Exhibitors Herald (Jul-Sep 1922)

42 EXHIBITORS HERALD July 22, 1922 to finish. The exteriors are especially good and give the proper atmosphere. Holt is well cast as Robert Kendall, heir to a pearl fishing company in the South Seas, and though matched against a burly brute, puts up several good fights that are not too obviously forced. Sylvia B reamer makes a pleasing vis-a-vis in the role of a Spanish girl, Rita Rinaldo; Edwin Stevens is excellent as Rinaldo; Clarence Burton is the pearl diver and Jean DeBriac plays Pinato. Robert Kendall goes to the island of Bingang to take charge of his uncle's pearl fisheries. He is opposed by a gang of crooks who have robbed the beds of some valuable pearls. He whips the burly pearl diver in charge of the boats and sinks their craft when they go to recover hidden pearls. He then overhears them trying to dispose of stolen pearls, after committing murder to obtain them, and in a terrific fight he recovers the precious stones. He also wins the hand of Rita, daughter of a wealthy pearl merchant. KATHERIXE MacDONALD IX DOMESTIC RELATIONS (FIRST XATIONAL) This is an average feature presenting many tried and true situations that have served nobly in countless photoplays. There is nothing whatever striking about this little domestic drama which contains the usual mixture of brutal husbands and misunderstood wives. Six reels. This latest Katherine MacDonald picture does not do the star nor the director, Chet Withey, justice. Both are capable of much better things. Possibly the story is at fault, as it presents nothing new, and even with such good support as is •offered by William P. Carleton, Jr., Frank Leigh, Barbara LaMar and others, it is dull and obvious. There are two distinct stories, running parallel, with a constant jumping from one set of characters to the other, which destroys whatever suspense the director might have injected by carrying out one idea. Miss MacDonald does little real emotional acting and her range of expression is limited to a sad smile or two. William Carleton, Jr., is quite convincing as the jurist, until he is threatened by the politicians, where his dignity seems to have left him. Leigh was good as* Joe Martin, the brutal husband, and Barbara La Mar adequate as the wife. George Fisher's interpretation of the artist reminded one of the early days of picture making — with the smock, Windsor tie and other "scenery" supposed to be associated with artists. Barbara Benton is left much alone by her busy husband, a judge on the bench. She attends social functions alone and when the judge employs Pierre to paint her portrait, and the artist attempts to make love to her, she is discovered in the artist's arms and driven from home. She goes to live in the poorer quarter of town where she meets a young married woman, through a doctor friend, and learns that this woman's husband is serving a year in jail, having been sentenced by Judge Benton, for brutality. Upon the expiration of his sentence, Joe Martin, the husband, plans vengeance and goes to the jurists' home. Barbara warns her husband and the police are about to arrest the madman, when she pleads for his release. It is granted and a reconciliation follows between the two husbands and two wives. A scene from "The Dust Flower" (Goldwyn) HELEXE CHADWICK AXD JAMES RENXIE IN THE DUST FLOWER (GOLDWYN) Basil King's first production since his "Earthbound" may please a lot of people who do not object to having their minds taxed by trying to believe impossible situations. This well photographed and smoothly directed picture is handicapped by the several angles of the story. For those who expect a great picture in Basil King's photoplay, "The Dust Flower," there is disappointment in store. It is a good picture and interesting entertainment if one can overlook the picturization of scenes of alleged real life that never have happened and never will happen. Just why a director who produced so great a photoplay as "Earthbound," should make a young millionaire, disappointed in love, rescue a slatternly dressed tenement girl from leaping into a lake, and lead her directly from the near-suicide to his palatial mansion on Fifth avenue as his wife, is a puzzle. This and a number of other almost equally impossible situations tax the credulity of theatre goers almost to the limit. These things are not done except on the screen and should not be done there. Hclene Chadwick is the tenement girl. James Rennie is the young millionaire with the philanthropic ideas and easily married notions. The tenement girl has a bad uncle who tries to drive her into working as a cigarette girl in a disreputable cafe. She escapes and tries to end her sordid, albeit youthful, career in Central Park Lake. In the young millionaire's gorgeous home she is taken in tow by the butler who proceeds to teach her the difference in manners of the tenement raised girl and members of the elite sphere into which she has been transplanted. Oi course he succeeds in a remarkable man Katherine MacDonald in a scene from "Domestic Relations." (First National) ner and equally of course, the young millionaire falls desperately in love with the wife he wedded in such a bizarre way. There is the other woman who is in love with the millionaire attempting to make trouble, as are also a few choice, villains including the stepfather of the tenement girl, but as ordained the Prince Charming and Cinderella affair ends happily for the lovers and with confusion for the evil-doers. In the two principal characters Miss Chadwick and Mr. Rennie try hard to make good on the impossible situations and in doing so are inclined to overact at times, but on the whole their work is good. To Claude Gillingwater is given the part of the butler, and that is sufficient to make the part out of the ordinary. The remainder of the cast is acceptable. MOLLY KIXG AXD CREIGHTON HALE IX HER MAJESTY (PAT HE) One of the best pictures Associated Exhibitors has yet offered exhibitors. It includes every element necessary to please picture fans and should bring them in the second day simply on word of mouth advertising. Well worth an extra effort in exploiting and advertising. Directed by George Irving. Five parts. Exhibitors, who are shopping for a film which can compete with summer heat, automobile riding and other warm weather competition, will do well to consider "Her Majesty" as the subject of an extra effort in newspaper advertising and general exploitation. Associated Exhibitors has offered showmen a number of pictures worth special consideration, but it is doubtful that anyone of them has measured higher in all essentials, cast, story, settings, costuming, suspense and general appeal. Molly King in the dual role of Susan and Rosalie Bower and Creighton Hale as Ted Harper feature the strong cast which includes Rose Tapley, Jerome Lawler and Wilford Parkington. Susan and Rosalie Bower are orphaned sisters, who are adopted by aunts — Susan by a farmer's wife in moderate circumstances and Rosalie by a society woman of some wealth. Ted Harper falls in love with Susan and through a series of circumstances later mistakes* Rosalie for her and asks her to marry him. The designing wealthy aunt, a fast young man with whom Rosalie is enamored, his jilted sweetheart and other characters furnish a series of thrills in a cheap boarding house, a road house and in the aunt's home. In the end, Rosalie repents of the deception and assists Susan and Ted to marry. STUDIO RUBE (FOX) Al St. John stirs up a lot of fuss and gets a lot of fun out of "The Studio Rube," a picture taken almost entirely around the Fox plant on the West coast, with Al attempting to sneak inside to keep a date with an actress. He finally exchanges places with a dummy and lands within the walls of the studio, finds the girl and is promptly thrown out when he spoils several scenes and nearly causes a riot. A first rate, fast n.oving comedy.