The Film Daily (1918)

28 uM DAILY Sunday, November 17, 1918 Marvellously Distinctive Episodical Study of Fair Sex Maurice Tourneur's Production of "WOMAN" Hiller & Wilk Special DIRECTOR Maurice Tourneur SCENARIO BY Charles E. Whittaker ART EFFECTS BY Ben Carre CAMERAMAN John Van de Broek AS A WHOLE Exceptionally artistic treatment of episodes. Surely appeals to eye. STORY Individual incidents decidedly pleasing, but general effect seemed to lack essential tying together. DIRECTION Supremely artistic treatment gave distinction to atmosphere. PHOTOGRAPHY Some of most wonderful interior and exterior effects ever screened. LIGHTINGS Soft and exceptionally artistic CAMERA WORK Many wonderful bits of compo= sition; generally excellent. PLAYERS Types and characters generally impressive. EXTERIORS Truly beautiful with studio exterior sets exceptionally good. INTERIORS Many impressive sets; generally ex= cellent. DETAIL Period details well handled CHARACTER OF STORY Registered many beau= tiful ladies in altogether but was always artis= tically done. Messalina incident had one or two rough spots, but may escape censors. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 6,500 ft. FROM the viewpoint of artistic photography, composition and distinctive atmosphere, this offering has never been surpassed. Several periods are shown, and the manner in which the producer has registered the atmosphere of each episode is certainly delightful to the eye and pleasing to the mind which resents technical error. The opening title of the production is a quotation which says "The legitimate occupation of man's thoughts is wmnan." With this as a basic idea, we find a modern philosopher reading over a treatise on women, which is then visualized by several episodes beginning with Adam and Eve, registering Messalina, the Roman Empress who was a wicked wamp, and then down through the ages, including the tragedy of Heloise and Abelard. Then we have a legend of the Normandy coast visualized, followed by a Civil War episode, and then the return to the original characters, the modern philosopher and his wife. Unfortunately, the production is not held together sufficiently by the clearly defining of the theme, the introduction of the modern characters more frequently, or the use of the same personalities carried through the offering and shown in various periods. In other words, there seems to be something lacking in the whole, because, as presented, we have a series of episodes rather than a production developing a certain theme. It would have been much better, to my mind, had more attention been given to the modern characters in the prologue and epilogue in order that some definite dramatic incident could have been developed between them which would have tied together and justified the showing of the other episodes. As the offering stands now, the various episodes which have been screened register the fact that woman has been all wrong from Eve down to the Civil War. I am sure that it would be just as easy to take another set of incidents from history and legend, and show that woman has been very wonderful ever since the time of Eve. Because of this, and the fact that the modern characters are never brought to any dramatic clash, the offering seems to miss fire from the heart interest viewpoint. Certainly, any one will rave about the artistry of the production, and it is decidedly high-class entertainment, worthy of our best theatres. The sets and treatment of the various periods were marvelously distinctive, and surpassed most anything ever done on the screen. The Adam and Eve episode registered some very marvelous studio sets. Some critical persons may note the fact that Adam was a savage beast very much in need of a hair cut on his body, and with a face like an Irish brick-layer, while Eve was a typical Twentieth Century Fifth Avenue model, without prehistoric adornment, but since no one really knows what Adam and Eve looked like, the director is certainly within his rights in visualizing them as he did. There were a couple of very brazen touches in the Messalina episode, because she was shown to be a very naughty hussy, but the scenes were beautifully done. The Heloise incident was perfectly handled and decidedly distinctive, while the Normandy sea coast legend, with the many beautiful shots of the seals turnedinto beautiful women playing on xhe rocky coast, registered some of the most artistic photography and composition I have ever seen. I did not care particularly for the Civil War episode, despite the excellent camera angles and good composition, because it seemed to cast reflection upon the women of the South, and stir up unnecessary thoughts about the days of '61. Those who appeared were Henry West, Fair Binney, Ethel Hallor. Chester Barnett, Gloria Goodwin, Escamilo Fernandez. Diana Allen. Florence Billings, Warren Cook, Warner Richmond and Paul Clerget. Advertise Heavily Emphasizing Artistic and Unique Points. Will Get Money The Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor All hough this offering falls a bit short on heart interest, yon can go the limit in boosting it as a supremely artistic production, and certainly you can claim that it is different. Considered generally. I would say that your fans will be more than satisfied. Many will rave. Certainly, you can get them all in once. The title, particularly if yon will use the quotation noted at the first of the review, should arouse enough curiosity to bring business, and if you will go after this in a big way. calling attention to the fact that it has been produced by Maurice Tourneur, who produced "Sporting Life." "The Whip," "Bluebird," "The Poor Little Rich Girl" and scores of other successes, you should be aide to pack therm in without any difficulty. I would advise particularly, however, that you hammer upon the fact that this is a different sort of film and make a lot of noise about how wonderfully artistic it is. (live plenty of prominence to the still pictures showing Eve and the ones showing the girls on the seashore, also the stills showing the big sets used, because you should be able to find a dozen photos of different incidents in this should pack any theatre. You will note that in the technical review above, the only criticism is in reference to the theme missing fire ami lacking heart interest. Few of your fans will ever worry about that, because the offering certainly has enough beauty, class and distinction to make it register as one of the very big films of the year.