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Laurence Reid
Reviews
THE New Photoplays
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THE artistic ladder has been scaled again by F.W. Murnau — this time he scales the boxoffice ladder with "4 Devils." The man can be trusted with a megaphone since he exercises keen dramatic insight and feeling— and, moreover, gets as much or more from his players than D. W. Griffith. Not only Fox has confidence in him, but also the public While his "Sunrise" cannot be called box-office, it is an artistic achievement. In the present opus he rings both the artistic and popularity bells by giving moviegoers a picture which carries a substantial plot, a moving, vigorous line of action, clearly defined characterization and the w.k. undefinable j'om^^/izng known as personality. The " 4 Devils " is a story of a French circus, and there is a spirit of the laughing clown about it which never steps over the boundary of good taste. This clown, it is, who rescues some youngsters and trains them as acrobats so that when they are matured they do their stuff with deftness and dispatch. For purposes of dramatic conflict the plot introduces a vampire whose object is to entice the most attractive male mem » -.^ ber of the quartette. And some may argue that \. Mary Duncan acts too thedabarish in the role. To ^ my way of thinking she gives the picture color and the character plenty of spirit. It is mostly a Duncan triumph since Janet Gaynor hasn't the emotional opportuni ties which were hers in "Seventh Heaven" and "Sunrise
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Graphic All The Way
THERE are some highly graphic scenes — the outstanding being the expansive one of the trapeze act — with the spectators seated in rows after the manner of the Roman Colisseum. There are suggestions of "Variety" in the incident pertaining to the acrobatic work, though Murnau has used initiative in developing the story in his own dramatic, but restrained, manner.
So I highly recommend "4 Devils," which is
colorful, appealing and moving. It is competently
acted by the five principals, Mary Duncan, Janet
Gaynor, Nancy Drexel, Charles Morton and
Barry Norton. And Farrell Macdonald is
Okay with me as the clown.
On With The Jazz
THAT the public isn't tired of the jazz-mad story is proved in "Our Dancing Daughters," which, while it has nothing of consequence in its plot, suc
At top are Thomas Meighan and Ren6e Adorde who fiimish many dramatic moments in "The Mating Call." At the left Jean Hersholt acts the playboy who is lured away from the fireside by Phyllis Haver. Their picture is "The Battle of the Sexes." Below is the quartette known as the "4 Devils," who entertain their public at an indoor circus. They are Barry Norton, Nancy Drexel, Janet Gaynor and Charles Morton