The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

Theatrical Film Critique 159 i foreword, still stands in Johnstown, Y. Likewise Fort Pitt of Pittsburg, was dangerous, perhaps, to use as titles verses of Longfellow. The monotonous ^thm has been intoned by countless school ldren, on every public occasion in small lages the country over, and parodied a zen times. Prose titles might have been tter. However, the film was convincing )ugh to completely submerge the hack- yed aspects of Paul Revere's ride in rse. Among many authentic character- tions, none was more perfect than the lile, lascivious British Governor. He s the incarnate spirit of all that brought DUt the American rebellion against and English populace's hatred for Britain's rman George III. THE CRADLE (Famous Players). V thoroughly good adaptation carefully ected by Paul Powell. Ethel Clayton oves, in her favorite role of late, the mine feeling of man and wife that must st beneath the irritations of a home in ich the wife must do all the many tasks the household to further the goals of a niggling young physician." The hus- ld, at the hands of Charles Meredith, )ears too easily influenced by the rich d idle "Lola." There is a steady com- n-sense seriousness about Mr. Meredith, t he lacks, in this part at least, the ength necessary to save the young phy- ian from the epithet "Stupid ass." hen, by the law's decree, little Dora ives to spend the allotted six months h her father, Mr. Meredith is cold, newhat negligible in important scenes, t, the lack on his side may be passed >n casually when one remembers the j acting of Ethel Clayton. All her quick cerity and her telling warmth wins de- ite approbation. It is her strength that es Dr. McGrail, as he is portrayed by redith; it is her ability that makes the 1 one of the better films of the month. THE WORLD'S CHAMPION (Fam- ous Players). A difficult task, to review Wallace Reid, back at his old tricks on the screen. Prejudiced by the feeling that "Wallie, too, had succumbed to the inevitable prize-fight picture," and disturbed by the memory of that new and surprisingly able Wallace Reid of Forever, the gay, grinning chap who made us laugh at the expense of his snob- bish family, was a bit hard to accept. The story has punch and some humor. Lois Wilson is en- tirely capable. She always is. Of all the stars who have made fight pictures, this one is the best in the reviewer's opinion. THE LEATHER PUSHERS (Uni- versal). Reginald Denny breezes through this fight serial without the coarseness one expects in serials, particularly fight serials. There is, of course, the whole question of the advisability of the alarming growth of fight publicity, to be met at every turn. Yet, a sane and fair-minded person must admit, that though he, personally, may be averse to prize-fighting, it is, for many, a clean and enjoyable sport, with no more attend- ant cruelty than can be found in many sports of the day in this and other countries. The objec- tion, practically certain to stand, is the deplorable presence of young children in film audiences. Adults will leave or sleep through The Leather Pushers if the material is undesirable. But the child will "eat it alive." One more bit has been added to this growing like for a sport that has many questionable aspects. This matter waived, however, The Leather Pushers, we must admit, is a better serial than any we have seen. That is saying very little, however. THE GAME CHICKEN (Famous Players). Bebe Daniels romps through, her harem-scarem role of Spanish-Yankee daughter of an American rum-runner. The Spanish partner, who becomes the dogging villain; the American Secret Service hero (Pat O'Mally); the "mouthy" sea captain and his motley crew; the Massachusetts partner who received the cargo—these furnish an array of presentable characters. The finest bit, in a film but averagely good otherwise, was the char- acterization of the Spanish grandmother. "Little Grandmother" ruled the roost, surely! Despite obstacles and the entanglements of the pirate vil- lain, hero and heroine come up for the final Daniels clinch. On the whole, clean melodrama, if a bit mediocre in general tone.