The Film Daily (1924)

fJJIB^ DAILV Thursday, October 16, 192 Newspaper Opinions "Tarnish"— First Nat'l Mark Strand AMERICAN—* * ♦ the first picture 1 have ever seen with obvious padding that I can honestly recommend as being a good production. * * * Three-quarters of the picture is very much like the play, and it is very well done. I had thought, no one could duplicate Ann Harding's performance on the stage, but McAvoy is an adequate substitute. ♦ ♦ • * * * the whole cast is exceptionally good. • * * "Tarnish" wouJd have been a better picture if it had not gone back to the past generation. * * ♦ BULLETIN—* * * a good, strong film, well worth seeing, especially if you saw the play. * ♦ ♦ DAILY MIRROR—* * • There's pungent humor and solidity about the picture, skillfully adapted by Frances Marion and ably directed by George Fitzmaurice. May McAvoy is splendid * * * while Marie Prevost * * * is excellent. • ♦ • * * * For real, worth-while entertainment "Tarnish" can't be beat. DAILY NEWS—* * * Fitzmaurice has directed the Gilbert Emery success with true feeling. His cast couldn't have done much better. * * * * * * a thorough-going, gripping play that you'll be sorry that you missed — if you do. EVENING JOURNAL—* * * The picture is excellent, told in an understanding, human way that is consistently well acted and directed. Miss McAvoy, * * * is emotionally real, and has the splendid support of Marie Prevost, ♦ * ♦ and Albert Gran, delightfully cast as the philandering father. • * • the development of the dramatic theme makes the appeal of the production unanimous. * * * EVENING WORLD—* * * "Tarnish" is the type of picture which the inveterate movie-goer, tired to death of banal and indiflerently done films, encounters once in a blue moon to bolster his fast waning faith in the silent drama. It is not the best film in the world, but it ranks high. In short, it is excellent entertainment. May McAvoy and Marie Prevost again are the leading lights. ♦ • * HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * Whatever your taste in pictures jnay be, you probably will enjoy "Tarnish" — at least, mildly. * * ♦ MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * Frances Marion provided George Fitzmaurice with an intelligent adaptation of Gilbert Emery's play. The human characterizations projected are in a great sense due to her touches of detail. The characters are much more than puppets. The plot is dramatic and has the elusive "punch" element in many of its crises, but the characterizations stamp it as something far superior to the usual sex attraction. Acting honors go to Albert Gran as the father of the heroine. ♦ • * * * * May McAvoy rises to admirable emotional heights as the heroine. POST — * * * It is a meaty little piece, calculated to please the taste of the average moviegoer, whoever he may be; and its only faults are a certain over-emphasis of the emotional elements * * * an atmoshere of obviousness which takes it out of the "just laid today" class. * ♦ ♦ SUN — * * * is a faithful picturization of Gilbert Emery's stage success. * * * It is a good picture, but not an extraordinary one — for the same reason that the producers carelessly neglected to secure Tom Powers, Ann Harding and Fania Marinoff for the same roles they had on the stage. TELEGRAM—* * * As good as, and from many points of view, better than, the stage play • * * It has been dyed deep in atmosphere by George Fitzmaurice, ♦ ♦ * and its adaptation from the * * * drama * * * is an apt and expert piece of work. * « * Besides which, there is an always effective cast at work in this "Tarnish." They are a set of real humanes, biting hard into the often lurid little story, and furnishing it with a deal of sympathy and casual humor. * * * TIMES—* * * The plot of "Tarnish" gave this little director a greater opportunity so long as he realized that he was skating on thin ice in making it. In this picture Fitzm.aurice recognizes the value of leading up to a powerful climax with sane and restrained action and of permitting his players to act in a natural manner. The spoken titles of "Tarnish" in some cases ought to be toned down to make them more like the utterances of everyday life. The stirring dramatic action and the restrained pathos make this production a strong entertainment. WORLD — * * * As an example of the dramatic art, » ♦ * "Tarnish" seems to me to shoot pretty wide of the mark. And still in it Marie Prevost, * ♦ * gives one of the best shows in town. ♦ * * The trouble with" this ♦ * * Hes in the fact that neither Goldwyn nor Fitzmaurice would harken to an old wheeze and let well enough alone. They chance a treatment which was dead wrong. * * * Even though I think "Tarnish" ♦ ♦ ♦ has been poorly cast in its principal parts, I do believe that with the elimination of those scenes which went unacted at the Belmont Mr. Goldwyn's play would be an extremely fine one. • ♦ • "Dangerous Money" — Famous Rivoli AMERICAN—* * * Frank Tuttle is a good director, and has taken advantage of the chance to use some beautiful exteriors. * * * the glimpses of picturesque Italy are as well done as if they were really taken in Europe. I have never seen a girl improve as much as Bebe Daniels has during the last year. • * « Her work as Adele Clark is excellent. Tom Moore is particularly fitted for the role of Tim Sullivan. * * * DAILY MIRROR—* * ' There is "go" about Bebe's picture; a sparkle; an alluring romantic dash injected by the star, herself. Which is curious. For the story is the usual thing, compact with action and the often used but exciting finish of a hotel fire at the psychological moment. * ♦ * Beautiful sets, lovely women, handsome men, and stunning gowns help to "dress up" a good background for Bebe. * * • DAILY NEWS—* * * Bebe Daniels' first starring picture is everything a picture should be — interesting, thrilling and plenty of La Bebe. Bebe is the sort of a girl that you like to see on the screen every minute. ♦ ♦ * "Dangerous Money" is a movie wot's a movie. EVENING WORLD—* * ' Some one who fancied himself a humorist inserted a number of time-worn "gags'' in "Dangerous Money." * • * * * * an excellent picture and will go far. It has everything — an engrossing story, beautiful settings, a charming leading lady and good direction. ♦ ♦ * Director Tuttle has provided superb settings, right from the opening scene. » * • HERALD-TRIBUNE— * * * Frank Tuttle has done excellent work in the directing of "Dangerous Money." » • * * * * Bebe Daniels is more attractive than in anything we ever saw her do. • * * * * * William Powell is an excellent choice for a villain. ♦ • ♦ * * * The scenarist doesn't seem to have contributed much to "Dangerous Money." ♦ ♦ ♦ MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * * "Dan gerous Money" * * * is unusually good. The scenes in the Italian lakes are beautiful and add the required romantic background. Tom Moore * * * is delightful and scores well in every scene. * * * William Powell is very good * ** while the supporting cast * * * is entirely capable. SUN — * * * Miss Daniels is very pleasant and handsome * * * but as a star she seems a bit out of her orbit to this reviewer. Forunately, perhaps, she has nothing much to do in the way of acting. The story is old * * • A few reels of the film are diverting in that they have lovely views purporting to be of a villa on Lake Maggiore, Italy. TELEGRAM — * * * tells a sometimes pretty, sometimes highly dramatic story. Best of all, it aflfords some of the most alluring scenes of the city ever captured on the screen. Frank Tuttle has done an excellent job at directing it. * * * TIMES — * * * Imaginative touches in m-any scenes of "Dangerous Money" • » * make most of it quite an intriguing affair. Gazing upon it is like turning the pages of an interesting book one keenly wishes to finish before daylight fades, and which in the end does not come up to expectations. Were it not for a bolstered thrill in the closing sequences this photoplay would be deserving of high praise. ♦ * * WORLD — Bebe Daniels has about her a vigilant vitality that has projected her into the upper stiata of the stars. * * * "The Navigator"— Metro-Gold. Capitol AMERICAN — If you are in need of a good laugh to aid your digestion, go * * * and see Buster Keaton in "The Navigator." I can guarantee a laugh for anyone who has not forgotten how to enjoy the ridiculous side of life. * * * Keaton, ♦ * * not only furnishes us with a bag full of ridiculous situations, but he has an unexpected lot of surprises. It * * Go * * * if you have to travel in a wheel DAILY MIRROR—* * * a sure-fire laugh hit, knocking a "gloom" cold with each crack from the cinematic rifle. * * * Even the ending has a "kick" in it, but half the fun in seeing an uproarious comedy like "The Navigator." with Buster more frozen-faced than ever, is to go unprepared. You won't be sorry. DAILY NEWS— * * * It's a good picture, you'll take it. * * * To follow a Keaton comedy is something like handing out a blueprint with a joke. Go and see it. EVENING JOURNAL—* * * their experiences provide the most amusing film Busier has made so far. There are * * • several ridiculously effective sequences ♦ ♦ * and a fight with burnt-cork costumed cannibals, who were probably so overcome by the hilarious situations that they, like the audience broke down and howled. EVENING WORLD— However, no Buster Keaton comedy is ever an indifferent performance, and this one will take as well as his others. Kathryn McGuire, who plays opposite him, is a splendid buffer for him. GRAPHIC— There's a decidedly origir angle to this latest Buster Keaton corned At times the scenes border on the tragj so much so in fact that one can almc hear a pin drop, so breathless is the intere If you're the kind that likes to see yo friends slip on banana peels, don't miss "T Navigator." * * * HERALD-TRIBUNE—* * * If you li Buster and his methods you like his pictur otherwise not. To us he seems fairly ami ing in everything he appears in. His presi picture is * * * quite as entertaining as previous pictures * * ♦ it contains just i same amount of merit, the same number laughs. * * * MORNING TELEGRAPH—* * • K ton has hit upon a highly original line of | tion in "The Navigator." * * * Keaton does all of his tricks with ' stone face expressing not a thing. * • Kathrine McGuire makes a suitable oppo; to his antics. * * * "The Navigator" should go on everyor "must" list. The star himself and Di aid Crisp have done the work of di excellently. ♦ ♦ » POST— * ♦ * Here is a picture * • • full of clever gags that one overlaps other. The situations are not partici funny, and the only slow spots in the are when Buster has tried to get fun otltj predicaments ; but from reel one to i] seven, inclusive, there is a running fire buffoonery which would make a chrol' dyspeptic forget his tummey. * • * • SUN — * * * It is immensely amusing i completely atones for all the sins that Eli Glyn, Mae Murray, &c., have perpetn on the Capitol's more or less silver "The Navigator" is filled with new id Some of its comic stunts are almost brillii » * » * * * "The Navigator" means hei laughter. TELEGRAM—' * *It may not be iv apes and peacocks that is brought to p but it is certainly as lively, laughable f topsvturvv farce as ever was reduced) celluloid. * * * ; * * * There is love in it, and gallai of the Keaton sort, thoroughly mixed u[ the whooping nonsense. One thing' ti isn't — and that's a dull moment. ♦ ♦ * TIMES — * * * an excellent panacea;, melancholia or lethargy, as it is filled ' ludicrous and intensely human situati It even strikes one as being astonishing ' this comedian can keep such perfect ( trol over his physiognomy during the tion of this parcel of mirth. While there is no denying the jocular i farcical action of this picture, there i stretches which should be cut, as some ofj humor is just a bit overdone. NevertI Mr. Keaton deserves untold credit fori originality in thinking up most of the fu scenes WORLD—* * * Buster Keaton's new] ture was not only a success with the cr] but * * * it was a landslide of merrinj And not once did I see him do a tl| which seemed to be either imaginative, 0', or truly witty. He is a comedian who tj not care at all what I think of his S, stick, and he is a wise young man, * * : the famous farce by Brandon Thomas is now in its thirty-fourth season in England. It is said that the sun never sets on a day in which the play is not shown in some English playhouse. to be filmed by Al Christie l^ni AMERICAN DISTRIBUTOR TO BE ANNOUNCED IDEAL FILMS, LTD.— DISTRIBUTORS FOR UNITED KINGDOM PRODUCED BY CHRISTIE FILM COMPANY, Inc. illlllllllllllllllUIIIUIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII^^