The Moving picture world (May 1922)

Mav 27. 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 417 Newest Reviews and .Comments "They're Off" Ayzt'on-Aiichor Melodrama Full of Hoakitiii That Anticipates Subsequent Action. Reviewed by Roger Ferri. "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. The story, though not new as a whole, is interesting in that it is well told, but subsequent action is always anticipated. But this is no fault of either players or director, for all do their work creditably. Particularly pleasing is the work of the star, Peggy O'Day, who plays two roles. She is a clever chorus girl and a lovely damsel of the hills. But she does her best work in her masquerade as the colonel's wife. Peggy has done many good things in her motion picture career, but in "They're Off" she literally runs away with the picture. In fact she is the picture. Her work in a realistic race furnishes the outstanding thrill. She is charmingly beautiful with a recklessly daring way that earns for her the admiration of all who look on. The rest of the cast also does well. Photographicallj', 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. The lighting is passable. All in all, "They're Off" will prove good stuff for the cheaper houses, and if your patrons delight in recalling old times and theatrical tricks, this is your meat. The Cast Slats 1 „ Mrs. Blalce } Peggy O Day Colonel Blake Francis Ford Author and Scenarist Not Credited. Directed b.v Francis Ford. Length, 5 Reels. The Story Twenty years ago in old Kentucky a mother, demented by the loss of her husband and baby in rapid succession, smuggled away one of a pair of orphaned twins. The stolen baby grew to be a lovable little harum-scarum whose only discontent was her lack of education and opportunity. The other grew to have all that this one lacked. The latter had a passion for excitement and not even her husband, Col. Blake, could restrain her from seeking a life of gaiety and recklessness. The colonel is threatened with bankruptcy. Mrs. Blake steals away to the hills and there meets the other twin — Slats. Neither recognizes the other, but the striking resemblance between them prompts Mrs. Peggy Blake to offer Slats a position to masquerade as Mrs. Blake. Slats innocently accepts the job, and Peggy leaves to join a musical comedy. Slats is induced to take the name of "Mrs. Blake" and feeling that it is great fun. she enjoys the deception until Jim, a half-brother of the Colonel, comes on the scenes. He discovers the deception, but makes use of this information in an eltort to doublecross the Colonel. Slats develops into a wonder rider and one day she returns to find "her husband," the Colonel, waiting. She, realizing her predicament, writes to Peggy, but the latter, trapped in a fire, is killed — becomes despondent at the mysterious silence. However, she learns to love the Colonel, who has learned of Jim's treachery. The morning of the day of race Jim attacks his brother and Slats is accused. The jockey, through trickery, is disabled and unable to ride. "Kissed" Marie Prevosf s Personality Helps to Put Over Light Comedy Distributed by Universal. Reviewed by C. S. Sewell. Charming as ever is Marie Prevost in "Kissed," her newest starring vehicle for Universal. This, however, is not one of her bfst productions; the story is very light and several ininor incidents has been given undue footage to make it a production of feature length. As with this star's previous pictures, this is a light comedy and is entertaining. Director King Baggott has used considerable ingenuity in maintaining the suspense as to who kissed Marie, though the identity of this person can be easily guessed and your surmise is confirmed by a sub-title before his identity is revealed. Altogether it is an average program picture, the appeal depending principally on the personality of the star, the identify of the "kisser" and the fact that it is based on a successful magazine story by Arthur Somers Roche. The production is well photographed and the star is assisted by a competent cast, including J. Frank Glendon, Lloyd Whitlock and Harold Goodwin. The story moves along smoothly and easily with no strong moments of either drama or action, and some of the situations are rather far fetched. The Cast Constance Keener Marie Prevost Merton Torrey J. Frank Glendon Dr. Sherman Moss Lloyd Whitlock Mrs. Keener Lillian Langdon Bob Rennesdale Harold Miller Horace Peabody Arthur Hoyt Jim Kernochan Harold Goodwin Story by Arthur Somers Roche. Scenario by Doris Schroeder. Directed by King Baggott. Length, 4,231 Feet. The Story Constance Keener's mother has decided that she shall marry Merton Torrey, a young millionaire. Constance likes him but she longs for romance and. tells him so. At a masquerade ball someone suddenly kisses her and flees. There appear to be three possibilities, she soon eliminates two and is eloping with the third when she discovers on kissing him that he is the wrong party. The train is suddenly held up by a masked man who "kidnaps" her and later kisses her. She recognizes by the kiss that he is the right man, and finds out when he unmasks that it is Torrey, the young millionaire she has turned down because he was so unromantic. I»rosr:mi and E^xploitation. C'atchlines: Hungry for Romance. She Was Suddenly Kissed by a Masked Man, Who Was He, and to What Did This Lead? Charming Marie Prevost in a Delightful Story of Romance. Wherein Her Prince Charming Appeared in the Person of a Masked Dancer Who Kissed Her and Fled. U.vploitation Angles: Sell this on the star and the kissing episode. You can get a lot out of the latter angle, asking girls if they believe they can recognize men by their kisses. Jazz it up and you can collect. Faced by arrest, two friends aid Slats in getting away and reaches the barrier just in time to start in the race, which she wins. After the race the Colonel explains that Slats had told him the truth just prior to ♦he attack that morning. Jim is arrested and Slats left to live the rest of her life in happiness with the Colonel. Exploitation Anj^leN: Never mind the lack of fresh material in the story. You can sell this on the punches and sell big. Pick them out and work them up. A girl rider will make a fine ballyhoo. "Gay and Devilish " Doris May in a Typical Role in Frolicsome Comedy Distributed by R-C. Reviewed by Mary Kelly. The manner in which "Gay and Devilish" was received at its first New York showing indicated that this light, frivolous subject is a welcome sort of amusement, if constant giggling and chuckling are a criterion of success. It is typical of the entertainment with which 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. For the most part, the story is a laugh on portly old age on the impudent supposition that it has no place in a youthful romance, except, perhaps, to supply the comedy touch. The heroine drags her heavy suitor through no end of agonizing exercises just to prove that life with her will be too strenuous to be attractive. She convinces him. The theme has been consistently developed with enough originality in the complications to be stimulating. Even the serious has been burlesqued, as for instance, the scene of the burglarizing and the detectives three. The star is charmingly assisted by Jacqueline Logan, who does a vampish role so attractively that your sympathies are with her when perhaps they are supposed to have been directed elsewhere. The rest of the cast gives able support. The Cast Fanchon Browne Doris May Peter Armitage Cullen Landis Peter Armitage Otis Harlan Lilah Deane Jacqueline Logan Tony Bull Montana Aunt Bessie Lila Leslie The Butler Ashley Cooper First Detective Arthur Millett Second Detective Kingsley Bendict Third Detective Milton Ross Nethercote George Periolat Story by Charles A. Logue. Scenario by Garret Elsden Fort. Direction by Wm. A. Seiter. Length, 4,800 Feet. The Story Fanchon Browne has agreed to marry the ponderous Peter Armitage for the sake of helping out her guardian, financially. Before she meets him she has an adventure in the woods and meets an atti-active young man whom she decides to keep for herself, while she persuades her chum, Lilah, to vamp old Peter Armitage. Lilah vamps the wrong Peter Armitage, who turns out to be the nephew of the real one, and to be also, the young man of Panchon's adventure. Fanchon decides to cure the old man of his love for her and makes him enter into outdoor sports that are too strenuous for him. Her aunt, meantime, falls in love with him, and a prizefighter who has long adored Lilah appears on the scene and presses his suit. Fanchon gets involved in a theft of money belonging to the old Peter, but is extricated in due time, and is free to marry the man she loves, while her aunt accepts Peter, Sr. Program and Exploitation Catehlines: Doris May as the Rebellious Young Heroine. Destined to Marry a Fat Old Man — How She Escapes, and How He Suffers is an Amusing Story. Exploitation Angles: Sell the story ang-le in a sprightly fashion to suggest the fastmoving plot, and then add Miss 'May for good measure. "The Hunter and His Dog" Here is another of Paul Terry's Animated Cartoon Fables, distributed by Pathe. It depicts the ingratitude of a hunter toward the dog that has helped him capture a bear. It is up to the average of the majority of this cartoonist's work containing several clever touches which will bring laughs.— C. S. S.