The Film Daily (1919)

Sunday, June 22, 1919 T*4t A1LY Comedy is Pretty Thin in Picturization of O. Henry's Story. Wallace Reid in "You're Fired" Paramount DIRECTOR James Cruze AUTHOR O. Henry SCENARIO BY Clara G. Kennedy CAMERAMAN Frank Urson AS A WHOLE Conventional comedy doesn't carry through five reels. STORY Adaptation of O. Henry story, "The Halberdier" fails to convey the spirit of the author's work. DIRECTION Lacks fresh inspiration in handling of comedy scenes. PHOTOGRAPHY Good LIGHTINGS Generally first rate CAMERA WORK One or two strikingly artistic soft=focus close=ups that bring out the beauty of Wanda Hawley. STAR Works hard to extract humor from situa= tions that are not strong in themselves. SUPPORT Wanda Hawley decidedly attractive as the girl in the case; efficient cast all through, with Theodore Roberts in charac= teristic role. EXTERIORS Seldom needed INTERIORS Ball room sets and others are ade= quately furnished. DETAIL Doesn't call for particular comment. CHARACTER OF STORY Unobjectionable LENGTH OF PRODUCTION 4,183 feet THIS is an O. Henry story minus the O. Henry spirit. Admirers of the master craftsman of short story writing will have to look hard to find traces of the senilis for characterization and significant bits of derail which mark the work of the great interpreter of American life. In case the name of the author happens to be missed when it is flashed and one does not recall the plot of '•The Halberdier," it will be easily possible to see the picture through without guessing that the story has any background other than that supplied by a scenario writer versed in conventional methods of photoplay construction. To be sure there are laughs in "You're Fired," but they are hardly frequent enough to suffice for passages that run along in the expected groove — ex peeled, that is. after the Camilla! basis of the plot is made known. Many pictures, from the time of short reels onward, have had as their theme the vieissit tides Of a wealthy young man who thrusts himself upon the commercial world because he must make good in order to lie an acceptable husband for the girl he loves. Wallace Reid, as Billy, is merely another one of the heroes who experience various adversities while complying with the terms laid down by a father-in-lawto he. There is never a doubt about the result. One knows that somehow or other he is going to come through the stated period of one month without being "fired," so the element of suspense being comparatively insignificant, the chief interest necessarily attaches to the incidents connected with his efforts to keep a clean employment record. His trials as an office clerk, whose capabilities are limited to hitting X on the typewriter, are moderately amusing, and folks will laugh at his method of always beating the boss to it when he is due to be fired. Just in time, he resigns, handing his employer a memorandum to sign, stating that he left, of his own accord. These memorandums are used frequently, each signature being good for at least a chuckle. But the production realizes its best moments, and they're nothing very remarkable at that, when Wallace gets a job as a xylophone artist with an orchestra that plays at society functions. He bluffs it through well enough to keep from getting an honorable discharge, until the night of a ball given by a leader of the social set of which he has been a member. Among the guests is Wanda Hawley, the girl for whom he is making the sacrifice. But it is part of the agreement that he shall not tell her about the scheme. Wallace is really funny when he tries to conceal his identity behind a false moustache, while he bangs away at the xylophone. But, of course, he is discovered and Wanda is seriously peeved because he will neither dance with her, nor explain the cause for his peculiar behavior. Before the final sequences, which find Wallace wearing a knight's armor and standing as a part of the decorative scheme in an Italian restaurant, they bring in a touch of meller with the theft of some valuable papers concerning a merger put through by Wanda's father. Wallace has a hand in thwarting the willun. and having gone through the month without being "fired" from a job, he is accepted by Theodore Roberts as a son-in-law. The cast includes Henry Woodward, Lillian Mason, Herbert Prior, Raymond Hatton and William Lesta. Don't Count on This as Anything Out of the Ordinary Box Office Analysis for the Exhibitor Although this is not up to the mark of some recent Wallace Reid productions, it probably will please enough of your folks to put it over as an average program release. It would be well, however, to build up the rest of your show, rather than to place too much reliance on "You're Fired" as the central attraction. Shown at the Strand Theater, New York, before a large Sunday afternoon audience, when the latest Charlie Chaplin film was on the bill, it was moderately well received, especially during the scenes when Reid impersonated a xylophone player and donned a false moustache. Incidents from this part of the film will provide the most likely material for pictorial display. I would make quite a bit of the fact that the story is an adaptation of O. Henry's "The Halberdier." A number of this author's works have been screened by various companies and they have realized a quality that will make people want to see more pictures from the same source. "You're Fired" is a better title for picture purposes than the original, which would mean nothing to the average film fan. You might excite a little curiosity by asking: "What is a halberdier? Wallace Reid will show you in 'You're Fired,' a picturization of O. Henry's story." If Paramount has any individual portraits of Wanda Hawley. on a par, artistically, with some of the closeups in the film, I certainly would give them a conspicuous place in your lobby. Her name has advertising value, as has that of Theodore Roberts.