The Film Daily (1919)

Sunday, June 22, 1919 tM^ AILV Sophisticated Story Is Very Well Screened Ethel Clayton in "Men, Women and Money" Paramount DIRECTOR George Melford AUTHOR Cosmo Hamilton SCENARIO BY Beulah Marie Dix CAMERAMAN Paul P. Perry AS A WHOLE A very welUscreened picture that makes a high bid for interest through its value as narration rather than its value as drama. STORY A sophisticated piece of work proving that virtue more than pays; Cosmo Hamilton again flays fast lives of certain wealthy so= cial sets. DIRECTION ...... Intelligently handles players and subject; picture progresses at even tempo. PHOTOGRAPHY Excellent LIGHTINGS Always arranged for artistic effect CAMERA WORK Responsible for several en= hancing touches. STAR Shows ability to register without over= reaching. SUPPORT Lew Cody very good as sophisticated cynic; Irving Cummings gives good perform= ance; also others. EXTERIORS Not very many, but all good INTERIORS Some beautifully and tastefully dressed sets high=class throughout. DETAIL Given the usual care in production of this caliber; always done well and sensibly. CHARACTER OF STORY. . Very spicy in certain respects; nothing offensive. LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,335 feet MEX. WOMEN AND MONEY" is a visualized novel containing considerable interest. In picture form Cosmo Hamilton's story is quite rich in its value as narration, and it is on its value as such, as differentiated from its worth as drama, that the picture stands. The subject has been very well produced and excellently Staged. Many of the interiors are a treat to the eye. and the hand of a capable art director is evident throughout. Everybody concerned has worked hard to dress the story up in rich attire, and the finished product successfully shows it. The picture has as its theme the truth that lo the traveler of the virtue-path there always is at the end a goal well worth I lie journey, even though that journey be tough and troublous. In this instance the theme is quite pleasingly and Interestingly presented through the medium of a girl who. not realizing the sinister powers of the waters. roeUs the boat in the whirlpool of fast living Indulged in by certain wealthy social sets in New York. Figuratively speaking, the boat tips, but the before the girl is caught in the whirlpool's full force she struggles to shore. It is the utter thoughtlessness of the girl and the real innocence that lies beneath that arouses sympathy with her on the part of tile viewer. Ethel Clayton is the girl, ami she reaches up to every requirement of her role in every instance. And she is given splendid support throughout, especially so on the part of Lew Cody. Among the more important players are [rving Cummings, James Neill, .lane Wolfe. Sylvia Ashton, Winifred Greenwood and Mayme Kelso. Cosmo Hamilton shows a thorough understanding of •'men. women and money" in his story. But chiefly does his pen become bitter when he treats witli the lives of the fast set. tearing down their veil of apparent respectability and showing the shallow, pleasure-loving crowd they really are. Of course, some of ltis stuff is pretty spiry. and when the author gets going lie generally calls a spade a spade. Chiefly the story concerns Ethel. Through logical and wellregistered passages that plant her character she reaches the point where she conies to live in New York and be one of a very wealthy and very fast bunch, her bankroll totaling only $2,000. Lew Cody, a wealthy cynic, is interested in Ethel, but cannot make himself believe totally in her innocence. When lie offers to "take care of her" Ethel shows her true colors, and to pay the debts she foolishly contracted, takes a position as a model in the shop she once patronized. Cody sees himself in a different light after his turn down at the hands of Ethel, and starts out *0 prove himself to her. He takes an interest in poor boys. Irving Cummings. who has been refused by Ethel, tries to make things as unpleasant as possible with her in her job as model. Ethel proves her real worth when she refuses to appear before a select crowd of buyers in lingerie, choosing rather to go to jail At the proper juncture Cody arrives, and soon lie and Ethel find that each is satisfied with the other. "Practical Wisdom" The chief functions of the commercial film Labaratory are to make "Quality Prints" and render "Prompt Service." Any Laboratory which cannot supply both is not functioning. The Republic policy is for Quality, our physical and financial resources are for Service. The use of modern machinery — the finest raw material and chemicals obtainable plus our expert human element insure Quality. Our desire and willingness to please insure Service. If you are not now getting "Quality Prints" plus "Prompt Service" you had better let us know and we will immediately transform these words into deeds. Phone Bryant 7190 REPUBLIC LABORATORIES, INC. 729 Seventh Avenue, New York