The Film Daily (1922)

THE ■s^m DAILV Sunday March 19, 1922 Star's Fine Work Helps Put Over Fairly Weak Story Richard Barthelmess in "THE SEVENTH DAY" Inspiration Pictures — Asso. First Nat'l Pict. DIRECTOR Henry King AUTHOR Porter Emerson Browne SCENARIO BY Edmund Goulding CAMERAMAN Henry Cronjager AS A WHOLE A pretty picture with star in pleasing romantic role but gives him very little to do STORY Rather meagre material that took considerable padding to make it a feature DIRECTION Probably did the best he could with what he had to work with; provides nice atmosphere PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Good STAR Does his usual good work SUPPORT Not an especially strong cast; Louise Huff not as pretty as she used to be; others suitable EXTERIORS Quite attractive INTERIORS Not many DETAIL All right CHARACTER OF STORY Yacht stranded in Maine port brings about romance of fisher lad and society girl LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 5,335 feet Richard Barthelmess' second starring vehicle compares with his first, "Tol'able David," in that it is the other extreme. While the first one had so much story that they seemed to have a hard job getting it all in, the second is a very definite opposite. The material is so slight that it has been necessary to stretch the situations over more footage than they would ordinarily warrant and a generous share of padding has also suflficed to round it out to feature length. Some fairly irrelevant comedy touches that get a bit "slap-stickish" at times never succeed in obtaining laughs, such as the wooing of Tammany Young, dressed more appropriately for a vaudeville act than to represent a fishing village rube. Louise Huff plays opposite the star. Her work is satisfactory but she is not as pretty or does not photograph as well as she used to. Teddie Gerard is one of the yachting party. Dial Patterson, with no a])ologies to Ken Kling, the cartoonist, plays Katinka, the cook. Director King has taken the company to an attractive seaport town where practically the entire story is laid. There are some pretty shots and the photography throughout is excellent. Of course, the real attraction of the picture is Barthelmess, and his personality helps to make up considerably for the weakness of the story. He is capable and lends a certain sincerity to his playing that is unmistakable. There is an error in titling which should be corrected. Louise Huff is quoted : "I am engaged to Mr. Pell," but according to the cast, it is Reggie Van Zandt who asks her, "Would you mind if we called our engagement off." Pell, played by Alfred Schmid, will be remembered as the man of the many flasks in the opening reel. Because they couldn't drink their own liquor at the Vogue Club, a group of idlers decide to have their party aboard Monty Pell's yacht. The yacht breaks down and the party is stranded for seven days in a little fishing village. John Alden, a plain fisher lad, meets Patricia Vane, one of the party. He falls in love with her, but finds she is engaged to another member of the party. Meanwhile John's sister, Betty, has fallen in love with the fellow to whom Patricia is engaged. There is a misunderstanding which is eventually cleared away when the engagement is broken and the respective couples made happy. They'll Like It If Barthelmess is at All Popular Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor If an agfreeable star and a picture that is very pleasing to look at will satisfy them, you can feel quite safe in showing "The Seventh Day." There is a delightful atmosphere of a New England fishing village and many pretty and attractive shots in and around a palatial yacht that will please a good many. Then too, there's always a good sized crowd who like to see how people such as those represented in the yachting party, live and idle away the time. They will get a good idea of how they do it in "The Seventh Day." Barthelmess' name and his performance is the talking angle of first importance that you should stick to. Tell them they will like him in this and catchlines will give a good idea of the story, sufficient to let them know what it is about.