The Film Daily (1921)

Sunday, January 2, 1921 ]&& DAILV 19 Re-titled This Will Have A Much Better Chance Peggy Hyland in THE PRICE OF SILENCE Sunrise Pictures Corp. — State Rights DIRECTOR Fred Leroy Granville AUTHOR Augusta J. Evans Wilson SCENARIO BY Not credited CAMERAMAN Leland Landcaster AS A WHOLE Fair state rights offering; no obvious relief to melancholy trend which dominates the entire picture STORY Adapted from story, "At the Mercy of Tiberius" ; some effective suspense DIRECTION Only fair; sometimes very amateurish PHOTOGRAPHY , All right LIGHTINGS Usually good CAMERA WORK Average STAR Sincere in her effort, but handicapped greatly by "suffering" role SUPPORT Tom Chatterton plays the male lead, others satisfactory EXTERIORS Not very many INTERIORS Adequate DETAIL ' Not always good CHARACTER OF STORY Heroine who suffers imprisonment to save her brother, whom she believes guilty of murder LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 6,000 feet This new offering on the state rights market will probably get over in a fairly satisfactory way because of some rather effective suspense which is injected from time to time. But taken from a standpoint of production, the picture is quite amateurish. The direction at times is very bad and a continuity that jumps the action and the players all over the place has been provided, perhaps in the thought of getting the desired suspense. In the first place the heroine sets out to ask a loan from her grandfather who had cast her mother out of his life. The mother is supposed to be dying, but the daughter goes tor the money, is accused of murder and apparently is some time in jail before a telegram announces the mother's death. Again, there is a character mentioned named Frank, the titles keep referring to "Frank," but it isn't until practically the last reel until the character makes his appearance, then a title says he's been in Europe. Why not have said so in the first place? The picture's main fault is extremely badly written' titles of which there are twice as many as there should be. Re-titling would be the biggest help the picture could be given. Miss Hyland is sincere as the heroine, but is handicapped by a role that calls for nothing but gloom. A little sunshine here and there would be a happy relief to the star's long suffering. Campbell Gullan, who plays the old grandfather, wears a very poor "old man" makeup. Tom Chatterton is the leading male character, who does what is required of him. Beryl Brentano is accused of the murder of her grandfather whom she visited to borrow money for her dying mother. The girl can prove her own innocence but fearing that her wayward brother may have killed the old man she refuses to say the word and goes to jail. Lennox, the district attorney, presses the case against the girl, but soon is convinced of her innocence and her devotion to the one she is shielding causes him to fall in lo.ve with her, although he thinks the guilty party her sweetheart and not her brother. Eventually Beryl is released through the efforts of Lennox. The girl inserts a "personal" in the newspaper to locate her brother and through a fictitious reply inserted by Lennox she goes to Canada to meet her brother, only to meet Lennox whom she secretly loves. He admits inserting the answer but also tells her he knows the whereabouts of her brother, who is now a priest. Eventually the brother proves that he did go to his grandfather's home the night of the murder, but while he was there a storm broke and the old man was killed by lightning. Star's Name and Some Good Suspense Can Be Talked About Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor As a state rights offering of average calibre you can It may be that Peggy Hyland still has a following probably book "The Price of Silence" and give fair among your patrons, in which case make good use of satisfaction. If, however, your audience is accus her name and tell them something about the story, tomed to the better grade program or special release You could use the line: "If you were accused of mur production they will not be satisfied with this one. der and you had promised your dying mother to shield Your talking point will beHvith regard to the suspense your weakling brother, would you accept the blame created as to the real murderer of the old man. if you thought him guilty?"