The Film Daily (1924)

14 THE jg^ DAILY Sunday, October 12, 1924 41 Pictures Reviewed In 17 Cities ■ "Abraham Lincoln"— 1st Nat'l Circle, Indanapolis STAR—* * * It has no plot, but simply and impressively tdls the story of the hfe of the great emancipator from his birth during a blizzard in 1809 to his death by an assassin's bullet just at the close of the civil war. * * * "America"— United Artists State, Boston GLOBE — * * * One cannot see this great picture without realizing that that precious freedom was gained through tears and sacrifices and sorrow. The story as depicted is romantic, inspiring and thrilling, and through it all is interwoven a romance. * * » TELEGRAM—* * * by all odds the most thrilling and satisfying picture entertainment of the day, was given a hearty welcome by the large audience. * * * Eastman, Rochester DEMOCRAT—* * * The whole atmosphere of the theater is changed, altered by the realism of a panorama of historical truths, so dramatically executed in terms of photography that the twentieth century and its world of prosaic facts melts away and, is lost for the hour in a glorious participation of spectators in the experiences and dreams of the patriots of 1776. * * • HERALD — * * * As history, it is entertainingly instructive, true to its period, and gives one a veracious insight into the methods and procedures of the War of the Rebellion. * * * JOURNAL — * * * It is a picture that will appeal immensely to all people with the true Americanism. • • * Imperial, San Francisco (Week Ending Oct. 4) BULLETIN— The story covers the struggle of the Colonies fo/ independence from the ride of Paul Revere to the inauguration of Washington. Much attention has been given to making the smallest detail historically correct. ♦ * • A charming love story is developed. * * • "Babbitt"— Warners Colonial, Indianapolis STAR — * * * is a splendid picture. The director, Harry Beaumont, has admirably caught the spirit of Sinclair Lewis's novel. "Beau Brummel" — Warners Stanley, Philadelphia NEWS — In our humble opinion, John Barrymore's characterization of the disintegration of the character of the once great Beau Brummel * * * is the greatest charac^ terization ever made on the screen. • * ♦ PUBLIC LEDGER—* * * a very fine studied dramatic entertainment by the subtle interpretation of the chivalrous Beau Brummel by John Barrymore. * * * RECORD — * * * Many of the scenes are enthralling, and seem phantasms rather than reproductions of realities. « • * "Big Timber" — Universal Cameo, San Francisco (Week Ending Oct. 4) CALL AND POST—* * * The picture is filled with thrilling incidents. There is a perilous forest fire and the hero must fight the blaze and control his mutinous men as well. * • * The solution of the love story between a man and two women gives the picture a surprise ending. • * • "Broadway After Dark" — Warners Broadway Strand, Detroit NEWS — * * * It is a picture of rare quality, rich in sly touches, drollery and sound entertainment. * * * TIMES — * * * has everything that is dear to the movie director, from lavish parties in expensive apartnients to box lunches in a boweiy boarding liouse. * * ♦ "Broken Barriers" — Metro-Gold. Strand, Cincinnati TIMES-STAR—* * * Barker dexterously avoids the trite and the commonplace in the Handling of this familiar plot, and, through the interest he creates in his characters, makes it seem almost like a new situation. He is a master of suggestion by realistic details, while in his big scenes he cuts directly to the heart of the climax. * * * TRIBUNE—* * * An entire cast of stars tend to make "Broken Barriers, " the photoplay at the Strand this week, an interesting film. • * * "Butterfly" — Universal Rialto, Washington STAR — * * * Kenneth Harlan is fine as the young shipbiulder and Norman Kerry makes Kjonski, the violinist, a fascinating person. The settings are beautiful, and elaborate costumes are worn in many of the scenes. * * • 'Circe the Enchantress" — Metro-Gold Columbia, Washington HERALD — Mae Murray is a truly great actress and also a great entertainer. ♦ * * STAR — ■Scintillating Mae Murray — how she preens, how she steps, how she sparkles • • » Mae virtually is the whole show. • * • "Feet of Clay"— F. P.-L. Walnut, Cincinnati POST — * * * is one of the best pictures of the year. ♦ * * TIMES-STAR — * * * you watch a number of stutted shirts and gorgeously gowned automatons go through a series oi experiences which may interest you but do not excite you. There is not a figure in it to strike a note of human sympathy except, perhaps the physician as played by Robert Edeson. » * * TRIBUNE — * * * has been made into an absorbing photoplay. * ♦ ♦ Madison, Detroit NEWS — * * * swarms of lovely and arrogant ladies, lavish backgrounds and lighting ertects, a lew water carnivals and ballroom sets and, most of all, some enthusiastic lovemaking scenes. * * * TIMES — * * * In its 10 reels are compacted more than was probably ever put into one film before. Stark tragedy, fashion shows, the equivalent of the rotogravure section and a sprinkling of comedy. * * « Strand, Omaha BEE — ' * * There are beautiful girls, striking lighting elTects and masterful photography. * * » NEWS—* * * The kind of a thing to remind you to say your prayers. * * * WORLD-HERALD—* * » production on a lavish scale, an unusual theme, a cast of well known players, gorgeous gowns, romance, novel situations, wonderlul photography and an imaginative episode. * • * "Cornered" — Warners Strand, Montreal STAR — * * * Marie Prevost has been seen in much better things than the feature film shown this week, -Cornered." If the acting were done with less seriousness it might almost pass for a comedy, for it does seem that there is too much in the way of coincidence to be swallowed hy people of average intelligence. * '^ * "Dante's Inferno" — Fox New Lyric, Minneapolis TRIBUNE—* * ' Interwoven with a modern theme, the most spectacular incidents described by Dante in his poem, have been reproduced on the screen in fantastic manner. * • ♦ "The Fast Set"— F. P.-L. Metropolitan, Los Angeles (Week Ending Oct. 4) EXPRESS—* * * sprightly comedy the dominant factor * * * a story of the upper strata of society with a humorous glow that undoubtedly pleases the public which desires its lessons given lightly. HERALD—* * * The picture moralizes but never to the extent of becoming a preachment. Very clever satirical handling by cast and director makes it easy to take throughout. * ♦ ♦ RECORD—* * * Not a bad picture, but not what was once William de Mille's promise. "Fools in the Dark"— F. B. O. Keith's, Cleveland NEWS — * * * is unquestionably the frankest kind of bunk mystery play. It is called a comedy melodrama by its producers, but if using human skulls for humidors and human skeletons for scaie effects is comedy, my sense of humor is deceased. Attending the exhumation of a long-buried body would strike me as being just about funny. » * * PLAIN DEALER—* * * There is no rhyme, reason or logic to this picture, but if you want thrills without logic aind minus a well knit story ; it will satisfy. Matt Moore and Patsy Ruth Mii'ler are adequate as hero and heroine. * * ♦ "Her Love Story"— F. P.-L. Missouri, St. Louis GLOBE-DExMOCRAT — ' * * Miss Swanson's tragic-eyed sorrow at separation from her boy is breath-catching. It is, too, the most real of her roles. * * • POST-DISPATCHGloria Swanson, who is a princess » * * lias a role that gives her a real chance to act and a plot that holds interest from start to finish. * * * STAR — * * "* Miss Swanson is picturesque in her wedding gown, which is said to have broken all price records, but in the opening scenes, where she wears a wig with trailing tresses and afifects school girl attire, she seems a bit out of place. * * * TIMES — * * * the picture develops several sensational situations which eventually lead to a happy ending. * * ' "Her Marriage Vow" — Warners Palace, Montreal ST.^R — * * • is a constructive screen drama in the fuller sense, for it forcibly drives home a moral in a language that cannot fail of comprehension to every unit of a modern domestic ensemble. There is nothing exaggerated in the entire action, which moves smoothly to its conclusion with a gripping and sustained realism. ♦ ♦ ♦ "His Hour"Metro-Gold. State, Cleveland NEWS — * * * it contains a couple love scenes which will make the hearts the ladies in the audience beat a tr faster. * * * PLAIN DEALER—* * * considerably b. ter than average adult entertainment chiefl;! because it has been so well directed b.l Vidor and because Metro-Goldwyn have fur' i nished lovely sets. • ♦ * | State, Los Angeles (Week Ending Oct. 4) HERALD — A charming love story of In perial Russia before the revolution * * Much has been written about the sordid si of Russia and it is an agreeable surpn to see a picture dealing only with the brigl side of this turbulent country. » ♦ * RECORD— * * * On the whole, it p; vides good entertainment. * ♦ * TIMES — * * * the characters, the settinj; the colorfulness of the life depicted durh the last days of Czar rule are somethii that appeal strikingly to the imagination. F once, titled people seem to be not only h man, but more than human, and dashii festivity reaches out from the screen almc rhythmically to the audience. * * * "Honor Among Men" — Fox Monroe, Chicago POST — As a picture introducing Edmi^ Lowe ♦ * ♦ the picture has its poi] It permits him to be very handsome, v<l gallant and romantic as the Prince Kaiun) the devoted courtier of an unworthy * * * Mr. Lowe knows how to make most of these opportunities. . He carries ll:l self with much grace and dignity. * * 'F "In Every Woman's Life" — 1st N^ Metropolitan, Washington STAR — * * * There is lavish investiturd some of the scenes, particularly the "hn banquet," where every one is seated aatlH r a thoroughbred. There is refreshing comr^ injected, quite naturally, all through the 1 duction, and the cast is well selected. Ei| we have a good picture. * ♦ ♦ "In Hollywood with Potash and P| mutter"1st Nat'l New Grand Central, St. Loi GLOBE-DEMOCR.\T— ♦ * * It jsl far the most genuinely entertaining from all angles, that has penetrated ti^J hinterland. ♦ * * \j STAR — * * * Those who remember! hilariously funny first act of he play f scarcely miss the David Warfield burle Aside from the clever dialogue of the i (some of whicli is preserved in captiil the screen lends itself better to the than the stage. * * * TIMES — The only time that you ^1 be giggling * * * is when your chul grow into veritable roars of merriment. '[ Warfield, San Francisco (Week Ending Oct. 4) BULLETIN—* * * it is not onljl funniest comedy of the year, but t]ie| niest for a good many years. * * » CALL AND POST—* * * The pi| varies from human comedy to broad and just when it threatens to get tiresome it is gloriously saved by oil the most hair-raising automobile racesf shown on the screen. ♦ • * CHRONICLE— * * * is a riot of 14a Montague Glass' titles having all of tb| of his stories. * * ♦ EXAMINER—* * * Though it_ rather slowly, the fun develops to hig| gree and continues through all the| Cam