The Film Daily (1923)

THE Sunday, May 20, 1923 -WW DAIL.Y Gladys Walton in Typical Role That Will Please a Good Majority Gladys Walton in "CROSSED WIRES" Universal DIRECTOR King Baggot AUTHOR King Baggot SCENARIO BY Hugh Hoffman CAMERAMAN Ben Kline AS A WHOLE Farce that will please star's following and has what is recognized as good audience appeal STORY Contains a lot of improbabilities but it all goes to make up a picture that will go well with a big majority DIRECTION Good for the most part, although exaggerates on some points and allows star to overdo her characterization PHOTOGRAPHY First rate LIGHTINGS Standard STAR Well suited to this role and handles it very well except when she overacts SUPPORT Good; includes George Stewart, lead; Lillian Langdon, Tom Guise, Kate Price, Eddie Gribbon and others EXTERIORS None INTERIORS All right DETAIL Suitable; occasional comedy bits too slap-stick CHARACTER OF STORY. . . Telephone girl breaks into society by side door but comes out with a rich husband LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,705 feet In line with Gladys Walton's recent pictures Universal is now releasing "Crossed Wires," a King Baggot story and production, that presents the star in another of her typical characterizations, the sort that pleases her admirers and a good majority of screen "fans" on the whole. A more critical, or the so-called high-brow audience, probably wouldn't find much entertainment in the highly farcical theme which Baggot has devised chiefly for the exploitation of Gladys Walton and to present her in the sort of role and atmosphere to which she is best suited, for she certainly does a flapper characterization splendidly. In this the star is inclined to overact especially where she manages to secure an invitation to a social affair and appears at the party in her "borrowed feathers." Of course this isn't likely to annoy her admirers in the least and they'll get a lot of enjoyment out of the way she maneuvers the whole matter of breaking into society. The improbabilities of this and other situations will also be overlooked for the sake of the amusement they afford. The complications that ensue following Kitty's visit to the home of the rich Bellamys contain plenty of laughs and the general misunderstanding which leads Kitty's Irish parents to accuse the elder Bellamy of white slavery and Kitty of gross misconduct will prove thoroughly amusing to Miss Walton's following and they'll enjoy the performances of Kate Price and Robert Daly as her mother and father respectively. Director Baggot injects plenty of the right sort of atmosphere and his opening sequence gets the picture off to an interesting start. It deals with the occupation of the heroine Kitty and shows her manipulating the plugs at a telephone exchange and airing her ambitions regarding an entrance into society. The interest is well sustained and there is a fairly exciting climax with the inevitable happy ending. Eddie Gribbon has a character part that he plays very well and in typical "hard boiled" fashion, although Baggot allows him to overact occasionally. The cast is first rate and includes besides those mentioned George Stewart, as the rich young Bellamy, who Kitty finally wins in spite of his mother's hope for a social alliance; Lillian Langdon, and Tom Guise as Stewart's father who manages Kitty's escapade after her true identity is discovered. Will Amuse Your Patrons and Should Be Easy to Get Them Interested Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor More exhibitors cater to people who prefer the sort of entertainment contained in "Crossed Wires" than to the class that probably wouldn't concede it good entertainment or amusement, so there should be a big enough market for it If you have played any of the star's previous pictures and found that your folks liked her, you can give them this one and feel sure they'll be satisfied. Miss Walton appears in the kind of role they like to find her in and you can tell them this time she is a telephone operator who aspires to a social life. Let them know she goes out to win a rich husband and does. The title suggests easy exploitation and might readily be used to advantage if you have a telephone list, by calling your patrons and saying, "Excuse it, please, just 'Crossed Wires,' " following the stunt with the announcement of the showing.