Variety (November 1918)

AMONG HIE W Br VAJOf nam m>\a &>•«■ ■MU • It didn't is'eem there could have beep • an-orchestra rehearsal at the Fifth Avenue Monday, so .many acts had to . call their cues in the afternpoji. Burns and Frabito were allowed to sing two numbers sung earlier in the bill. Lil- .;• lian Broderick (Bryan and Broderick) .was the first woman to step on the stage.. Regardless of the fact that she , has been seen hereabouts with other, acts she has "just arrived." Gifted with an unusually pretty face, a perfection .' of physical charms and rare dancing ability, she has a punch in every cos- tume and glance of her roguish eyes. :- A turquoise blue and oran^^e combma- ' tion had a touch of originality in a bare bit of shoulder showing between ' - t^e bodice and long bell sleeve. A smart little turned-up turban of same ■ material, topped her auburn curls. A voluminous black satin cap£ was lined .with orange and a purple frock was ■ "trimmed in spiral lines with deep . • cherry fringe. A cheeky little blue vel- vet piped with carnation, split on one side disclosing short pants edged with metallic lace inserting, and the other -. side of skirt was caught up in a big bow on the hip. A vulgar pose in one dance should be eliminated or cur- tailed. Either someone has been given the authority to rewrite an old one-act classic entitled '"Op 'o My Thumb" or it is the biggest "lift" put over in vau- jdeville in many a day. The original production was used as a curtain rais- er at George Alexander's Theatre, Lon- ; don, in ihs. winter of 1897, and later played by Maude Adams in this coun- tiy. The present version, "The Tale of a Shirt," presented by Erwin and Jane Connelly, is brought slightly up to date, but is too long drawn cut. As the fr^ail little slavey. Miss Connelly is at- tired in a brown velvet skirt and black ; ■. and white shirt. In a terra cotta suit trimmed with mole and turban heavily laden with white aigrettes, Catherine Crawford sang the iprolog for her rxew fashio,n 1- review. Pink pajamas, lemon chiffon negligee robe^. blue georgette chemise ■• (showing olenty of fleshings), sheer orchid panties, and then the models X halted. A suit of buff cloth had the '. coat slit at sides, showing seal pockets r!. to match shawl collar. A mahogany ' satin had its panel back and skirt em- broidered in self tone silk, and a black satin pointed basque had its skirt veiled in deep fringe. Sport suits, i* riding habits, top coats and even marine and infantry uniforms fought for supremacy in the parade. It was not, however, until a fair girl dressed ,. in peacock raiment appeared and start- -: ed singing in the finale that any real personality betrayed itself. Miss Crawford displayed a beautiful black V lace evening gown and was a stunning picture in the finale in magenta velvet. ;'• There are only three ordinary outfits displayed throughout theoffering. To say that Maurice Tourneur's "Woman'' is big, photographically per- fect, full of immense interest, or even that it has much to recommend it to the sober judgment of thinking per- sons, seems inadequate homage to the stupendous intellectual production. That the women in the audience didn't take kindly at first to the pic- tured uncomplimentary episodes, start- ing with Adam ^nd Eve, only led up to a greater climax as the modern man ,-::....>".cali5ed„ the^women jjjt ..b.is.tQry....wer.e. "■ ■■'slaves atid that the eniancipatidh' of woman has emptied drawing rooms of their prettiest butterflies and shown heroines, like Edith Cavel, to the world. Florence Billings and Warren Cook . were typical American female and male types (I wonder what other man save an American would sit by and watch a woman work herself.into a spiteful, nasty mood and smile patient- ly the while). Miss Billings, in dark georgette—part of the bodice and sleeves lined—was an up-to-date pic- ture. Ethel Hallor in her "hair-dress" was an alluring "Eve," Flore Ravalles- an attractive siren, and Diana, Allen a vricked little "Miss Purity." The Brit- tany tale was the: most novel and the illusion of the great school of sea lions shedding their skins, turning into beautiful nude women and then back into seals again was cleverly done. Faire Binney denied the anti- bellum days with her bobbed Broad- way head, The various "species" were well typified and showed careful detail in casting. At the opening no less than twenty women were flashed, run- ning from a Queen in royal robe, to a Street Jane, and from Mammy Jenny to a fastidious show-girl-actress. "Woman" is a melting pot of queer personalities and varied veneers, and in all truthfulness we must acknowl- edge ourselves a product of the mix- ture. It's an amusing, serious, intelli- gent presentation. Enid Bennett is still featuring a careless makeup. "When Do We Eat" is no exception. The picture is mildly amusing. She doubled for Eliza and Little Eva in her barnstorming career, looking very yoijthful and pretty" in the "angel" robe. In gingham frocks and muslin, as Ma Forbes, assistant, she was always immaculate. Good photography and continuity^ help you forget the incongruity of things. . Edna Purviance stands out niceljjr in her bit in the Chaplin masterpiece, "Shoulder Arms." At least Miss Purviance is still Chaplin's leading woman, which isn't such a shine job for any woman, even if she only ,car- ried a spear. Some day, "I was with Chaplin" may be as big an introduction in the comedy world as "I was with Booth" was in the dramatic world in the past. Edna Purviance is always sincere and, even as ah unhappy French peasant girl, is good to look at. . Jane Holder, the Strand usherette, is making a splendid impression at the theatre daily with her unusual tenor voice. "La Donna E Mobile" and "Believe Me If All Those Endear- ing Young Charms," the selections last week, were delightfully rendered. "A Woman of Impulse" is hardly worthy of Lina Cavalieri. Particularly as bits of the story were reminiscent of late releases, Emily Stevens in "Kildare of the Storm" and Dorothy Dalton's "Green Eyes," for instance. The scenes of the tragedies were set on southern plantations, and by a co- incidence the villain in two of the fea- tures was played by the same actor. In most of the scenes Cavalieri wore her raven locks wrapped around her head in tight, flat, tiny braids. A couple of times her hair was parted in the old familiar way and hanging down her back in a plait. First as a peasant girl, then La Vecca the Paris- ian operatic sensation and later as the wife of Count Nerval, she had splendid opportunity to parade an elaborate .wardrobe,. byt,didn'tr-rGpQd.taste^^,^^^ displayed], but more spectacular clothes might have added interest. Gertrude Robinson did a flippant, indulged sister nicely, wearing pretty evening frocks and looking particularly attractive in steamer outfit—^white hat and white wool collar and cuffs on a dark suit. Ida Waterman was a splendid type of the southern autocrat a«d had beau- tiful cluny lace shawls and brocades. Corinne Uzzell as Cleo the octoroon fortunately hadn't much to do, else she might have appeared far too important in this picture—the dignity and beauty of the woman outshining the char- acter she was taking. Mrs. Matilda Brundage was an acceptable, well- gowned society woman. Exhibitors of Charlie Chaplin's lat- est release, "Shoulder Arms," will do well to arrange for the Strand orches- tration of it at the same time. One only has to witness the running of the reels somewhere else to 'realize^ what an important part music plays in the demonstration of this great comedy film. Julia Arthur fell heiress to a sure- fire success for. her screen debut in the story of "The Woman the Germans •Shot." John Adolphi, her director, should be congratulated for the man- ner in which he has blended a pretty love tale with the history of unfor- tunate Nurse Cavell. One looked for gruesome details around the unroman- tic martyr's last days and found only dignified resignation; in other words, the scenario has kept close to truth- ful details. There was a prolog de- picting a pretty romance in the begin- ning, for Edith Carvel, which she renounced for her profession. The "girl" was played by Amy Dennis, and remarkably like Miss Arthur might have been as. a girl. Joyce Fair is a pretty girlie type and wears dainty frocks, and Sara Alexander (Mrs. Cavell)'is a dear old lady. She made a splendid impression on her natural- ness, but show^ed no histrionic ability. Miss Arthur has every earmark of a "dyed-in-the-wool" screen star and de- picted the noble Nurse Cavell with beauty of character and soiil,' that could not have beein surpassd by any other star on the screen. A detail of the picture was the English boy (Creighton Hale) rushing home, after enlisting, holding the shilling aloft', given him by the Crown, to the strains of Tommy Atkins. "^ith a novelty act ("Birds of a Feather") opening the show at the Alhambra this week, a sketch of real dramatic value (["The Weaker One") closing intermission. The comedy film (Chaplin) opening the second half and the Avon Four closing, it didn't matter much what came in between.' However, the "filling" was also good. Molly Fuller has a broad white spangled vest or girdle on her royal blue sequin and white gown that just doubles her girth, and her white hat might be more becoming faced witl}_ blue. The two women in "The Weaker One," in brown and tan' neat peasant dresses, were noble types of 'women worth while," and the acting grips you with its sincerity. Frankio Fay was attired in a handsome black silk Chinese brocade wrap with its silver lining. She was a pathetic sacrifice on the altar of fashion, for her gown also was all wrong for her. A beautiful qualify of Olympic blue satin with silver leaf design stripes, running hori- zontally in the bodice and vertically in the skirt, it had a great puff at the hips, and the long narrow skirt was shirred up around the ankles. There was a panel back with the skirt split underneath (so she could dance), show- ing accordeon plaited chiffon drops. Not a natural line was visible, and, while the same gown might look quite ■■.•si»ar-tv -on .t a,.r:tft!l -g[rl>.-•a's- -u'eU-««■ -thi^- wrap, neither are for Miss Fay's short rotund figure. The gown did not pre- vent her, however, from putting over a nice hit with her songs. Mary Kelly was dainty in shell pink georgette embroidered in blue beads and a large blue picture hat. HODKINSON WITH PATML W. W. Hbdkihsoni and Pathe ,signed contracts la'st week whereby all of the Hodkinson brand will be released ■ through the Pathe sales organization beginning Nov. 25. The arrangement existing between Hodkinson and the General Film will terminate on that date. The-.]Hodkinson arrangement with the Geneiral was on a IS-20 split, the General taking the long end and Hod- kinson working on 15 per cent,- the balance of 65 per cent, going to the producers. . Hodkinson carried his own sales force and quartered them in the General exchanges, and that company handled the physical distri- bution of the product. Under the contract with Pathe a similar condition will exist as. regards the sales force. It is understood, how- ever, although not admitted by either , Pathe or thie Hodkinson office, that the present arrangement affords the latter better terms than they secured from the General. The Hodkinson' office is, how!iv(;r, laying great stress upon the fact that Pathe is in a posi- tion to give service of a greater effic- iency than could be obtained through the General. ^ Pathe, since it discontinued the pol- icy of producing features and disposed of the contracts that it held with Frank Keenan, Bessie Love, Bryant Washburn, and others, has been on the lookout for a connection that would guarantee a certain number of features for its program. This the link-up with Hodkinson assures. Hod- kinson now holds contracts for the releasing of the output of the Brunton studios, where Bessie Barriscale, J. Warren Kerrigan and Louise Glaum are making features under an arrange- ment with Jesse Durham Hampton, brother of B. B. Hampton. He also has the Lillian Walker starring fea- tures which are being made by the . company controlled by Lester Park, who is also working at the Brunton studio. "With these four stars Hodkinson feels that he will be able to place two features a month on the market, but he' hopes through other connections and by the purchasing of additional independent made features to release' one a week. . .. - • ■3 ^-:.":^i« ., -, \ Via 4. ".'■'■5 ; ''L^ JUDGMENT BY WEIGHT. ■ '■''-■A Last week in Part II of the Supreme -.;J Court, before Justice Hotchkiss, Flor- ;<■.= ence Nelson, a picture player, secured ;^,v:.' a judgment for ^16,093.29 against the 'i>i' Supe^ictures Distributing Corpora- .V iv tion (McClure Pictures), Frederick L.--'<^4 Collins, president. The plaintiff was engaged last • spring at a weekly salary of $500, for ; one year. A clause stipulated the con- •' ; tract null and void if Miss Nelson ex- ceeded 110 pounds in weight.^ No ' - reason was assigned for thjs stipula- .._> tion. After the agreement had run about ■ - three months, it was breached, the de- . fondants alleging ' she exceeded the , .'• specified weight limit. At the trial it ' ': was proved Miss Nelson never had - exceeded the weight and is still within the 110-pound class. The court awarded her the amount . mentioned as the balance due her, in salary, at $500 per week, representing • about 32 weeks which the contract had . still to run. s. ... Milton Dammann was the counsel for the plaintiff. JACK eUNNINGHAM Staff Writer Robert Bmnton Studios, Loa Angeles Recent Relcaics tat Oarrltnle, Emnan, Glaum and Rerilsan