Exhibitor's Trade Review (Mar-May 1925)

April 11, 1925 Page 51 "DECLASSE" First National Photoplay. From the stage play by Zoe Atkins. Director, Robert Vignola. Length, 7,869 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Lady Helen Haden Corinne Griffith Ned Thayer Lloyd Hughes Rudolph Soloman Clive Brook Sir Bruce Thayer Rockcliffe Fellowes Mrs. i-.eslie Thayer Lily an Tashman Lady Wildering Hedda Hopper Tiramins Gale Henry Mrs. Walton Louise Fazenda Lady Helen Haden is married to Sir Bruce Thayer, a brute and a drunkard. She mee s and falls in love with Ned Thayer, but refuses to divorce her husband because of the scandal and disgrace. At a card party given by Lady Helen, Thayer is caught cheating at cards and exposed before all. _ His sister-in-law is in possession of a letter written by Lady Helen to Thayer and shows this to Sir Bruce, who orders Helen from his home and afterwards divorces her. Thayer, unaware of the let er episode, goes to Africa while Lady Helen sals for America. There ore Soloman, an art collector, persistently forces his attentions on her, making her an offer to become his mistress. She steadfastly refuses until her money gives out. She agrees to accept the offer but at the last minute rebels, dashing out of Soloman's home, and falling under an auto. Meanwhile, Thayer has left for America, and finding Helen, they find happiness together. TflRST NATIONAL has made an intriguA ing photoplay out of Zoe Akins' stage success in which Ethel Barrymore achieved a noteworthy triumph some seasons back. The direction is flawless and Corinne Griffith in the Barrymore role is an unusually fortunate choice. Director Vignola has made the picture an artistic achievement and there is no good reason why the film should not meet with universal favor with the fans. The story is one that is particularly well adapted to the screen, the atmosphere of British aristocracy is faithfully presented, the characters are nicely drawn and the acting throughout is of a very high order of merit. The story starts off well, stressing the heroine's strict adherence to family traditions and introducing a striking if not altogether convincing dramatic situation. Just whether a woman in Lady Helen's position would expose her lover as a card cheat before her guests, especially when she knew that he held an incriminating love letter, is extremely problematical. Nor is it altogether likely that her husband, who with all his faults has the instincts of a gentleman, would venomously attack his wife before their guests and cast her out into the street. But these are minor lapses and the film in general carries conviction and sincerity. The picture follows the play faithfully enough except for the ending. In the stage version Lady Helen was killed. The traditions of the screen call for a happy ending, and although Lady Helen casts herself in front of a motor, she convalesces in time for an embrace with the youth who comes all the way from Africa to claim her love. There is a multiplicity of detail in the latter reels, some of which might have been effectively eliminated. It has been given a handsome mounting and although the settings are lavish and elaborate, the correct atmosphere is achieved. Corinne Griffith is admirable as Lady Helen. Her characterization of the suffering aristocrat is well poised, charming and convincing. She never for a moment steps out of her character, her performance is delicately shaded and of course she is a vision to behold as this regal lady. The support is superb with Rockcliffe Fellowes, Clive Brook and Lloyd Hughes standing out prominently in a well-balanced cast. In addition to the popularity of the star, the names of the above-mentioned players are well known and should be mentioned in the billing. Mention the fact that the picture is an adaptation of the celebrated starring vehicle for Ethel Barrymore. "CONTRABAND" Paramount Photoplay. Author, C. B. Kelland. Director, Jack Cunningham. Length, 6,773 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Caimel Lee Lois Wi'-son Deputy Jenney Noah Beery Launcelot Bangs Raymond Hatton Kvan Pell Raymond McKee Sheriff Churchill Charles Ogle Tubal Luke Cosgrave Abner Fownes Edwards Davis Simmy Johnny Fox George Bogardus Victor Potel Jared Whitfield Al.tihonse Ethier Carmel Lee falls heir to a small-town newspaper, which she at once takes charge of. She finds bootlegging in full swing, operated by a gang of crooks that does not hesitate to do away wi'h the sheriff in order to carry out their schemes. With the aid of Evan Pell, who has been ousted from the position of college professor she makes war on the crooks. After a variety . of wild adventures, during which Pell and Carmel are abducted in turn by the gang, the bootleggers are rounded up, the sheriff's murder mystery solved and the leader of the gang when caught, proves to be Abner Fownes, politician and one of the town's leading citizens. A CRACKING good mystery melodrama, liberally seasoned with timely comedy relief, "Contraband" registers as a likely boxoffice drawing card for any theatre. Even the high brow element should find it entertaining and the average fan will certainly stamp it with approval. The feature starts off at a rather deliberate pace, but before much footage has been consumed in the opening reel, the action speeds up amazingly and maintains a swift, smooth gait until a truly exciting finale is reached. The small town atmosphere is excellent and, is somewhat rare in pictures of a purely melodramatic type, the characters are not overdrawn and impress you as real folks, despite the decidedly novel stream of events through which they struggle. When Carmel Lee inherits the Gibeon Free Press from a grouchy uncle and journeys thither to take charge, it isn't long before she becomes mixed up in a war on bootlegging which is conducted on a genuine rough-and-tumble basis. Carmel has the courage of her convictions and the impetuous manner in which she gets on the trail of the rum smugglers may be considered as a highly colored tribute to the energy of the modern girl. She is ably aided by an eccentric young professor, Evan Pell, who goes to work for her when bounced out of his job, becomes a "regular fellow" and learns what love really is before Carmel gets through with him. It's all very amusing and exciting, shot through with effective human interest touches and well built up suspense. Toward the close Pell and Carmen both fall into the enemy's clutches, but the lady makes a getaway, returns with assistance and matters whirl into a crashing climax. The sets are exceedingly fine and particularly worthy of mention is the faithful reproduction of a small-town newspaper plant, where most of the comedy is staged. Lois Wilson is pleasingly natural and extremely attractive as heroine Carmel, Raymond McKee does some remarkably vivid acting in the role of the erstwhile "nutty" young professor, who turns out an ace in the end. Edward Davis scores heavily in the villain part of the double-crossing Fownes, while Charles Ogle, as Sheriff Churchhill, and Noah Beery as the murderous deputy ; live up to their usual high-class reputations as screen artists of fine calibre. The photography leaves nothing to be desired, exteriors and interiors are faultlessly filmed and the lighting is superb. Your exploitation should include a bookstore tie-up on Kelland's novel, "Contraband," on which the film is based. Stress the rumrunning theme for its news value. Teaser ads are feasible. Feature the players mentioned above. "THE BRIDGE OF SIGHS" Warner Brothers Photoplay. Author, Charles K. Harris. Director, Phil Rosen. Length, 6,604 feet. CAST AND SYNOPSIS Linda Harper Dorothy Mackail Billy Craig Creighton Hale John Harper Alec B. Francis Glenn Hayden Richard Tucker William Craig Ralph Lewis Smithers Clifford Saum Mrs. Craig Fanny Mldgeley As his father, William Craig, is the wealthy president ot a steamship line Billy Craig is well supplied with funds and likes to hit the high spots in sportdom. He meets and falls in love with Linda Harper whose father works for Craig senior. The latter having refused Billy money to pay a gambling debt, Billy coolly abstracts a large sum from his father's desk. Billy goes away on a pleasure jaunt. In his absence Harper is jailed for stealing the missing money. Billy tells his father the truth, but to keep the matter from his sick wife the old man has his son shanghaied. Billy escapes and confesses to Harper, who has been pardoned and is ill at home. In the interval Billy's mother dies. Craig senior visits Harper. Knowing their children are in love, the parents agree to hush the matter up. Billy goes in pursuit of Linda and rescues her from the unwelcome attentions of a rounder named Tucker. They are united. '"PHIS picture will hardly stand the boxoffice test of the big first-run houses because it is overcharged with sentimental gush and melodramatic heroics. Yet considered as a program offering the chances are that it will make money for the exhibitors, for audiences in the smaller theatres like emotional stress and pathos dispensed in generous quantities and "The Bridge Of Sighs" can certainly hold its own as a pleasurably "weepy" film. Phil Rosen, who produced that fine classic, "Abraham Lincoln," must be given credit for having shaped pretty thin plot material into an attraction which is sure to please a large section of the movie fans. It is easy to imagine what an awful mess this picture would have turned out under less expert handling. In the beginning the action snaps merrily along with some bright comedy flashes, but once debonair, care-free hero Billy "borrows" some cash from his father's desk without asking permission, the sentimental pressure is put on full force, and from 'then on tearful atmosphere overshadows everything. Heroine Linda Harper's poor old papa goes to jail, an innocent victim of Billy's disregard of ethics, while the latter is away enjoying himself. Everyone concerned is unhappy and enlisting sympathy in huge gobs. Yet somehow though Billy is all to blame he doesn't incur the spectator's dislike, for it is clearly evident that he is merely reckless and his faults largely due to overindulgent parents. Also, he confesses like a man when he gets back and finds out what has happened. Meanwhile his invalid mother dies, Harper is pardoned, the two fathers get together and determine to hush things up because their children are in love with each other. Linda has fallen into the clutches of a rotter named Tucker, but Billy arrives in time to wallop Mr. Tucker and rescue her. Thenwedding bells and the sun shining on a satisfactory climax. The players don't make the mistake of overacting. Dorothy Mackail, as Linda, gives a performance rich in carefully repressed emotion, Creighton Hale is a capable hero, Ralph Lewis scores as his father, while Alec B. Francis wins fresh screen laurels by an artistic, natural portrayal of Linda's wronged parent. The photography throughout is excellent and the lighting effects at all times adequate. Utilize the title, explaining that it refers to the bridge that leads from the Tombs to the Criminal Court in New York. Stress the story's intense pathos and melodramatic urge.