The Film Daily (1921)

DAILY Extraordinary Spectacle Superbly Acted and Magnificently Produced "DECEPTION" Paramount DIRECTOR Ernest Lubitsch AUTHOR Not credited SCENARIO BY Not credited CAMERAMAN Not credited AS A WHOLE Another really big production of foreign origin well worthy of favor STORY Re-enacts the history of a certain period in English history known to everyone DIRECTION Quite superior; shows unusual care from every angle, detail particularly PHOTOGRAPHY Very good LIGHTINGS Good CAMERA WORK Splendid; long shots excellent PLAYERS Two of the best screen performance ever seen; others all very fine EXTERIORS. . . .Good; many especially constructed INTERIORS Many and elaborate DETAIL Appears to be correct CHARACTER OF STORY Taken from history of the period of Henry VIII LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 9,297 feet Another one of the year's big pictures comes from the foreign market and is another production made by Ernest lubitsch, who made "Passion." Again Lubitsch has gone into history for his story, this time taken from the reign of King Henry VIII, of England and his notorious and infamous career. Those well acquainted with England's history may find errors, but to the casual observer who just remembers the main facts of the scalawag king, "Deception" appears to be correct ; certainly it is interesting. From first to last the picture holds the attention and the development keeps increasing the interest to the very end. And considering the length of the feature, this may seem surprising. Mingled sympathy for the exiled Queen andtcomedy touches provided through the scapegrace Henry, hold the attention until a more tragic atmosphere is reached, and then before you realize it, they have arrived at the conclusion. The direction of "Deception" is really of a superior quality and from every angle it seems almost without error. His handling of the players, settings and especially the way in which the mob scenes have been conducted is excellent. It is a lavish production in every way. The settings are numerous and costly and in some cases actually took months to build, notably a replica of Westminister Abbey, of which they use both interior and exterior. The tournament scene and the water festival are also splendid. The costumes are gorgeous. It doesn't seem exaggerating to say that "Deception" contains two of the best screen portrayals ever seen. Emil Jennings as Henry VIII is a finished performer, and from the time he appears with his jeweled ringers "digging" into a dish of food until the time that he ruthlessly condemns Queen Anne to death, his work holds the attention. He appears a trifle too Teutonic of stature for England's licentious king, but this is readily overlooked. Henny Porten as Anne Boleyn is absolutely convincing and her acting remarkable at times. A brief synopsis will recall the story. Henry tires of Queen Katherine and when the Pope refuses to grant a divorce, the King accepts excommunication and establishes his own church at the same time mak ing Anne Boleyn, Queen. The King soon tires of Anne and when a daughter is born instead of a son and heir, Henry finds cause to have Anne beheaded and this time Henry marries Lady Jane, one of the Queen's ladies-in-waiting. Henry certainly was a "devil" with the ladies and from his evident admiration of water nymphs and such, it seems a pity he didn't live in the age of Sennett bathing girls. Should Make a Lot of Money and Good Showmanship Will Do It Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor If you are to judge from the throngs who have tried to gain admission to the Rivoli for a view of "Deception," the picture promises to be a "clean up" as was its predecessor, "Passion." It is undoubtedly one of the big productions of the year and exhibitors who can obtain it for a run should consider themselves lucky. You can go the limit on promises and if it doesn't go over it's because of poor showmanship. The title may not mean very much of itself so re call the licentious career of England's scapegrace king and tell them the story is enacted by a unusually talented company of players, making special comment upon the performances of Henny Porten and Emil Jennings. There are others wdio do good work but these are the most important. The box office results should compensate for any expense you go to to put the picture over. If they don't there's something wrong somewhere.