Exhibitors Herald (Sep-Dec 1923)

November 24, 1923 EXHIBITORS HERALD 51 RE V I E W S Popular Novel Makes Fine Play "HIS CHILDREN'S CHILDREN," presented with special cast by Famous Players-Lasky Corp. Directed by Sam Wood from a novel written by Arthur S. Train. It is seven reels in length. This is a beautifully mounted and excellently directed picture which will furnish good entertainment to all classes of theatregoers. There are plenty of good exploitation angles to help an exhibitor put it over, also. "His Children's Children" is a screen version of Arthur Train's popular novel of the same name, and in the making of it Director Sam Wood has seen fit to stick sufficiently close to the printed story to prevent slighting any of the characters which made the Train novel so well liked. In the transition from printed to pictured story the interest-holding value of the original version has been enhanced by beautiful settings, excellent photography and a smooth-running continuity. A happy selection was made in the cast among which are a number of names of recognized box office value, the male members especially being perfect types and splendidly portraying their various roles. Bebe Daniels is delightful and convincing when she has an opportunity which is not as often as might be wished. Dorothy Mackaill gives a rather spotty performance as the weaker sister, leaving much to the imagination, but Mary Eaton and several other flappers help not a little in forgetfulness of the lapses. James Rennie, George Fawcett, Mahlon Hamilton and Lawrence D'Orsay handle their roles with the finish to be expected of such sterling performers. The story deals/with the follies of modern sophisticated society and of the home life of a mother and father whose indulgence in wasteful pleasures allows their children to pursue their vagrant and ruinous fancies. The atmosphere of the idle rich fairly sizzles with peppy dances, dinners, dramatic situations, and this is well kept to the ultimate financial ruin which points an excellent moral. "His Children's Children," while carrying a strong moral, is far from being a preachment, and is intensely interesting from the beginning to the climax when the three daughters of the story are brought to a realization of their danger in time for a reclamation. It has many excellent exploitation angles, which, if used, are almost certain to make the picture a valuable box office attraction. THE CAST: Diana, Bebe Daniels; Sheila, Dorothy Mackaill; Lloyd Maitland, James Rennie; Peter B. Kayne, George Fawcett; Rufus Kayne, Hale Hamilton; Claudia, Katheryn Lean; Larry Devereaux, Mahlon Hamilton; Mercedes, Mary Eaton; Dr. Dhal, Warner Oland; Florian, John Davidson; Mrs. Wingate, Sally Crute; Uncle Billy McGaw, Joe Burke Lord Harrowdale, Templar Powell; Mr. Pepperill, Lawrance D'Orsay; Mrs. Rufus Kayne, Dora Mills Adams; Krabfleisch, an attorney, H. Cooper Cliffe. Anders Randolph in a scene from "The Way Men Love," a GrandAsher production starring Elliott Dexter. Delightful Clean Love Story "THE WAY MEN LOVE," a GrandAsher Production of unusual merit, written by Adam Hull Shirk and directed by R. William Neil. It is 7,500 feet in length and offers a strong state-right attraction. Here is one of the best — if not the best — offering of the season to the state right market. Excellent entertainment, a delightful love story and plenty of suspenseful thrills built around a theme with a tendency to provoke a lot of serious thinking. If this production, made under the Grand-Asher banner, is a criterion of what is to follow, it is a safe prediction that the state-right market is at last to get a class of productions which will do much to establish it with exhibitors. Devoid of all wasteful extravagances in the way of massive and costly settings, yet extremely well and carefully mounted, it bears all the earmarks of the type of picture that theatre-owners are looking for— one that can be booked at a profitmaking price, and yet class up with other features on which small fortunes have been spent in the making. The picture was made by the Elliott Dexter Productions, Inc. Mr. Dexter himself starring in part which gives him opportunity for the best work in his long and enviable career. It was directed by R. William Neil, and no small part of the excellence of the production is due to the capable directorial handling. It is unusually smooth running and in many of the tense moments, and there are many — the suspense is maintained to a remarkable degree and with a cleverness which prevents it from being overdone. One of the biggest thrills is brought about through the medium of a train wreck and the working out of this is one of the best ever yet put on the screen. While the principal character — that of a humanitarian whose faith is so sublime as to make him almost a miracle worker — is played by Mr. Elliott, the splendid acting of Anders Randolph adds much to the picture. As the ruthless rich and lecherous political boss, Mr. Randolph is at ajl times convincing and especially is this true in the scene where his regeneration is brought about by the curing of his crippled daughter through the prayers of the man he has sought to ruin. The chief feminine role is capably played by Mildred Harris. The picture is made from an original story by Adam Hull Shirk, adapted to the screen by Josef von Sternberg and Florence Hein, and it is so far from the beaten path of screen stories as to make it exceptionally holding. Austin Farrol (Elliott D«xter), a mission worker known as "The Prince," gives protection to a girl driven from her employment by the evil attentions of Trent, the political boss. On a slumming trip Trent finds the girl at the mission. He has one of his sattellites set fire to the mission. "The Prince" is accused and sent to prison, but in a train wreck he escapes, later finding employment as Trent's secretary. Then follows an accident which cripples Trent's little daughter, who is cured by the prayers of "The Prince," and this brings about the recognition of "The Prince," the reformation of Trent, and the reunion of "The Prince" and the girl who has waited for him. There is plenty in this picture for theatre-goers in every walk of life, and it should prove a box-office attraction of unusual merit. THE CAST: Austin Farrol. Elliott Dexter; Lorraine Meade, Mildred Harris; Johnson Trent, Anders Randolf; Mrs. Trent, Grace Carlisle; Farley, De Witt C. Jennings; Tug Wilson, Sydney Bracey, Betty Trent, Jeanne Carpenter. Foreign Cast In Trivial Story "FOOLISH PARENTS," an Associated Exhibitors production, enacted by an English cast and made abroad. Written by I. A. R. Wylie, and directed by Frank Crane. It is six reels long. The trouble with half of the foreign pictures brought to this country is the lack of story value. Take "Foolish Parents" for instance. It is the tale of a young society couple, living on an allowance from a wealthy uncle in far-off Australia. They neglect their child, get deep in debt and when they ask the uncle for an increase of ten thousand a year, he has his lawyer report to them that he has suddenly become bankrupt. They have to sell their jewels, clothes and give up their home. The husband becomes a hack driver and the wife goes to work, but refuses to part with her boy for $25,000 offered by an aunt. Of course, the uncle appears when they have "learned their lesson" and all ends happily. This story has been done a dozen times by American companies and although it is very well acted, it fails to hold the interest because of its antiquity. The scenes of London and the general English atmosphere are pleasing and about its only redeeming feature. Of course, it has a lesson for those looking for lessons in films. And it will not harm the children to see it. The work of :he boy, Peter