Exhibitors Herald (Apr-Jun 1922)

April 29. 1922 EXHIBITORS HERALD 59 AXITA STEWART IN THE WOMAN HE MARRIED (FIRST NATIONAL) A splendid production in every particular and one that will be hailed with delight by every Stewart fan. Sparkling subtitles, good direction and an excellent cast place this in the class of films that can safely be booked for longer runs. Directed by Fred Niblo. Seven parts. Anita Stewart has been particularly :ortunate in the selection of vehicles ately. They have ranged from society jlays to stories of the gold fields, but in •ach she has scored tremendously. This atest is a story of New York — of a wealthy youth, a stern, uncompromising jarent and a poor girl, an artists' model. The film has a lavish magnificence lbout it that at once commands one's lttention and there are many exquisite -ets. There is a mysterious murder near ,:he end that captivates your attention and on the whole it is a very entertainng and satisfying screen play. The con:inuity is good and Fred Niblo's direc:ion shows the results of his years of .tage and screen experience in working ip to a strong climax. Miss Stewart's role is an engaging one ind she plays it with all her usual charm ind grace and sincerity. Darrell Fos:> s the hero, who gives up wealth to stick o the girl he loves. Wm. Conklin plays he severe father with skill and Donald MacDonald plays convincingly the role )i Travers, an artist. Shannon Day is Mimi, a model, Charlotte Pierce appears is Muriel Wainright, and Wm. Belcher s a detective. Roddy Warren marries Natalie Lane, in artist's model, and attempts to make -omething of himself by writing a play. His father cuts his allowance off when le refuses to give Natalie up and they ;o to live in poor quarters in a boarding louse, where they are soon in arrears in heir room rent. Natalie meets her old irtist friend, Bryne Travers, and secretly )oses for him, while Roddy is finishing lis play. The elder Warren hires a deective to shadow her as she goes to Travers studio. Roddy receives a check or $100 as an option on his play, but ventually the producer returns his script and pronounces it poor material, itoddy meets the producer and agrees vith him whereupon he is given a posiion with the producer. Roddy's father igain appears and attempts to have his on return home, declaring Natalie is isiting Travers' studio at that very hour. They go to the studio to substantiate his tatement and find Travers murdered, loddy is accused. Then his wife ap>ears from a bedroom and she refuses o explain what she knows of the murler. A third person appears at the top >f the steps — Mimi, a model — and anlounces she murdered Travers. Natalie hen explains that a Jap servant had varned her that Muriel, Warren's own taughter, had been invited to Travers' tudio and she attempted to save her vhen the murder occurred. The elder vYarren forgives his son and accepts Natalie as a daughter-in-law. Pola Negri in "The Red Peacock" (Paramount) POLA NEGRI IX THE RED PEACOCK (PARAMOUNT) In interpretation, direction, continuity, photography, and the star's work, one of the best of the foreign-made pictures; the story, however, is of ancient vintage, being really a revival of "Camille." Directed by Paul Stein. Story by John Kraley. Length, five reels. Pola Negri has a somewhat similar role to that she was given in "Passion." that of the tennis-ball tossed lightly from one gentleman's racquet to another, in this latest picture, "The Red Peacock " The moral, to American eyes, would seem to be, "Be able to earn your own living, young ladies, that you may not be the sport of sports," or words to that effect. It is rather difficult for us to sympathize with any healthy young woman who, her lover or step-father, or whatever male person pays her boardbill, casting her out "into the night," sees absolutely no way out of it all but to seek the protection and purse of another male person. However, this is made abroad, and their standards are not ours. Starting in a sordid tenement in Paris, with an unpleasant old party as her stepfather, Violette, a flower girl, is sent forth to sell her flowers. She awa'ts the throng coming from the opera and sells some of her posies to Florette and her escort, Gaston Dupont, the latter being attracted by Violette. Leaving the place, she jumps from the running board of Florette's car, and is nearly struck by the car behind, in which a friend of Gaston's, a young playwright, is following at the invitat:on of Florette. He takes her to Florette's home, where she is g'ven food and the bottle of brandy, without which she dare not return to her stepfather. Florette also gives her a handsome wrap, and this is the cause of the trouble as the step-father seizes it for future rum supply, and when the girl protests he casts her out. She seeks young Germont and he takes her into his home for the night. From this point on the story runs a la Camille, the father and sister of Germont sending for him, and later appealing to Violette to free their son and brother from her snare. Loving Germont, she makes the sacrifice, going direct to Gaston. During Germont's vis:t home she had accepted the attentions of Count Girey, but when she tells Germont she loves him, he overlooks her. little indiscretions. When she leaves him for Gaston, however, he cannot forgive so easily. But w-hen his sister tells him that Violette had but done as she and her father had begged her to, Germont responds to the call from Gaston that Violette has become a consumptive and he must come to her. She dies in his arms. Those who like Pola Negri will like her work in "The Red Peacock." It is pretty sexy for family trade, however. CONSTANCE BINNEY IN THE SLEEP WALKER (REALART-PARAMOUNT) A "spotty" photoplay, good one minute, not so good the next, surprising and disappointing in turn, obvious in development but unusual in story. Not a big picture and not a bad one. Just a vehicle for a star that deserves better. In five reels. Directed by Edward Le Saint. The story of "The Sleep Walker" is told in much the manner of indulgent parent to sleepy child at bedtime, with de1. berate introduction of details and painstaking provision against confusion. As a consequence of this style, rather than because acting, setting or story are at fault, the feature smacks of the juvenile. It is not quite adult drama, despite two or three melodramatic incidents brought in to make it seem such. Constance Binney discharges her assignment capably. Jack Mulhall does not equal some of his past work. He seems annoyed by arbitrary direction. Bertram Grassby is such a villain as never lived in real life and is not cast in satisfying film. Cleo Ridgely seems to share Mulhall's embarrassment. Other players just appear to go automatically through their paces. Despite all of which there are moments when the account of a convent-trained young lady, whose tendency to walk in her sleep, leads her into difficulties, gets out of the beaten track and claims interest. It is because of these that the picture will not dissatisfy those who demand little of their photoplays. In the story Doris Dummcnd leaves the convent and joins her mother, harrassed by a villainous debtor, at a fashionable hotel. A young millionaire who loves her and whom she loves is also present. When she learns her mother's difficulty she is moved by her subconscious mind to walk into the villain's room in her sleep. Discovery follows. Walking again in her sleep, the same night but toward morning, she rescues from a lofty window ledge the young daughter of another guest, who has sought to disgrace her^and previous difficulties are speedily disposed of. Constance Binney in "The Sleepwalker." (Paramount)