Variety (September 1916)

34 FILM REVIEWS THE HOUSE OF LIES. Edna Coleman Edna Goodrich Marcus Auriel Juan De La Crui Dorothy, Ednas step slBtcr.Katbleen Klrkbam lira. Coleman Lucille Ward Wlntbrop Haynon Harold Holland* Dr. Barnea Herbert 8tandlng Aa an example of what a feature picture should not be this release of the Paramount, produced by the Oliver Morosco Photoplay Co., fa a fairly good example. Originally the ■tory must have had possibilities but In the manner In which the final screen presenta- tion la worked out, the feature falls to hit the mark. The story la cheap melodrama of the type that has long since paaaed lta day In popular appeal, and Edna Goodrich doee not get over with sufficient punch aa the star of this release. The Oliver Morosco Company haa turned out better pictures than this, then again this Is better than some others that the same company haa released. The star has the role of a stepdaughter who Is the beauty of the family. Her stepmother and her half sister decide that the beauty of the family must be sacrificed on the altar of mammon so that the family can maintain its social po- sition. Stepmamma then plots with a the- atrical producer to help her And a wealthy husband for the girl, but the latter before ohe will permit herself to be auctioned off, decides to destroy her beauty with acid. Finally when ahe meets the man she reaMy loves ahe discloses the fact that the acid marks were nothing but grease paint and he receives her with open anna. It lan't much as a feature at this late day In the picture producing field. Fr*l. BUSHMAN IN A SERIAL Francis X. Bushman is to appear in a fourteen episode serial to be released by the Metro. Work on the picture will begin in about a fortnight. The scenario is by "Fred de Grcsac." A N O^^J 7 I I y p 5 K 5V V I 1? '•MM; A '+ * iCJ'/'fc STARRING EDWIN STEVENS Sixteen Episodes A Dazzling Film Spectacle that will hold you spellbound. Book Now for your Theatre and reap a golden harvest. Backed by a mon- ster newspaper and magazine adver- tising campaign, "The Yellow Men- ace" will bring you record-breaking returns for 16 consecutive weeks. Produced by The Serial Film Co. Distributed by The Unity Sales Corporation 729 Seventh Ave., N. Y. City THE VAGABOND PRINCE. Prince Tonlo H. B. Warner Fluffy Dorothy Dalton Burton Randall Roy Laldlaw' Princess Athalla Katherlne Klrkwood "Spud" Murphy Charles K. French "Red" Kelly J. W. McLaughlin Count Sergls Metroposkl J. Frank Burke Mrs. Finegan Agnes Herring An Ideal Idea for a serial In this Triangle- Kay-Bee release at the Rialto Sunday this week has been compressed into a regular weekly Issue of the usual number of reels. It's the story of the young prince, bound by conventionalities and his small principality to the humdrum life of the royal blue. Prlnoe Tonlo (H. B. Warner), in Botha!la, some- where In the Balkan Mountains, is by de- cree betrothed to Princess Athalla. From the windows of the castle the Prince sees the peasants making hay and love. He yearns for romance, a love that will come to him with- out reason excepting himself. On the scene strolls an itinerant artist with his paints. The Prince sees him, they talk and after an hour's visit with the stroller, the Prince con- eludes to try the "open road" to happiness. The painter is of the Bohemian Club In San Francisco and that Is the city the Prince goes to, working his passage as a sailor. And his romance starts In a "dump" on the Barbary Coast. Fluffy (Dorothy Dalton) is singing In the cabaret ("Lyric theatre") as the sailors walk In, the Prince among tnem. Leaving the stage Fluffy Is roughly accosted by the boss of the district, abetted by the owner of the dive. She repulses him, there is a struggle and hearing the battle, the Piinoe breaks In. foils the girl's assailants but is arrested and locked up as drunk and dis- orderly. Fluffy goes to the jail to see "the Wop sailor" who Intervened In her behalf, he gives her the card of the artist (Burton Randall-Roy Laldlaw) and the Bohemian Club crowd pay the $8.20 fine the Prince was assessed, an amount It seemed beyond the bank account of Fluffy. Celebrating his re- lease, the Club, without divulging to Fluffy the Prince's Identity, gives a celebration, In- duces Fluffy to pose as a model rather than cabaret singer and the Prince to linger longer in their midst. The Prince and Fluffy become engaged, are about to be married, when his country's embassy In Washington learns of the Prince's whereabouts. They arrive as the ceremony Is about to be performed, interrupt it, Inform the Prince he Is now the King since the ruler and the Crown Prince were assassi- nated, and put the choice up to the Prince, the throne or Fluffy. But Fluffy walks out on her King whom she said she thought was "a dago sailor." The Prince's friends, how- ever, kidnap her, the Prince avers he pre- fers her love to a kingdom and they wind up the feature with a kiss. Had a series of ad- ventures been used and the "romance" not made quite so "low" as in this present pic- ture, with the Warner name, It might have been a corking serial. However It's a very good romantic picture, with a little surprise at the finish and does excellently, for every- body likes well placed romance. 8im«. THREE PALS. Mutual five reeler, featuring Kolb and Dill. The picture, of the comedy dramatic type, hold* more value as a comedy vehicle than dramatic, the two leads handling comedy that proves amusing, the bit of dramatic work falling short owing to the stereotyped story. The stars In their customary Dutch makeup as knights of the road, are put to work by a farmer who finds them on his property. Through an advertisement In a newspaper one of the comedians learns he has inherited a small fortune with the money being held by a Chicago lawyer. The two leave for the windy city and get the money only to have the lawyer take It away from them by selling them a ranch which upon their arrival Is a barren waste. Up to thin point the picture is all comedy with the draamtlc end up for notice with the entrance Into the story of the law- yer's daughter who runs away with a man who Immediately leaves her upon learning that the father will have nothing to do with the girl owing to her marriage. The desertion occurs near the ranch of the men her father swindled. They meet the girl but do not learn of her close connection with their crooked attor- ney. They protect her from several western bad- men, they leave to get the crooked lawyer, se- curing positions as waiters In a Chicago restaurant and some time later they see their man, but with him is the girl they had be- friended. They rush to her and a general straightening out of affairs occurs with the lawyer paying back the money twice over. There are several laughs during the rural scenes with the stars getting the laughs in some of the restaurant business. The story Is far from Interesting from a dramatic stand- point, but the comedy will overshsdow that portion. The production calls for nothing pretentious, with the cast all that can be asked, the voting woman playing the daughter role screening well. INTOLERANCE POSTPONED. Chicago, Sept. 20. "Intolerance" is not to open as an- nounced at the Colonial, but has had the date postponed four weeks. Jones- Linick-Schacfer yesterday arranged for a return of "The Birth of a Nation" to the Colonial, opening Sept. 25.