Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

74 EXHIBITORS HERALD April 8, 1922 EILEEN PERCY IN ELOPE IF YOU MUST (FOX) A thin and obvious story, which should have been done in two reels instead of five. A stranded actress becomes a little Miss Fix-it in a wealthy home. Miss Percy succeeds in putting life into a lifeless plot. C. R. Wallace's direction lacks subtleness. Five reels. "Elope If You Must" is an average screen comedy which would never have seen the light if there was not a great scarcity of good stories. It is perhaps fortunate that many audiences do not demand logic or plot in its screen entertainment, otherwise "Elope If You Must" would never have been produced. The story is too improbable from the start and depends upon a string of stock situations ranging from locking hotel detectives in closets to calling out the fire department and drenching everyone with water at the finish. There is too much repetition of the chase scenes and many of the subtitles are obvious attempts at humor. This is but a sample: "You must make love like the United sells cigars. Hand out the goods and say thank you." The story concerns an actress, Nancy Moore, and the leading man of the troupe, Jazz Hennessy, who try to work their passage to New York on a through train. A passenger, Henry Magruder, comes to their rescue and tells the actress she can earn $10,000 if she will help him marry his daughter to a lawyer, and not let her marry a "simp," the choice of her mother. Nancy agrees and takes a position as maid to Elizabeth Magruder. Then starts a series of chase scenes from one hotel to another which are difficult to follow. It finally ends when Holt, the lawyer, is married to Elizabeth — who seeks romance — in the parlor of her own home, while firemen are extinguishing a fire started by Willie VVeems, the "simp," in the attic of the house where Nancy has lured him. Jazz Hennessy marries Nancy when she gets the check for $10,000. SPECIAL CAST IN THE FIRE BRIDE (WID GUNNING) Photographed in Tahiti, Pearl of the South Seas, this production abounds in beautiful locations, contains some unusual views of natives at one of the ceremonial dances, and has a story that holds attention. Directed by Art Rosson. Ruth Renick, Edward Hearn, Fred Stanton, Walt Whitman and two natives carry the story. It is five reels in length. A picture that holds attention mainly through the unusual and beautiful scenery of the South Seas, capably transferred to the screen, "The Fire Bride" has a fair story, although one that would be rather flat if the locations and native stuff were faked. As it is, everything is so palpably genuine that the spectator's interest is held throughout. Excellent photography, with a few minor exceptions, characterize the production, which has been capably directed by Arthur Rosson. Two natives, Paki and Taura, give commendable performances. The rest of the cast are familiar players. The ttory opens on one of the islands in the South Seas, when one Capt. Markham, played by Walt Whitman, is rescued after long exile. He hasn't time to get certain treasures he has buried, so he later charters a ship, under the command of Captain Blackton, to take him back. He has his daughter, Lois, with him. Steve Maitland, played by Edward Hearn, is first mate. Steve is looking for the man who had caused his sister's death some time before. All he knows is that he was a skipper who had attacked her when at sea on her way to join her brother, and had driven the girl to suicide. Blackton is the skipper but Steve doesn't know it. Lois is attracted to Steve and resents. the attentions of Blackton. Arrived at the island, Blackton kills Lois' father for the treasure, claiming his death was accidental. Neither Lois nor Steve believe this. Lois has discovered, through a book loaned her by Blackton, that he is the man who caused Gloria Mainland's death, but does not tell Steve, fearing trouble. The annual ceremony of selecting a bride for the volcano is at hand. Atel is chosen. Her lover, Kalom, dreads her incarceration in the volcanic crater from whence few come out alive. Blackton wanders into the crater and allows the native girl to believe he is the god for whom she is looking. When he leaves her she tells the natives. Meanwhile a terrific storm has driven Lois and Steve ashore. The boat is wrecked. The natives get Steve, thinking he is the man, but Atel says no, so they get Blackton. Lois tells Steve who Blackton is. He starts after him, but the natives get him first, and kill him. The lovers are rescued by a fishing fleet. CORINNE GRIFFITH IN ISLAND WIVES (VITAGRAPH) A Story of the South seas, picturesque in settings and furnishing Miss Griffith a pleasing and sympathetic role, which she acts convincingly. The story gives Director Webster Campbell many opportunities to display his ingenuity and good use is made of them in maintaining the suspense. Five reels. The acting of the entire cast in "Island Wives" is excellent throughout and this serves to stem the tide when the story weakens. Besides Miss Griffith, who is very well cast as Elsa Melton, wife of Jimmy Melton, assigned to a hot tropical island by his government, there is Charles Trowbridge as Jimmy; Rockcliffe Fellows as Hichens; Ivan Christy as McMasters; Edna Rankow, as Piala; J. Barney Sherry as Captain of the Yacht, and Mrs. Chas. Trowbridge as Mrs. Lester. The story shifts from a beautiful tropical isle to San Francisco and then hack again to the island, and in the city scenes gives Miss Griffith an opportunity to wear many beautiful gowns. There is a finesse about Edna Hibbard's characterization, as a pretty little island native, that gives the needed contrast to the star's role. The. photography is clear and the tropical storm scenes well handled. The scenario was written by William B. Courtney. The story opens on the isle of Tahitia. where Elsa and Jimmy Melton live. Jimmy -is asistant manager of the trading station. Elsa longs for the cool of the North where she can wear fine clothes and associate with her own people. Her husband goes to a distant island and is overtaken by a terriffic storm. Elsa terrified, goes down to the beach and is overcome with exhaustion. She is picked up by the owner of a passing yacht, Hichens, and thinking her husband dead, from a radio received by Hickens, she later marries Hichens. In San Francisco she learns that he has other affairs and threatens to divorce him. He then tells her their marriage was not legal, as they were married by the captain within the three-mile limit. Hichens plans another trip to Tahitian waters and Elsa accompanies him. On the island she meets Jimmy, who escaped from the storm's fury. He accepts Elsa's explanation and follows Hichens, who jumps into the sea, meets death being killed by a shark. Elsa and Jimmy are reunited and are made happy when Jimmy is transferred to Sydney and she is no longer an island wife. SHIRLEY MASON IN RAGGED HEIRESS (FOX) Another "from rags to riches" story, with the youthful and vivacious Shirley well supported by Cecil Van Auker, John Harron, Edwin Stevens and Claire MacDowell. Directed by Harry Beaumont. Five reels. This story, written by Jules Furthnian, is full of inconsistencies but, nevertheless, provides a fairly amusing vehicle tor the likable Miss Mason. It is the type of story that will please Mason fans and has plenty of romance, suspense and thrills, which is all most people ask of their screen entertainment. It is photographed amid picturesque surroundings and the work of the entire cast is adequate. The story concerns Lucia Moreton. whose father is sent to jail for ten years for stealing money from a bank. He leaves Lucia with his married brother, Sam Moreton, and has his lawyer send the brother $10,000 a year for her upkeep. Lucia runs away from the Moretons because she is ill-treated and lives with her old nurse. When she grows up she goes to work for the Moretons as a maid. Then her father returns from prison and she is persuaded by the Moretons to impersonate the missing Lucia. She falls in love with Glen Wharton, a wealthy youth, who does not know she is a servant. The father discovers the Moreton's deception, and when a letter from the old nurse is found, the mystery of Lucia's disappearance from the Moreton home is cleared up. TYPHOON POOLING SYSTEM TYPHOON FAN CO. 345W.39~ST. *■ NEW YORK