The Film Daily (1923)

THE Sunday, May 13, 1923 DAILV Dream Ending Is a Pleasant Surprise After Much Improbable Action Ethel Clayton in "THE REMITTANCE WOMAN" Film Booking Offices DIRECTOR Wesley Ruggles AUTHOR Achmed Abdullah SCENARIO BY Carol Warren CAMERAMAN Joseph A. Dubray AS A WHOLE Far-fetched Oriental meller that couldn't very well be gotten away with except for the dream ending STORY Action that appeals to many and some good comedy touches that help put it over DIRECTION Hasn't been sparing when it came to injecting atmosphere ; plenty of rich settings and Oriental business PHOTOGRAPHY Satisfactory LIGHTINGS All right STAR Reliable and pleasing; will suit her admirers SUPPORT Rockliffe Fellowes hasn't much to do opposite star; Tom Wilson good comedy character and Chinese players adequate EXTERIORS Looks like they have prepared many special settings INTERIORS And the same on interiors DETAIL Suffices; some of the titles are funny CHARACTER OF PRODUCTION Girl dreams father sent her to China where she becomes involved in warring factions, but is saved by lover LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 6,000 feet While this latest Ethel Clayton vehicle is not the most appropriate that might have been secured for this star, they have rather successfully pardoned its many improbabilities and far-fetched action by the old standby, a dream ending. Since people are known to dream all sorts of impossible things, Achmed Abdullah will have to be excused if he puts his heroine through a wild series of fictional episodes consisting of warring Chinese factions with the girl holding the mysterious key to a settlement. Minus the dream finish, "The Remittance Woman" would be voted downright hokum of the oldest "movie" variety. The dream part of the plot is a complication of intrigues with the heroine in possession of a certain magic vase greatly desired by opposing Chinese factions. The development in this is of a serial order with the action reaching various climaxes and the suspense piling on until the very end. First the girl has the coveted piece, then she hides it in the home of a member of one faction, is arrested by the opposing party, escapes imprisonment through a ruse and once more retrieves the vase. For those who don't mind what the action consists of as long as it steps along at a good pace and furnishes them with excitement, this is all very nice Where they want action of a more sensible order, they may not get enthused about the trouble with the magic vase. There is a bright comedy vein that does a lot though to relieve the absurdities of this dream plot. It is brought out through the character of a Yankee sailor on leave in China. Tom Wilson plays this role in true comedy style and they'll get many laughs out of his work, and usually the laugh comes at just an opportune moment to tone down the exaggerated action. Many of the titles help to make Wilson's humorous touches effective. Ethel Clayton can be relied upon to give a satisfactory performance in almost anything. That Achmed Abdullah's story isn't well suited to her personality is no fault of hers, however. The cast is a good one and includes many Chinese players who are capable and well suited. Rockliffe Fellowes plays opposite Miss Clayton in a fairly subordinate part. f r. :e 's a id st re acti ie id Is si! JL. le r sa ;d le le le st n ;n iff of )n st Star's Followers Will Like It Plus Those Who Don't Mind Excitement Minus Logic Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor This is another case where F. B. O. issues a synopsis of a story contained in one of their pictures which does not conform to the story as it is told in the picture. This is no terribly important thing as far as the review of the picture is concerned, but it is detrimental where the exhibitor uses the synopsis in exploiting the picture. In this case the sheet does not even indicate that the Oriental episode is a dream and there are other details, unimportant to be sure, but still not conforming to the continuity in the picture, that do not agree with "The Remittance Woman" as it appeared when shown for review. With Ethel Clayton's admirers the picture should go very well and wherever they like a lot of action with plenty of complications and exciting incidents, it should be well liked For those who favor Oriental atmosphere you have enough to talk about and catchlines regarding the mystic vase sought by two Chinese factions and in the possession of an American girl should get them interested. :r ■st en he itsih i l's n ;t ig ve to