The Film Daily (1923)

10 I' •' '".'■P.'J DAILY Sunday, May 13, 1923 K Pretty Slight And Over Sentimental Story In This fi ti t< ii ti p c 11 tl t! d Herbert Brenon Prod. "THE RUSTLE OF SILK" Paramount DIRECTOR Herbert Brenon AUTHOR Cosmo Hamilton SCENARIO BY Sada Cowan and Ouida Bergere CAMERAMAN George Meyer AS A WHOLE Gushing sentiment with very little in the way of real interesting situations; has small appeal STORY Given satisfactory production but much too long for the slight story DIRECTION Couldn't very well have sustained interest any better except through less footage perhaps, especially in over abundance of closeups PHOTOGRAPHY All right, close-ups too big occasionally LIGHTINGS Good PLAYERS Betty Compson featured with Conway Tearle ; both labor with unattractive roles ; Anna Q. Nilsson smokes too many cigarettes EXTERIORS Few INTERIORS Appropriate DETAIL Ample CHARACTER OF STORY Girl secures place as maid in home of man she loves and later sacrifices her own happiness for his career LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 6,946 feet For the romance lovers, the flapper delegation and sentimentalists "The Rustle of Silk" can be recommended as entertainment. For those who prefer interesting, original and logical situations Cosmo Hamilton's story won't do. It is over sentimental and toward the close gets far too "mushy." It is the kind of story that will readily disgust those in search of more weighty material in their screen entertainment but, on the other hand, the love-sick heroine and her unhappily married lover, will be "loved" by the contingent mentioned above. There is probably only one interesting touch in the picture and that is the idea of having the girl give up her lover just when affairs develop in such a way as to make their union possible. A divorce would prevent his appointment as prime minister and so the girl heroically sacrifices her long nourished love and contents herself with hoping that sometime in the future. etc. This may not be a good twist as far as audience appeal is concerned but it does serve to give the theme its only bit of originality. The remainder of the situations, though they are hardly that, consist of boudoir scenes, tete-a-tetes between the party leader's wife and a man, who, unknown to her is her husband's enemy and merely using her as a tool to prevent his election, and the romantically pictured dreams of the maid who loves the woman's husband. It is all very flimsy and except for a satisfactory production and scenes that are very good to look at. there would be little indeed to interest the spectator. Director Brenon couldn't do very much better with the material although a somewhat better sustained interest might have been secured had he finished the story up in five reels. It runs nearly seven which is far too long. Tappe hats are advertised in a sub-title. Betty Compson and Conway Tearle make the most of fairly unattractive roles and Anna Q. Nilsson smokes her way through in the role of Tearle's wife. The cast is adequate on the whole. Story : Fallaray is the likely candidate for prime minister when his enemy Chalfont, secretly the publisher of the leading paper, prints love letters addressed to Fallaray, to spoil his chances. Lola, a maid in Fallaray's house, and long in love with him, admits having written them although she had never given them to her lover. Lady Feo. Fallaray's wife, who had an affair with Chalfont, is ready to divorce Fallaray but Lola sacrifices herself that he may win in the election. All Right For The Romancers But Not A Good Audience Picture Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor With "The Rustle of Silk" it depends entirely upon what your particular clientele prefers. You know best, if you cater to regular patronage, whether or not you can satisfy them with this sentimental piece containing the romance of a little hairdresser and her love for a prime minister. You can count on your flapper brigade being pleased with it and possibly your entire women patronage but the men will hardly find it entertaining. It isn't a man's story. As far as exploitation is concerned, and where it is just a matter of getting them in. you have a first rate title to use and the names of Betty Compson and Conway Tearle. Cosmo Hamilton, as the author, might also interest those who are familiar with his works. Catchlines will give a further idea of the story, as well as a good assortment of stills and posters in the lobby.