The Film Daily (1921)

12 zali^l DAILY Sunday, January 23, 1920 Mystery Novel Loses Some Interest In Screen Adaptation "8 13" Robertson-Cole DIRECTORS Charles Christie and Scott Sidney AUTHOR Maurice Leblanc SCENARIO BY W. Scott Darling CAMERAMAN Not credited AS A WHOLE Rather confusing in its attempt to mystify. Well acted, but the story sets forth an unnecessary amount of criminal elements STORY An Arsene Lupin story adapted from Maurice Leblanc's novel DIRECTION Hasn't always maintained a clear understanding of who's who PHOTOGRAPHY Fair LIGHTINGS Clear, for the most part CAMERA WORK Satisfactory PLAYERS Wedgwood Nowell, featured, gives good performance ; rest of cast average EXTERIORS Few of them INTERIORS Correct DETAIL Fair CHARACTER OF STORY. . .Crook mystery drama LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 6,000 feet The screen version of Maurice Leblanc's mystery story has lost some of its excitement and suspense in the picturization. The suspense is there, but the attempt to visualize the multiple schemes and disguises of resourceful Lupin becomes confusing in the rapid sequence of events which has a tendency to kill some of the interest. There is a morbid element, too. to the tale which becomes unnecessarily vivid in picture form. The wholesale murders and the bloodthirsty character of the woman as exposed in the denouement will not please a lot of people, and the idea of a man committing suicide by hanging himself could have been suggested rather than shown without detracting from the situation. The sensational nature of the story will attract a certain class of patronage, and these will find a satisfactory entertainment. The identity of the murderer is kept hidden in a manner that makes the climax a surprise, and there are several senli-climaxes which are well handled. Wedgwood Nowell makes a suave and altogether sympathetic character of Arsene Lupin and his work is the outstanding feature of the piece. The rest of the cast is just average with some fair comedy work by J. P. Lockney. The start of the picture finds Robert Castlcback, "The. Diamond King," laying plans for world-wide power through a mysterious secret which he possesses. Arsene Lupin, master thief, but loyal Frenchman, knows of the plans, and is attempting to gain possession of state papers held by Castleback. Two other people in the employ of the Kaiser are after the same thing. Castleback' is murdered. Lupin is suspected by some and announces his intention ol uncovering the real criminal. Disguised as the chief of detectives, Lupin works fearlessly side by side with the police. Soon he comes in contact with another master criminal, Ribeira, masquerading as Major Parbury, and immediately suspects him of complicity in the crime. Lupin falls in love with Dolores Castleback, widow of the murdered man. When Parbury, to get rid of Lupin, steals his daughter and informs Lupin that he will have to come alone to a deserted house to get her hack. Lupin goes, foils the plot to kill him and escapes through an underground passage, coming out into the home of Dolores. As he turns from the mantelpiece, where he has discovered the hiding place of the state papers, he sees the mysterious man whom he has trailed. To his horror he finds that it is Dolores, who is in reality a noted German criminal. She kills herself and Lupin escapes. The Name of Arsene Lupin, and A Promise of Mystery, Your Best Bets Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Maurice Leblanc lias made the name of Arsene Talk about the great mystery of the story with the Lupin well known among all readers of fiction, and surprise in the climax. The title offers innumerable the celebrated hero-thief offers probably your biggest possibilities for creating interest with teaser ads and possibility in advertising. You can promise a very contests. The significance of the numbers can be good portrayal of the character by Wedgwood Now used in many ways other than their bearing on the ell, and you can also say that the picture is taken story. If you want a catch line, this will do : "Added, from one of the most exciting of the Arsene Lupin subtracted, divided, the mysterious numbers gave the stories'. answer 813. What did it mean?"