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Across the Silver Sheet
A New Department of Photostage Review Conducted by HAZEL SIMPSON NAYLOR .
Some one accused me the other day of not giving constructive criticism. "Your reviews/' said the writer, "are nothing but appreciations." Maybe so. But, stop to think — Photostage is still in its baby-clothes. It is still a child propping itself up with great stage stars, great stage plays and adapted novels. Photodrama cannot yet walk alone. Therefore, am I or are you going to censure it ? Nay. Am I or are you going to be as critical in observing Photoplay's faults as we would be were it grown up like its sister, Stageplay? One can judge Photoplay only by its own standard. — H. S. N.
"Cleopatra" (Fox). — An elaborate spectacle with gorgeous scenery and costumes and thousands of people. While it is historically accurate in the main, and faithfully unfolds the interesting life of the conqueror of conquerors, including many historic episodes such as the assassination of Caesar and the famous naval battle of Actium, and while it is at times dazzling with splendor, it lacks the finish and dramatic force of "The Birth of a Nation" and "Intolerance." The mob scenes were not handled with the Griffith mastery, and some of the elaborate scenery looked stagey. The much-heralded naval battle failed to be convincing and the vcssels^looked like toys, altho it is possible that thts scene was done authoritatively. Theda Bara is excellent and does some of the best work of her career. She
makes Cleopatra a sensual voluptuary of the most luring type who conquers only by her seductiveness. She plays the siren to perfection, and yet she lacks the subtle charm which we are accustomed to attribute to the beautiful Egyptian queen. At no time did she impress me as being extremely beautiful nor charming, and her heavily painted black lips certainly did not add to her beauty. She was alluring only in her physical charms. I got no glimpse of a great soul nor a powerful personality shining thru the gorgeous tinseli of her gowns and the beautiful lines of her form. In spite *of all this, Theda Bara must be classed among the great players of the day for her creation of this Cleopatra, and the plav be ranked high among the spectacles.
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THEDA BARA AS CLEOPATRA, THE VAMPIRE QUEEN OF EGYPT
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