The Film Daily (1919)

Sunday, February 2, 1919 WS2 DA1L.V Nothing Out of the Ordinary, But Makes Passable Offering. Margarita Fisher in "MOLLY OF THE FOLLIES" American — Pathe DIRECTOR Edward Sloman. AUTHOR Peter Clark MacFarlane CAMERAMAN Not Credited. AS A WHOLE Doesn't seem very real, but may get by as an average program offering. STORY Adaptation of story in Red Book Magazine; stretches probabilities at many points. DIRECTION Best in scenes showing action at Coney Island. PHOTOGRAPHY Varies; for the mont part clear. LIGHTINGS Some good effects in house being robbed at night. CAMERA WORK Mostly straight stuff. STAR Acts with vivacity in role of ballet dancer. SUPPORT Jack Mower physically forceful as the hero; Lule Warrenton and J. Farrell MacDonald supply first rate characterizations. EXTERIORS Beach and resort scenes the real thing. INTERIORS Conventional. DETAIL Nothing out of the ordinary; story would have been benefited by more genuinely funny sub-titles. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION About 4800 ft. This is just another one of those movie plots that doesn't bear scrutiny on the score of plausibility. A little common sense on the part of one or two of the characters would take the supports from under the story fabric., but even so there is no reason why it shouldn't pet by fairly well with a crowd that is not over critical. Probably you won't find as many laughs as in Margarita Fisher's last picture, "Fair Enough", although the star and the supporting players work hard, and quite successfully, to put pep into the action. The greater part of the film is staged at a resort near enough like Coney Inland to pass for the original and this is an advantage to the film in that most folks like settings of that kind. Some of the humor is too forced to be really effective and the surprise climax is one of those convenient affairs and doesn't really mean much. It is, however, to the author's credit that his surprise has not been pressed before it is unfolded on the screen. Miss 1'is' er is introduced in the costume of a ballet dancer at a Coney Island side show. She attracts tie attention of a youth in the crowd standing before the platform, and their unconventional meeting is arranged through her loss of a slipper which lands on the boy's head. Quite a bit is made of the introductory scenes, serving to introduce the other show folk-, Jack Mower, as a "human submarine,'' Lule Warrenton as* Margarita's fortune telling mother and T. Farrell MacDonald as the blustering manager. Jack is in love with the dancing girl and resents the intrusion of the chance acquaintance, who sports an automobile and during intermissions takes Margarita, to luncheons and dinners. The "human submarine." however, is not a very tactful suitor and his difficulties are increased when the girl's mother persists in forcing her own attentions upon him. In order to account for Margarita's running off with her supposedly wealthy young wooer, they bring in a scene showing Lule Warrenton and Jack in an affectionate embrace. With this seeming evidence of infidelity, the dancing girl is ready to accept the suggestion that she elope with the rival suitor, who takes her to what is supposed to be the home of hi<= wealthy aunt in the suburbs of Brooklyn. She is rattier surprised at finding the house closed and tenantless, whereupon the nephew explains that the family is away on a vacation and that she will have to occupy the place alone until the following day when they may secure a marriage license. Jack follows the runaway pair and there is a fight resulting in the breaking of some valuable vases after which the prospective bridegroom, having come out victorious goes to the garage to spend the night. A burglar enters the house and as the end of a hide and seek chase, Margarita locks him in a room. The next morning, with the return of the aunt and the release of the supposed burglar, it appears that he is in realty the neohew and that Margarita's suitor is the chauffeur posing as his master. About this time. Jack Mower and the girl's mother show up and Margarita falls into the arms of her faithful "human submarine," who is planning to open a delicatessen shop. Work on the Idea That You Have a Film Dealing With Coney Island. Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor. For a certain type of audience this film has good qualities. The humor is broad enough not to be over the heads of anyone, and there is sufficient story action to hold folks' eyes to the screen, if they want to keep pace with what is happening. It wouldn't be wise to talk about the film as anything particularly novel, but altogether it is about on a par with other Margarita Fisher offerings and if you are running them regularly your crowd will know what to expect. Perhaps the best angle to hit, outside of playing up the star, would be to give the idea that you have a film dealing in an intimate way with the life of Coney Island side show freaks. Particularly in small towns, where everything concerning Coney Island has a certain fascination this should (kelp in getting patronage. Providing you go in for special stunts there is a chance here to arrange something in your lobby, in dicating a side show, with a ballyhoo stationed at the entrance. Give him a megaphone and let him go as far as he likes in making a noise and telling the passers-by to come in and see "the greatest show on earth". This wouldn't cost much and it sure would attract the children. Carrying out this idea, select pictures presenting Miss Fisher in ballet costume and if possible, some of those showing Jack Mower as a "human submarine," reposing at the bottom of a tank of water while he complacently eats a bananna. Completing the collection, you might get an illustration of Lule Warrenton in the garb of a fortune teller. For catchlines say: "If you think that Coney Island freaks aren't human, see 'Molly of the Follies' and you'll change your mind." Another; "You're a long way from Coney Island, but you can shoot the shoots and everything, with 'Molly of the Follies."