The Moving picture world (June 1921)

750 MOVING PICTURE WORLD June 18, 1921 Newest Reviews and.Comments "Too Much Speed" Wallace Rcid, in Paramount Picture, Runs Ahead of His Record Reviewed by Edward Weitzel. The series of automobile stories written by Byron Morgan which Wallace Reid has made for Paramount has set a lively pace among screen dramas. In "Too Much Speed" the star runs ahead of his record. Aside from the racing scenes the part of Dusty Rhoades is about the easiest propo- sition that has come Wallace Reid's way since he has been featured in pictures. Most of the time he merely has to walk through it, but situations are built up so cleverly that he runs ahead of his record for a thoroughly natural impersonation of a speed maniac who is also an all around good fellow. Of course, his winning of the race means that he also gets the girl, but this point is given a new tw'ist, and the race itself is realistic enough to thrill everyone in the theatre. Dusty knows but one way of going after everything—driving ahead as hard as he can. He doesn't waste any time wearing a dejected air even when separated from his bride, and the young woman her- self takes the same view of the case. This is another novel point in the story. Agnes .Ayres plays the part. \'irginia MacMur- ran, in her hands, is a delightful mixture of healthy nerves and physical charm. Theo- dore Roberts as Pat MacMurran keeps himself and the character under perfect control and is unfailingly amusing. "Too Much Speed" is a hummer. The Cast Dusty Rhoades Wallace Reid Virginia MacMurran Agnes Ayres Pat MacMurran Theodore Roberts Tyler Hellis Jack Richardson Jimmy Rodman Lucien Littlefield "Howdy" Zeeker Guy Oliver Billy Dawson Henry Johnson Hawks Jack Herbert Story and Scenario by Byron Morgan. Directed by Frank Urson. Cameraman, C. E. Schoenbaum. The Story Dusty Rhoades, pilot for the Ronado car, retires from the game after becoming en- gaged to the daughter of Pat MacMurran, the Patko manufacturer, on his promise that he will race no more. Both concerns want to land a big order from a South American dealer. On the day of the wedding. Hellis, of the Ronado concern, passes Dusty and Mac- Murran on the road. Dusty starts to overhaul him and lands the limousine in the ditch. Pat call.s the Iwedding off, and Dusty elopes with Virginia in a racing car. MacMurran starts after themi. The drivers of, both cars are arrested for speeding and given ten days in jail. Virginia's father gets out the next day, but Dusty has to serve his sentence. The Ronado concern try to make capital out of the affair and get Du.sty to drive their car in the big race. He agrees at first, but changes his mind when he learns of the way they tried to trick him. MacMurran has been against racing ever since his driver, Jimmy Rodman, was smashed into by "Howdy" Zeeker, a Ronado driver and badly hurt. Dusty gets the old Pakro racing car. makes a post entry, and passes all the other cars on the track. Mac- Murran is going to have him arrested for stealing the car, but Virginia shows him that he has been tricked into signing a bill of sale for it. Dusty puts Rodman into the pilot's se^t for the last lap. so that he can have the satisfaction of beating Zeeker. The South American dealer gives MacMurran the order, and the old gentle- man gives Dusty his daughter once more. Exploitation .\ngleM: Hook up to the auto companies, if you can, on this, and make a safety first campaign on the title, using the one sheets provided for this purpose. Get plenty of them and make them show. "Be My Wife" Max hinder Is Seen in Second Comedy, a Five-Rceler, Since the War Reviewed by Fritz Tidden. The reckless question of "Be My Wife?" has placed many a good man in trouble. When Max Linder pops the question at his sweetheart and she ties the ball and chain to him by answering in the affirmative in the early stages of his new five-reel comedy which has the rash but popular question as its title, it is getting in and out of the sub- sequent difficulties that furnish the ground plan of the fun, and fun there is. But it is a different Max Linder appearing as the foil for the comedy. It seems as though somebody must have told the French come- dian he would get better results if he were more subdued in his method, and he evi- dently followed the advice. Linder, who wrote and directed the picture, has made himself subservient to situations and titles in squeezing out the laughs. "Be My Wife" is a succession of these situations, and nothing more. They are generously, too generously in the first two reels, larded with gag titles. Except for one or two incidents the situations are posi- tive laugh winners and they are illustrated at length. And the pictorial laughs are augmented by extremely humorous cap- tions, except where there is loo much strain apparent in rapid firing similes. The gen- eral effect, however, receives no permanent damage from the faults. Linder's support is excellent, and it con- tributes no small amount to the comedy, and Pal, the dog, is one of the hardest and most successful workers. In fact human performers contributing a lesser portion to the whole have been listed as the star of the thing. Linder's funniest scene is the fake fight he has with himself when he shams evicting a supposed burglarious in- truder, and the best of the other scenes is at the dance following the wedding, when the unfriendly aunt performs a natural "sh immy." having a school of white mice under her corsage. The burlesque of the "Count of Monte Cristo" cflfect in the titles of Passion, where the victims were counted "One." "Two," "Three" in candles, is a pretty fancy. The candles in "Be My Wife" wilt and collapse with a most humorous effect instead of go- ing out. Strange as it may seem in a pic- ture that has practically no connected story, it still remains that the most glaring fault in the direction is a bald anti-climax. The Vant The Girl Alta Allen The Aunt Carolyn Rankin Archie Lincoln Stedman Madam Coralie Rose Dione Mr. Madam Coralie Charles MacHugh Mrs. Du Pont Viora Daniels Mr. Du Pont Arthur Clavton The Dog ■■Pal" ■The Fiancee Max Linder Written and Directed by Max Linder. Length, 4,650 Feet. The Story To outline the story of "Be My Wife" would be to catalogue a succession of events that are connected by the thinnest of threads but still strong enough to hold together the broken pieces. The "plot" is as fragmentary as a dropped plate with wires running through it, and it doesn't make anv differ- ence. Max, the fiancee, after he is accepted by hii^j sweetheart, successfully" obstructs the machinations of a rival for the girl's favor, but has great difficulty in winning over her aunt to his side. After the wed- ding, when a divorce is impending, he ac- complishes the latter feat and at the same time makes his wife respect him more. "The Yellow Arm" Unusually Thrilling and Mystifying Pathe Serial Starring Juanita Hansen. Reviewed by C. S. Sewell Unusually mystifying and thrilling are the first three episodes of "The Yellow Arm," the newest Pathe serial, which stars Juanita Hansen and features Warner Gland and Marguerite Courtot. If the same pace is held up throughout, this chapter-story should prove a big box-office attraction. Serial lovers will find in it enough action, excitement and mystery to satisfy them. Produced by George B. Seitz and directed by Bertram Milhauser, the interest is ex- ceptionally well handled. A weird note is given to the story by the introduction of three half-caste Chinamen, who are con- stantly seeking to revenge themselves on a man whose father years before married a princess of their country and brought her to America. The mysterious element is also strengthened by the use of a character who moves around as if she were a spirit, but who is a real woman, apparently demented, and whose story is known only to the man whom the Chinese are seeking. The story opens with John Bain, the son of the man who married the Chinese prin- cess, returning to his home after an unex- plained absence of five years. The Chinese trail him there, and the attempts to get him and kidnap his tw'o children, which forms the basis of the action, commences. At about the same time, Suzanne Valette, an actress and her companion, Jerry Engleson, arc driven by a fierce storm to seek shelter m the house. They immediately become mixed up in the conspiracy, Suzanne being mistaken for Doris Bain and kidnapped by the yellowmen, although she succeeds in making her escape. The opening episode ends with one of the yellow trio about to plunge his dagger into Joel Bain, the father. Suzanne sud- denly appears, and the Chinaman turns his attention to her. This episode is titled "The House of Alarms." The second epi- sode, "The Vengeance of the East," ends with the appearance of a wraith-like crea- ture, who appears to go in and out the walls where there are apparently no doors. Jerry sees her enter Doris' room and is about to go in after her when he is ac- costed by Doris' father. The third episode, "A Strange Disappearance," opens with the disappearance of Doris and closes with the capture of one of the Chinamen, who refuses to disclose Doris' whereabouts. This serial is excellently cast. Juanita Hansen has a congenial role as Suzanne, an actress who revels in the adventure into which she suddenly finds herself plunged. Warner Oland as Joel Bain, the man around whom the action centres and virhose father was American and mother Chinese does fine work. Marguerite Cour- tot lends charm to the role of Doris, Bain's daughter, who is just growing into woman- hood. Little Stechen Carr appears as Bain's young son. William N. Bailey is the friend of Suzanne, and Thomas Keith is the tutor of the two children. Edward Snyder photo- graphed the serial. The director and cameramen are to be congratulated on the excellent manner in which the serial has been photographed and the effects obtained, which are unusually high class. Projirnm and Exploitation Catchllnea: Max Linder, the Comedian Who Has Been Popular for a Greater Length of Time Than Any Other Actor, In a Screamingly Funny Farce. KxpIoltHtion An^Ie*: Work hard on the star, who was the first favorite in the films.