The educational screen (c1922-c1956])

394 The Theatrical Field The Educational Screen creaks in all its joints. However, in spite of a weakly sentimental plot, you will find some things to enjoy in the story of a six-year-old who runs away and joins a circus in order to support his widowed mother. The children will be highly entertained. SUZANNA (Mack Sennett) Mabel Normand in one of her rare appearances. It was a disappointment, on the whote, being largely a series of pretty but long drawn out poses. One wondered when it was ever going to get anywhere. Old California under the Spanish regime was beautifully pictured; but the plot was that familiar one in which the babies are changed and the heroine grows up beautiful but obscure, but marries the Prince Charming in the end, to the confusion of the plotters. Miss Normand has little opportunity for the effective display of her talents as a comedienne. HOLLYWOOD (Paramount) Delightful fooling by the movies at the expense of the same. A clever story : of how a pretty girl renounces dish-washing and braves the wrath of family and sweetheart to be a movie star ; of how she goes to California; of how she discovers to her sorrow that there are hundreds of other pretty girls there; of how her family follows her to Hollywood; of how they all become wealthy and famous in the movies; of how the pretty girl sits at home and wonders how they did it. Most of the stars on the Pacific coast are in "Hollywood," beginning with Mary Pickford; and there is a particularly hilarious dream sequence in which the general public idea of "horrible Hollywood" is gently ridiculed. Of the various pictures on the subject, you will probably find this one the most entertaining. James Cruze is the director responsible. DULCY (First National) The "bromide lady" has reached the screen in highly entertaining form, although many of the high spots which made the stage play so delectable are necessarily missing. Good direction and a good cast are topped by one of Constance Talmadge's cleverest performances as Dulcy, whose brain is "as good as new because she never uses it." Her wide-eyed complacency is worth seeing, as is also the scene in which the demon scenario writer entertains for two hours with a complete performance of his latest story. Jack Mulhall as Dulcy 's husband, John Harron as her brother Bill, and Claude Gillingwater as the peevish financier are all delightful. SALOMY JANE (Paramount) George Melford has made only fair screen entertainment of Bret Harte's story. It moves slowly and the suspense isn't well maintained for a story of this type. A good cast pulls the picture up to average, but does no striking work with the exception of Louise Dresser, whose characterization of "Lize" stands out. Jacqueline Logan plays Salomy Jane, and Maurice Flynn, George Fawcett, Charles Ogle, and others are included. MERRY-GO-ROUND (Universal) Surprising in some ways, yet after all not offering anything unexpected in the matter of story, this picture presents an interesting study in treatment. It changed hands in the making, having been started by Eric von Stroheim. Rupert Julian took it over in the midst of production and finished it. The story revolves — literally — around the love of a little organ grinder in a merry-go-round, and a titled officer in the service of the Austrian emperor, presenting a vivid picture of Vienna before and during the war. It is interesting to wonder which scenes to credit to Stroheim and which to Julian, and on the whole, not hard to pick them out. One feels that Mr. Julian has softened the outlines of the story, and made the characters a trifle more human than they might have been under Mr. Stroheim, whose stark realism and heavy brilliancy of direction are evident in certain flashes. To my mind Mary Philbin and George Hackathorne are the outstanding figures, as the merry-go-round girl and the crippled "barker" with his pathetic love for her. George Siegmann as the brutal owner of the concession. Dale Fuller as his wife, and Cesare Gravina as the old Punch and Judy man. do excellent character work. To Norman Kerry falls the somewhat difficult role of Count Hohenegg, who loves the little organ grinder and comes back to her after the war. He gives a sympathetic portrayal. THE SHRIEK OF ARABY (Mack Sennett) I had to sit through this so-called comedy because I had got in on the tail end of the feature and wanted to see the first part. I give it space