Motion Picture Classic (1923, 1924, 1926)

The Celluloid Critic REX INGRAM did the only thing possible in filming "The Arab" (Metro-Goldwyn) — he went to the Orient to stage it — thus compensating for a story which has become frayed at the edges thru long and faithful service. The director came back with some striking photographs. The ornate horizons of the East have served Ingram's camera as they've never served anyone else who went overseas to capture them. Scenically, the picture is hard to beat. But Edgar Selwyn's play is stereotyped fictional fare. It hasn't enough variety of situation, nor enough dramatic substance to cope with its backgrounds. And these are as easy on the eye as the story is tiresome on the mind. We will not say that these fine shots diminish the plot values entirely. But it is really of little consequence and countless serials which have gone before it — serials exploiting the same idea — take away the dramatic sting of showing impending massacres of Christians by the Moslems. So we return to the backgrounds and pronounce them good. We also pronounce Ramon Novarro's performance good. Excepting the pictorial quality of the film, his work is the outstanding feature. He makes the Arab scornful, insolent and bold, but a likable fellow for all of that. His heroism in behalf of the missionary's daughter wins him the necessary sympathy. Alice Terry wearing her own brunette tresses (the blonde wig having been discarded here) appears as beautiful and charming as ever. She brings appeal to a rather inconsequential role. There are several foreign actors whose work is excellent. The picture will draw crowds because of its sheik flavor — and the fact that the names of Novarro and Ingram carry weight. These crowds wont see much of a story, but they will see Nature at her best with her clays and paints. A scene from "Wine of Youth" Top of the page: Mae Bush and supporting players in "Bread." Above: Ramon Novarro in "The Arab" WILLIAM J. LOCKE'S story, "The Mountebank," which was adapted to the stage last season, has finally emerged as a Paramount picture under the colorful title of "The Side Show of Life." It is treated sympathetically, if with not sufficient feeling — and serves in registering as a very good film, if not a brilliant one. It lacks the Locke quaintness, a quality which is woven in all his stories — and there isn't enough of the Locke wistfulness and tender humor. But it does hold you — even grips you at times, principally because of the gifted pantomime of Ernest Torrence who plays an English buffoon in a French circus. Circus stories are always sentimental— and embroidered with pathos. And this clown suffers when the show becomes bankrupt and when he returns from the war to receive the jeers of his audience. But the picture doesn't move with that steady heartbeat — and it often lacks color. Torrence uses his plastic face to draw upon his emotions and he gives a touching performance in his moments of pathos — especially the burial of the dog. You may have to use your handkerchief here to brush away a tear. But he is not the hapless clown — the pitiable clown of all song and story! Which ■B^^^^_ makes us wonder if he is not more adaptable for comedy and heavy character. The picture is finely staged, carries restraint and considerable charm. And there's a newcomer, Louise La Grange, who will be heard from some . day. She shows sincere emotion and a wide range of expression. Anna Q. Nilsson plays a small role with her usual skill. A more sprinkling of humanities, a little more balancing humor — and the picture would have been a real triumph. Still, we'll call it good entertainment as it stands. BREAD" (MetroGoldwyn) would be a real human picture if the director had brought out the pathos and mental conflict which are found in Charles G. Norris' original story. It fails to touch the inner feelings of the heart — and yet the central characters fairly cried for sympathy. It may be that Victor Schertzinger, the director, tried too hard to establish a moral. But we fail to find it here. What we do find is a lot of marital trouble stressed with too much unimportant detail. What should have been a compact picture contains several loose ends which are not well tied together. Yet it is interesting. Any one will have lots of fun in A scene from "Babbitt (Forty-eight)