Motion Picture Classic (Jan-Dec 1920)

MOTION PICTURE CLASSIC The Celluloid Critic (Continued from page 45) make his fortune. Two years later finds him still the thirteenth clerk in the employ of a prosperous firm. Homer decides not to wait for future success, but to go back to Mainesyille with his three hundred dollars savings for a vacation. He electrifies the old town into believing him a millionaire by indulging in all sorts of extravagances, from engaging the village taxi for two weeks to occupying the hotel's bridal suite. And, of course, he hits upon an idea which brings him to sudden success and wins the village belle away from the hotel owner's surly son. ^Ir. Ray invests the role with a hundred and one subtle touches of humor and humanness. Between Mr. Ray and Jerome Storm's direction, "Homer Comes Home" becomes decidedly likeable. In his visualization of C. Haddon Chambers' "Passers-By," (Pathe), J. Stuart Blackton does two things better than he has ever done before. He catches the damp greyness of the foggy London streets better than he has ever captured any photoplay atmosphere before. And his camera work is better, frequently being finely artistic. But it seems to us that he misses the heart note in this moving drama of Chambers, in which a young bachelor invites three passers-by into his rooms out of a storm — and finds one of them to be his sweetheart of years before. "PassersBy" is not especially well cast, William J. Ferguson, the sterling old character comedian, simply running away with the film as a whimsical old rogue of a valet. Tom Moore gives a hkeable celluloid performance in Ben Ames Williams' "The Great Accident," (Goldwyn). Moore plays a harum-scarum youth who is finally awakened when the great accident comes — i.e., when he is elected mayor of his town as a practical joke. The action moves thru a series of fearfully trite melodramatic incidents, but Moore maintains a certain interest. Jane Novak is an effective heroine. "Married Life," (First National), is a five-reel Mack Sennett farce done in the broadest slapstick fashion. We admit our liking for two-reel Sennetts, but, in truth, this five-reeler bored us, altho there are many ingeniously devised laughs. "Married Life" is described as a domestic satire, but in reality it merely relates the episodic adventures of "a man's man," played by the slant-eyed Ben Turpin. The thing is ridiculously amusing — at times. But two reels is enough of this sort of thing. Douglas MacLean and Doris May have yet to duplicate their little comedy classic, "23j/ Hours' Leave." Their latest, "Let's Be Fashionable," is a mild comedy revolving around the efforts of a loving young couple to ape the domestic indifference of their surburban colony, where every hubby is faithful to a wife — of someone else's. You will find "Let's Be Fashionable" fairly entertaining — and little more, (Ninety-one) To our way of thinking, Wanda Hawley got off to a bad stellar start with "Miss Hobbs," (Realart), remotely based upon the old Jerome K. Jerome comedy. It is the much-used idea of the fair man-hater who is eventually won over to love. Here Miss Hobbs gives herself to barefoot classic dancing in the morning dew. futuristic bungalows and mannish garb, until the piano-tuner, alias a rich youth in disguise, appears on the horizon. Then fads are forgotten. "Miss Hobbs" is piffling stuff. Moreover, it forces the gently pretty Miss Hawley into an affected, unreal and even unsympathetic role for her first starring production. We. thought Donald Crisp's direction rather unimaginative. Pinotopiasmic Peregrinations (Continued from page 57) Here is a little incident that may illumine you regarding one man who has been for many years the idol of screen fans the world over — Hobart Bosworth. You remember, of course, his immortal characterization of Jack London's "Sea Wolf" — in the original production, of course — and I am sure those of you who saw him in "Behind the Door" will never forget his vivid portrayal of Krug. Hobart, good fellow that he is, drove over to a little restaurant in Hollywood the other day ; he was in his overalls, begrimed and greasy, for he had been tinkering with his new machine. After ordering breakfast, he was addressed by the proprietor of the place, who evidently did not recognize in Bosworth the favorite of millions of moving picturegoers. "Want to make a little extra change?" asked the restaurateur. "What doing?" smiled Hobart. "Well," the man explained, "I have a leaky pipe in my cellar that needs repairing. It will only take a few minutes to fix it. I'll take you down right after breakfast and show it to you." Henry Kolker, the director, happened to be passing Hobart's table and explained to the cafe owner that he was talking to Hobart Bosworth, the famous actor. "My Lord !" ejaculated the fellow. "How could I tell ?" pointing to Bosworth's overalls. "Dont you see the beautiful car out there?" said Mr. Kolker. "That belongs to " "Oh, well !" interrupted the abashed proprietor. " 'Most every plumber has a swell car these days, but, of course, if Mr. Bosworth isn't a plumber, I wont bother him any more about my pipe." "Dont you believe it," roared Hobart, thoroly enjoying the situation. "I work just as hard in my profession as any plumber, even if I dont make so much money as some of them. Come on, now ! Show me that pipe !" And, would you believe it, here was this great actor voluntarily playing plumber, with the help of Mr. Kolker and the restaurant man ! And I understand he fixed the pipe just as well as any professional could have, too ! 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