Motion Picture (Aug 1919-Jan 1920)

Across the Silversheet . CASTLES IN THE AIR — METRO At last we have a variation of the poor working girl type of heroine. For, in "Castles in the Air." we find our hallroom girl with a job as usherette in a theater. And in common with the girl of today, she tells the manager just where to get off when he tries to prevent her going to a rich chap's home for dinner. And when the young chap turns out not to be a villain at all, but a lonely person who has had a misunderstanding with his wife, we are not at all surprised at the competent manner in which our heroine folds away her pretty bright dream of being a millionaire's mate, makes a friend of him instead, finds his wife for him and makes the most of her own romance by marrying a mere theater manager. Such is the original plot which May Allison plays with her determined vigor, characteristic American spunk and keen sense of humor. In some scenes, Miss Allison is startlingly, blondly beautiful ; in a few, namely her hall bedroom scenes, she has been carelessly lighted. George Baker is the director who guided her pretty feet thru this melodramatic maze and made the whole appear fascinatingly possible. Ben Wilson is wholesomely entertaining as the theater manager, who watches for hours in the rain to guard his little usherette from harm. HELP ! HELP ! POLICE ! — FOX It is a pretty sure bet that when there's a picture fight, George Walsh will be in it, and you can be equally certain that he will win. This would be the result even if the scenario didn't call for the hero coming out on top, for tbe young man is possessed of as iron a pair of muscles as ever graced a Grecian Adonis. In "Help ! Help ! _ Police !" George Walsh is, as usual, a rich man's son who gets into all kinds of scrapes while innocently trying to serve others. He performs some mighty good athletic stunts and is helped by better photography than Mr. Fox has seen fit to give him recently. Young Walsh has splendid possibilities, but William should play Foxy Grandpa to him and give him a scenario with a few situations embellished with humor or love-making, as well as muscles. FALSE GODS — ROTHAPFEL This is the first feature picture that S. L. Rothapfel, late manager of the Rivoli and Rialto theaters. New York City, has directed for his new experiment, the Unit program. Mr. Rothapfel has directed this story with an amazing ability to get over a great deal of thought without a myriad of subtitles. One finds the first two reels strikingly human. The affairs of Lila Andrews and her young husband Cecil Andrews become things in which the spectator is vitally interested. When fate, in the shape of a rich old woman, invites them among the rich set we shudder. As Lila learns to flirt in order to help her husband be a financial success, we are vitally worried — and then, all of a sudden, flop goes the human story and in stalks melodrama: unpaid bills, pawned bracelet, men demanding payment, a murder, false accusation, hasty justification and reconciliation, all are mixed in with a hasty spoon. But withal there are many fine and original touches, and if Mr. Rothapfel can do so much with the first picture he ever directed, {Continued from page 68) we may look for fine things from him. Grace Darling is pleasing in the lead, while Hugh Thompson does some unusually strong characterization work as the husband. The rest of the cast was competent, except Harry Mestayer, who seemed painfully uncomfortable. FIRES OF FAITH — LASKY A certain tone of sincerity pervades this picture, which is really Salvation Army propaganda, and makes it quite worth while. The plot concerns the life of Elizabeth Blake, who is saved from a wretched existence by the Salvation Army. Catherine Calvert plays the part of Elizabeth Blake excellently, while Eugene O'Brien is sartorially pleasing as the scion of wealth who is shanghaied while rescuing her. Rubye de Remer shows a vast improvement in her screen work as his fiancee, while Robert Anderson's singularly powerful personality makes the role of the small-town man who faithfully . loves and finally wins Elizabeth very nearly the hit of the piece. Edward Jose directed and directed well. THE UNPARDONABLE SIN — HARRY GARSON Screened from Major Rupert Hughes' novel of the same name, this photoplay reeks with every atrocity that the Germans could possibly have perpetrated. Here is a picture which can do no good and a great deal of harm. It plays too violently upon the vulgar emotions and most certainly should not be shown in theaters which children and young people of the impressionable age frequent. The best that can be said for "The Unpardonable Sin" is that it brings Blanche Sweet back to us, and a splendid bit of portrayal by Mary Alden. Marshall Neilan directed, but without his usual keen sense of proportion. I refer, specifically, to the comedy antics of Wesley Barry and Bobby Connelly as the American and Belgian boys who converse together fluently. One wonders in which language ! I found Miss Sweet's performance intensely emotional — in fact, it started at such a white-hot pitch and had so few gradations that it quite wore the spectator out. FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE — LASKY Another Cecil B. DeMille photoplay which overtops Mr. DeMille's own standard of excellence in production. Mr. DeMille is rapidly becoming the highest authority on luxurious pictures. He deals with the problems of people that have money, and all of his scenes and actors are in keeping. His theme is again that of mismating — due this time to a misunderstanding of patriotism. A satisfactory solution of the domestic dilemma is reached by a mutually satisfactory changing of couples. The cast includes the suave Elliott Dexter as the man who carried on at home, Gloria Swanson as the girl who loved him but married a soldier instead, Tom Forman as the unloved soldier and Wanda Hawley as his beautiful recompense, all of whom are distinctive in their varied roles. THE NEW MOON — SELECT The story of this Russian picture was told in our last month's Magazine. It is embellished on the screen by Norma Talmadge. While not so entertaining as her recent photoplays, it contains a certain element of suspense. 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