl in Adaptation of Stage Play Norma Talmadge in "THE HEART OF WETONA" Schenck Production. — Select Distribution. DIRECTOR Sydney A. Franklin SCENARIO BY Mary Murillo AUTHOR George Scarborough CAMERAMAN David Abel AS A WHOLE One of the best things that Norma Talmadge has done in a long while. Production well handled throughout. STORY Adaptation of Scarborough's successful play. Good picture material in story of educated Indian girl. DIRECTION Utilizes plays and situations to the best advantage. PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Exceptionally well devised to get artistic variety in scenes. CAMERA WORK Some picturesque effects. Long shots a feature of the production. STAR Finely expressive in emotional moment:; SUPPORT Superior in important roles; Thomas Meighan, Fred Huntley and Gladden James sharing honors. EXTERIORS Mountainous country that always attracts the eye. INTERIORS Acceptable DETAIL Gets over telling bits of business and holds atmosphere of story. Miss Talmadge's change from garb of Indian girl to that of fashionable young woman rather abrupt. CHARACTER OF STORY Can't offend LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 5265 feet Norma Talmadge is considerable Indian. In fact she is about the most fetching Indian and white girl combination that I've seen In many a day. and she doesn't need any mystic wiles to .iccount for her winning the heart of a perfectly level-headed white man. Miss Talmadge is in the h*bit of doing things pretty well, but after your folks have seen this they're likely to go home with the impression that "The Heart of Wetona" is about the best Talmadge offering that has come their way for many moons. Adaptations of stage plays are ant to miss in some of the qualities essential to a sure 'nuff picture production, but here we have an exception for George Scarborough's story lends itself to the screen as though it had been made for no other purpose. There's picturesqueness to attract the eye, plenty of physical action, which can be handled in pictures as it can't be on the stage, and a story suitable to silent interpretation. The excellence of this production, made against beautiful backgrounds, goes a long ways toward putting it over as an out-of-the-ordinary screen offering. Then, too. Miss Talmadge has the advantage of a very fine supporting company, that realizes the value of suppressed acting, rather than the arm-waving manifestations which seldom convince thoughtful folks. Shero Norma Talmadge is introduced as a half white, half Indian maiden with a college bringin' up. Her heart has gone out to Willun Gladden James, a smooth tongued youth who has a government job near the Indian reservation. This love affair promises to have a serious outcome when Wetona rather than pose as an innocent girl at the sacred rites of her tribe, confesses to her father, the chief o;" the Comanches. With true Indian tenacity. Chief Fred Huntley sets out to find the man, and his path leads to hero Thomas Meighan, an Indian a»ent who is a friend of VVetona's and of her betrayer. The dramatic sequence is plausibly arranged to account for Meighan's marrying Wetona in order to save the life of her lover. Miss Talmadge does some of her best work in expressing the really fine nature of the girl whose heart was given in good faith to a man who proved yellow. She indicates longing and hope during the weeks that pass while she is living with her husband and awaiting the return of Willun Gladden James, who is supposed to marry her as soon as a divorce can be secured. Little by little the plot chain winds Itself around the defaulting lover and Wetona sees him in his true light. The fifth reel, bringing the climax in which the Indian maiden's heart is completely surrendered to the man who has befriended her, is an altogether excellent bit of photoplay. The final, reel, although it o^ers plenty of action, in connection with the Indian's attack on the cabin, has less dramatic suspense for the reason that the story has been told. Name of Star and Fame of Play Enough to Draw Big Crowd. Makes Good Film Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor. If you are^ taking the Select offerings and get this one, you're in luck, for it's a real Christmas present. In this instance you don't have to bother about the nature of your clientele and what goes best, because "The Heart of Wetona" possesses the qualities that any sort of an audience responds to. The fact that the original of this story was a really successful Broadway production and received considerable publicity throughout the country, is worth calling attention to in your advertising. The dramatic editors of your local papers are sure to recall the play in which Lenore Ulric starred, also the many other stage works of George Scarborough, and on this score it should be possible to get more than the usual newspaper space. I certainly would go after the newspapers hard, feeling certain that you have a production calculated to back up anything you may say. Even the high-brows, who like to pick flaws in pictures on account of their foolish stories or anachronisms, will have a tough job in finding anything to kick about in the way this has been handled. Don't be afraid to invite criticism and make a bid for the most exacting patronage you can muster. Norma Talmadge has kept going up until she has a sure place among the very best stars of the screen. Needless to say she will take first prominence In your advertising display. No doubt Select will have attractive likenesses of Norma in the garb of an Indian maiden, which would look well in your lobby and suggest the nature of the picture. A few days before you play "The Heart of Wetona" it would be a good idea to distribute red paper hearts bearing the title of the picture. Also, it might be worth while to have an attendant, dressed as an Indian chief, do sentry duty near your entranceway.