The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

158 The Educational Screen interesting because of its few excellent spots. THE SILENT CALL (First Na- tional). As advertised, this film is the vehicle ot Strongheart, the dog with a man's brain. We suspect that further credit for men's brains ought to be awarded the gentleman who managed Strongheart. It must have been a most difficult task to array the gamut of the "wolf-dog's" emotions. "You are as quick as a flash—I'll call you that, Flash," said the master when Flash was but a puppy. The picture is full of the charm of virgin northland scenery, moon-white, with the constant presence of a pointed sil- houette atop a summit, the throat stretched to the mating call of the lobo. Even those unnatural mortals v/ho dislike dogs must be won over by the beauty, the courage, the fierce loyalty of Flash. Cluttered about his story are many humans, necessary to a certain extent to build the action, but not to the extent evi- dent in the picture. Just as the tale is clumsily started with a long preamble of titles and explanatory matters, so Flash's action dulls amidst the too-peopled cast. But, certainly, as the film starring a man-brained dog, The Silent Call is all that can be expecte'd. It is to be hoped that this is not Strongheart's last appearance. THE WOMAN'S SIDE (First Na- tional). Many casts find themselves in the busi- ness of making a picture with little or nothing as an incentive to good work. Such is this lame tale of the political world. There is nothing particularly bad about the film. It is safe for the family. There is the added merit of the beautiful Katharine MacDonald with no absurd over-abundance of "fixed" close-ups. But these assets cannot overcome the handicap of trite material dangerously near an un- convincing burlesque of the political me drama. WHERE IS MY WANDERS BOY TONIGHT (Equity). The enthusiastic press agent, in beat fully balanced blocks of caps, remark to the left of the announcement, "a ht dred heart throbs," to the right, "hot the griddle." Griddle cakes and he throbs! "Life, then," quoth the reviewe companion, "is like a waffle." The mix figures of the pressman plus those of 1 irreverent reviewer in no way sound absurdity of this film. The title sugge the possibilities to the suspicious. 1 sickly lady, sobbing and wa-wahing at organ, the deluge of salt water "oozir persistently on all occasions from all ej are but two matters indicative of h thoroughly any suspicions were justifi There is something distressing in this c< stant maudlinizing of ideas that should kept free from cheap expression. CARDIGAN (American Releasi Corp.). This film of American Romance is careful, almost scholarly piece of work, has, too, some of the rather trying sic ness peculiar to academic effort. Yet i loss in the rate of action is made up by the excellence of the continuity, no time is history presented for histoi sake. The facts of Revere's ride, the B ton Tea Party, the British defeat at hands of Lexington's determined Min Men, are effectually subordinated as background for the romance of Cardig Wm. Collier, Jr., and Betty Carper carry their thrilling love tale with fo and restraint. This must have been a d cult picture to direct, to keep prop tionate. John Noble deserves special m tion in this respect. To audiences th must be a certain amount of honest et tion in viewing the action on histor ground. Johnson Hall, as they are told V