The Film Daily (1923)

THE Sunday, January 21, 1923 5^2 DAILY Good Production Rather Wasted On U ndeserving Material "WHILE PARIS SLEEPS" Maurice Tourneur Prod. — Hodkinson DIRECTOR Maurice Tourneur AUTHOR Pan SCENARIO BY Not credited CAMERAMAN Rene Guissart AS A WHOLE Very good production accorded commonplace theme that has some gruesome twists STORY Not particularly attractive material although there is much interesting detail in its presentation DIRECTION Provides thrills of a rather unpleasant nature ; production values are high PHOTOGRAPHY Good LIGHTINGS Usually good PLAYERS Lon Chaney miscast; Mildred Manning and Jack Gilbert suitable ; others Harden Kirkland, Jack MacDonald and F. Farrell MacDonald EXTERIORS Show careful detail INTERIORS Fair DETAIL Good but occasionally unpleasant CHARACTER OF STORY Sculptor, jealous of model's suitor, plans with madman to kill the latter ; repents in time to save man's life LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,850 feet The Hodkinson office is unable to state just how long ago Maurice Tourneur made this picture, an adaptation of Pan's "The Glory of Love," but it is rather safe to draw your own conclusions if for no other reason than the fact that Lon Chaney is very badly cast. It is quite apparent that Tourneur made the picture before Chaney came to the fore as a "man (if a thousand faces," for instead of having him play the part of the madman who models the crimes of the time in wax and occasionally shows his art of displaying torture through living models, they have Chaney cast as a sculptor suffering from an unrequited love for his model. Just to think of what Chancy could have done with the madman character certainly detracts greatly from the role he does portray, a part that is really obscure in comparison with the importance of the other. Other than the interesting detail and good production which Tourneur has accorded the story, there is little in "While Paris Sleeps" to make it generally attractive. The theme, in the main, is the very time worn situation in which a rich father implores the girl in love with his son, to prove her devotion by giving him up. Regardless of the logic of it, the girl makes the sacrifice that is as old as the pictures and there is a subsequent reunion. Injected into this is a rather unwholesome twist that introduces a sequence of some fairly hair-raising scenes, tending to remind one of the once famous Eden Musee where the most famous criminals and their fiendish acts could be found duplicated in wax. The idea of the madman presenting living models in his pet torturing device is the most gruesome bit and the shots of Jack Gilbert shown smouldering on the steps charged with electric current are far from what the average public expects in their screen entertainment. Very likely some of this will be edited before the picture goes out for general distribution. It is a quaint Paris that Tourneur presents and the atmosphere is quite appealing with some of the street scenes and an inn on the outskirts providing some rather pleasing touches. Mildred Manning is the girl. She does satisfactory work and the cast, on the whole, is adequate. The Jack Gilbert in the picture is John Gilbert, Fox star for the past year. Story: To please her lover's father, Bebe pretends to favor the sculptor Santados, who because of his jealousy had contrived to have Marionette, a madman, get rid of the lover. At the last minute Santados weakens and the lover is saved from a death of torture and there is a happy reunion of the pair. Will Appeal to Sensation Seekers. Not For a Family Clientele Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor This is one that you had better see for yourself and decide what you can do with it. Where they like sensational subjects the picture can be used and will undoubtedly satisfy them, but it is decidedly unfit for family consumption and will not appeal to those who object to gruesome or unpleasant things. If you cater to a regular patronage you know pretty well what they want and if the more or less sensational attractions do not appeal to them, this one will hardly do. Many will probably come in if you want to exploit the picture on the strength of Chaney's name but they will surely wonder why he has been so miscast. In view of the disappointment they are due for it may not be advisable to get them in through playing up Chaney. On the other hand it will go big with sensation seekers who will find a thrill in the "Chamber of Horrors" sequence.