The Film Daily (1922)

THE DAILY Sunday, July 23, 1922 Sure Fire Appeal For Those Who Like Human Interest Stories Louis Burston presents "FORGET-ME-NOT" Metro DIRECTOR W; S. Van Dyke AUTHOR Henry R. Symonds SCENARIO BY John B. Clymer CAMERAMAN Arthur L. Todd AS A WHOLE Splendid human interest in picture that conveys a message that should prove to be good audience appeal STORY Makes a very suitable screen vehicle; absorbing but with a few illogical twists toward the end DIRECTION Very good; some highly effective touches ; omits one or two important bits of detail PHOTOGRAPHY Good LIGHTINGS First rate PLAYERS Bessie Love gives one her best performances so far; Irene Hunt excellent as the mother and Gareth Hughes does very good work EXTERIORS Suitable INTERIORS All right DETAIL Can be improved by one or two additional sub-titles CHARACTER OF STORY Destitute mother puts child in orphanage and years later adopts boy, passing by her own child unknowingly because she is crippled LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 6,800 feet "Forget-Me-Not" is a human interest picture from start to finish and should certainly fulfill its double mission of both entertaining and furthering the adoption of orphans. It is an ideal vehicle for arousing interest in children without parents and at the same time carries with it a definite audience appeal that makes it entertaining and quite likely to be a safe box office bet. Henry Symonds has employed every twist of fate that was ever heard of to gain sympathy for his young heroine and he succeeds in holding it throughout even when things are a bit strained and slightly illogical. For some, "Forget-Me-Not" may contain too contrary a fate. There is so much sorrow cast upon the little orphan girl that it has a tendency to tug too harshly on the heart strings,_especially toward the close when, after having become an accomplished violinist, the girl is engaged to play at a wedding and the bridegroom happens to be her orphanage pal, Jimmy, who had promised to come back for her. The picture would have been just as convincing and successful without this wedding and the subsequent death of the bride, especially since they work around to the inevitable happy ending. The direction, on the whole, is very good. There are numerous excellent touches that make the story register and the production is suitable in every way. Occasionally he has slipped up on detail, which, however, can be remedied by the insertion of a title. The spectator is not told what became of the destitute mother from the time she put her child in the asylum until she is shown living in apparent luxury some years later. And there is no explanation as to why she does not try to locate her adopted son, who wanders away following the death of his bride. The symbolic sequence at the end, picturing the story represented in the strains of the violin, is beautifully done but seems a trifle anti-climactic. Bessie Love does some of her very best work in "Forget-Me-Not" and the scene of parting between Miss Love and Gareth Hughes, is sure to choke many throats. The cast is a very good one and Irene Hunt, as the mother, is a splendid type, especially in the opening reel. Otto Lederer and his dog, Queenie, are unusually interesting. Story : The mother, looking for a child to adopt, did not know that the little lame girl who pleaded to be adopted, was her own and so she took the boy, Jimmy, the little girl's pal. Jimmy promised to return for his childhood sweetheart but it was not until years later when the girl had been adopted by an old musician and become a concert violinist that Jimmy came back and the mother learned that the girl was her own. Has Good Exploitation Possibilities and Should Please the Majority Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor There seems to be a demand for heart interest pictures and exhibitors who know that they go over big with their patrons, can rest assured that they will be pleased with "Forget-Me-Not." They cannot help l)ut like Bessie Love as the heroine of this tale of the little girl placed in an orphanage and unable to secure adopted parents because of her crippled limb. You cap safely promise them it is one of her best ])erformances. They'll like Gareth Hughes, too. Exploitation should be simple enough because you won't have any trouble at all in enlisting the aid of local charitable organizations or those interested in orphan children. A benefit performance would be one sure means of launching a run and you will be doing a good work and at the same time helping your own l)()x office along.