The Film Daily (1922)

Sunday, July 16, 1922 f<2^ DAILV Very Pleasing Spanish Atmosphere Gives It Fine Pictorial Appeal "THE SPANISH JADE" Paramount DIRECTOR John S. Robertson AUTHORS Louis Joseph Vance, the play; Maurice Hewlett, the novel SCENARIO BY Josephine Lovett CAMERAMAN Roy Overbaugh AS A WHOLE Plenty of pleasing atmosphere in real Spanish backgrounds makes it splendid offering pictorially STORY Rather interesting dramatic romance but too long drawn out and suffers from unnecessary detail DIRECTION Very good for the most part although he uses too much footage in telling story in round-about fashion PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Good PLAYERS Well suited cast including Evelyn Brent, David Powell, Marc MacDermott, Charles de Rochefort, Harry Ham, and others; all do good work EXTERIORS Very attractive INTERIORS All right DETAIL Suffices ; too many sub-titles CHARACTER OF STORY Spanish senorita sold by step-father to no-account son of nobleman, kills him but is saved by her lover LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 5,111 feet Director John S. Robertson has provided such a splendid production for "The Spanish Jade," from the play by Louis Joseph Vance and the novel by Maurice Hewlett, that it is unfortunate he did not have better story material to work with. It is a fairly interesting dramatic romance that is sufficiently original and strong in situations at first but when the story is about half told, it drifts into an uninteresting and unconvincing vendetta theme that drags it to a more or less monotonous conclusion, except for the continuance of attractive locale. The opening reels promise a wholly appealing story with the introduction of the characters and the first situation, that in which the vagabond step-father sells his daughter to Esteban, no-account son of the aristocrat, Don Luis. And even up to the point where the girl kills Esteban to save the life of an American who has befriended her, the story -maintains its interest. But after this it drifts into a long drawn out, and eventually, draggy vendetta sequence in which Don Luis tries to avenge his son's death. The court room scene is much too long and repetitious. It goes back over all the details of the murder with which the spectator is already familiar. Director Robertson has included a slight comedy vein both in the character of the hero and Esteban's fat servant who rides about on the back of a burro, much. the worse ff)r its burden. The locations throughout are unusually attractive and appropriate, the film having been made in Spain. The photography is also very good. David Powell, the featured player, is interesting in the role of Perez, a wanderer who falls in love with the heroine, nicely portrayed by Evelyn Brent. Harry Ham, of comedy fame, is the American and Marc MacDermott suits the role of Don Luis. The cast, on the whole, is a good one. Story : Manuela, step-daughter of a gambler, is given to Esteban, in payment of a debt. She escapes from Esteban and later is rescued from a vagabond by Manvers, an American. Esteban locates her and threatens to kill Manvers but Manuela stabs Esteban first. She gives herself up against the wishes of Perez, a devoted slave to Manuela. She is sentenced to prison for life, but from which she can escape by marriage. Perez is overcome with joy when he learns Manuela loves him and not the American. They are married. Will Satisfy Unless They Object to Dragging of Story Toward Close Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Delightful Spanish atmpsphere and locations that give it a first rate pictorial appeal are your best talking points in connection with "The Spanish Jade." Be sure to let them know that Director Robertson took his company abroad to make the picture. It should interest them to know that tlie film was made in the country where the story is supposed to take place. David Powell's name is well enough known to warrant using and if you number any of his admirers among your patrons, tell them they will like him as Gil Perez, a Spanish wanderer, who was in love with a girl but did not know she loved him. Catchlines will give a good idea of the story and the title is sufficiently attractive to boost. Your only objectors are likely to be those who want snappy, fast action stories and pictures with little drama or romance. You can safely make promises for the production and play up pictorial values.