The Film Daily (1922)

THE Sunday, June 11, 1922 *2^ DAILY 79 Melford Provides Interesting Production and Dorothy Dalton Is Pleasing "THE WOMAN WHO WALKED ALONE" Geo. Melford Prod. — Paramount DIRECTOR George Melford AUTHOR John Colton SCENARIO BY Will M. Ritchey CAMERAMAN Bert Glennon AS A WHOLE. . . .Good variety in picture that offers pleasing entertainment; first rate pictorial appeal STORY Really two distinct stories, both interesting and rather unusual DIRECTION Very good; hasn't spared expense in making the picture good to look at; selected fine cast PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Splendid PLAYERS .... Dorothy Dalton, featured, very pleasing and always nicely photographed; Milton Sills suitable hero; others all capable and well suited EXTERIORS Unusually pretty INTERIORS Good DETAIL All right CHARACTER OF STORY Girl, forced to leave rich husband she does not love, eventually meets former lover and finds happiness LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 5,947 feet Film patrons are due for their money's worth when they pay admission to see George Melford's latest production featuring Dorothy Dalton. It is taken from John Conlon's story "The Cat Who Walked Alone" and certainly contains sufficient material for almost two pictures. As it is "The Woman Who Walked Alone" is practically divided into two separate stories, each one interesting and rather original, or at least not in the class of overworked plots. The first half deals with the marriage of a girl of the common class to a nobleman. It ends unhappily. The second part changes the locale from England to South Africa, with the introduction of the Boer colony. Both in the English sequence and South African, Director Melford has spared neither expense nor effort to make the atmosphere realistic and agreeable to the eye. Particularly pretty exteriors have been selected for backgrounds and excellent photography enhances the beauty of them in every case. Interiors, too, are very attractive and in keeping with the atmosphere. Just one unconvincing twist or perhaps it is just because it is luiusual that it stands out, is the incident in which the Earl, finding his wife in another man's room, believes she is unfaithful and calls in all his guests to witness her infidelity. Then again when the Boer farmer thinks his Yankee farm hand is no longer worthy of trust, he also calls in his other workers to witness the scene. These two bits did not appear to go over as seriously as intended, with the audience at the Rialto. Everyone will like Dorothy Dalton's work in this. She has hidden her straight bobbed hair with an attractive blond wig and looks more like her old self again. In the last half of the picture especially, she is very likeable. Milton Sills, playing opposite, is a good hero and Mabel Van Buren makes the small part of the Boer farmer's wife stand out. Wanda Hawley and E. J. Radcliff e are also in the cast. Story : Iris leaves the Earl when he accuses her of infidelity. Meantime, Gaunt, a chauffeur who had once given Iris a lift and immediately proceeded to fall in love with her, has hidden himself in South Africa, realizing the hopelessness of ever winning Iris after her marriage to the Earl. They meet again when Iris conducts a tavern in South Africa. How she saves Gaunt from the mounted police who are seeking him as the murderer of a Boer farmer, and eventually marries him to save his life, completes the story. Good Audience Appeal in This. Should Satisfy Them Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor This is a picture that should satisfy the majority of any audience. It contains a variety of appeal and it is interesting from start to finish. You can promise them plenty of story and some absorbing situations. Toward the close there is a sure fire suspense that you can talk about. There are also some thrills that can be included among your statements and reasons why they should see it. If they like Dorothy Dalton, so much the better. You can certainly satisfy them with her latest offering. You also have the names of Milton Sills and Wanda Hawley to use. Tell them in "The Woman Who Walked Alone" they will find a picture good to look at. A short trailer shown prior to the playing date will be all you need to convince them of this. Stills in the lobby will do to give them an idea of the variety of atmosphere.