Exhibitors Herald (Oct-Dec 1920)

EXHIBITORS HERALD October 23, 1920 Barbara Castleton in THE BRANDING IRON Seven-part drama; Goldwyn Directed by Reginald Barker Published in October OPINION : The big moment in Katherine Newlin Bert's novel is where Pierre, tortured into a jealous rage by Joan's eyes, ties her to a post and presses his red hot branding iron into her shoulder. Around this highly dramatic incident the whole story revolves. The outstanding features of the screen drama, however, are the superb direction, wonderful photography and splendid performances contributed by Miss Castleton. as Joan, James Kirkwood, as Pierre, Richard Tucker, as the love-making playwright and Albert Roscoe as the minister. Carefully chosen settings also contribute powerfully to the atmosphere of the piece. In less skillful hands than Mr. Barker's the story would have failed to register as heavily as it did. The dominant theme is the love of an untutored mountain girl for an uncouth woodsman, a love that is sttadfast even though he puts the mark of his jealousy upon her when he discovers she harbored the minister over night. The camera work of Percy Hilburn is impressive ; the character drawing good and the tinting, especially of the snow scenes where the golden lamp light streams out upon the snow banks, lends a decidedly finished appearance to the whole. There are several excellent exploitation angles to be considered in billing "The Branding Iron." It is a gripping melodrama, splendidly acted and you have several good names to work on in the cast. Mention the book's popularity and get your book dealer to co-operate with you on a window display. SYNOPSIS : Joan Carver runs away from her dissolute father, meets and marries Pierre Landi? a young rancher. The father informs Pierre he has married "the darter of a bad woman" and becoming jealous over an incident between Joan and the Reverend Holliwell, the parish minister, Pierre flies into a rage and brands the girl. Prosper Gael, a playwright, on a hunting trip, walks into the cabin, shoots Pierre and takes Joan to his mountain cottage, which he had prepared to receive Betty Morena, wife of a Xew York impresario. He tells Joan Pierre is dead but later she learns Pierre is alive and attempts to return to him. Gael finds her and brings her back. She runs away, feeling she has sinned irretrievably against Pierre and secures work on an Arizona ranch, where the Morenas are staying. Pierre seeks her and she goes with the Morenas to NewYork, where Gael's play is about to be produced. The drama is written around the incident of the branding of Joan by Pierre. Pierre, also attending the opening night performance is much impressed, he follows Joan to the Morena apartments and there is a happy reconciliation. Lyons and Moran in ONCE A PLUMBER Five-part comedy; Universal Directed by Lyons and Moran Published September 28. OPINION : Studiously avoiding the slapstick, Lyons and Moran leap into their third feature-length comedy with a gusto that promises much but at the end leaves the promise unfulfilled. The two comedians would do better to stick to the two-reel subjects if their scenario writers cannot supply them with stronger comedy plots than that contained in "Once a Plumber." The story lacks much in the way of farce comedy situations. The humorous incidents are too few and far between and not spon The big moment in The Branding Iron," the Goldwyn picture directed by Reginald Barker. taneous, except in one or two instances. The story deals with the experiences of two plumbers. One of them aspires to higher things, such as society and fine raiment and induces the other to enter into his scheme of getting up in the world. The opportunity presents itself when they are called to a job in the home of a millionaire and then are offered princely sums for lending their names to a stock jobbing scheme being perpetrated. Joe Blyn (Lee Moran) is made president, and William Wilson (Eddie Lyons), secretary. They forget their sweethearts, Mary and Kate, and during the afternoon become engaged to two "society" ladies. The police step in and arrest them just as the scheming millionaire and his pals are about to make their getaway. Then the townspeople, enraged at the jilting of Mary and Kate, enter the place, seize the two plumbers and almost tear them to pieces. They end up in a hospital with their sweethearts by the side of their beds. The two stars work hard to put over the few really humorous situations embodied in the plot and a very capable company appears in' support. Beautiful settings and fine light effects are used throughout. Bebe Daniels in YOU NEVER CAN TELL Five-part comedy; Realart. Directed by Chester M. Franklin. Published in October. OPINION: Bebe Daniels did not fare very happily in the selection of "You Never Can Tell," based on two Saturday Evening Post stories by Grace Lovell Bryan, as a vehicle to usher her into stardom. The idea of a poor but pretty check room girl setting her cap for wealth in order to obtain clothes and then falling in love with a man she believes to be a chauffeur, but who is in reality tremendously rich is not as fresh as one would expect in a picture presenting a new star. However, it serves to permit Miss Daniels to wear some stunning gowns which is an evident object achieved. The story is humorously treated, bringing the offering under the head of romantic comedy. Some of the comedy business is trully funny, as, for instance, the removal of the Jones' furniture from the sidewalk to a basement in the house down the street, a dozen or more people being strung out along the thoroughfare in a long queue each carrying miscellaneous household goods. But the situations, intended as comedy surprises, do not register. One anticipates them and knows what to ixpect. The scenario, by Tom Geragllty and Helmar W. Bergman, is workmanlike, as is the* direction of Chester M. Franklin. Whoever is responsible for the titles must be credited with having written in an easy style. The photography is uniformly good. Miss Daniels, in the role of Rowena Patricia Jones, can hardly be said to demonstrate any particular right to stardom, but then the part is one that gives her slim chance to prove herself. Her work i« satisfactory, as is that of Jack Mulhall. Ed. ward Martindel. Helen Dunbar. Harold Goodwin, Neely Edwards, Leo White. Mrs. Harry Davenport and Graham Pettit. who make up the remainder of the cast. Altogether "You Never Can Tell" is a vehicle that is just moderately pleasing. SYNOPSIS : Rowena Patricia Jones, poor but pretty, envies the wearers the beautiful clothes she sees from her check room stand in a fashionable hotel and, spurred on by her co-worker, decides to marry wealth in order to obtain the pretty things she covets. She gives up her hansome cab driver for a lady killer, only to discover that she is in the company of a married man. Then. M. Brian, a gown designer, struck by her pretty face and figure, | engages her as a model. Garbed in one j of Brian's creations she meets the "Prince." She pretends to be wealthy but he learns | otherwise when she leaves her pocketbook containing pawn tickets and other damaging evidence. He tries to locate Rowena through the pawn tickets but failing returns to the hotel dressed in aviator's togs. They meet and Rowena mistakes him for a chauffeur. He allows the mistake to stand. She. however, tries to keep up her pretense and is chased by a policeman for prowling around a Fifth Avenue home she told the Prince was her own. The Prince rescues her in front of her basement home and suggests that they live again the night of their first meeting— he to wear his evening dress, she to wear a gown he will borrow and send to her. Rowena aerees and is thus brought to the Prince's Fifth Avenue home. He obtains her promise of marriage and after she squares matters with the lady killer's wife. Rowena meets the Prince's parents and learns that she is engaged to a really wealthy man.