Motion Picture News (Mar-Apr 1923)

1410 Motion Picture News Scenes from "Lost in a Big City," starring John Lowell, supported by Baby Ivy Ward; produced by Blazed Trail Productions; released by Arrow Film Corporation. "Lost In a Bi g City" Holds Appeal For All IT IS seldom that a photodrama comes along which holds an appeal for everyone, but we are supremely confident that the new Arrow-Blazed Trail Special, " Lost in a Big City," is such a picture. A production may have a universal theme and yet. taking it incident by incident and scene by scene, it may be totally lacking in audience appeal. In reviewing in our mind's eye pictures which have stood out from the rest, we find that in almost every case those that met with the greatest success were oldtime melodramas, " Way Down East," " The Old Homestead," " Rags to Riches," " The Streets of New York " and " Ten Nights in a Bar Room." These photoplays triumphed because they combined all the elements necessary to good entertainment, thrills, humor, pathos, heart-interest and suspense. This is most certainly the recipe for a sure-fire hit. " Ten Nights in a Bar Room " conclusively proved this, not so long ago, when it swept the country in a blaze of glory. Greatly encouraged by the reception accorded this wonderful picturization of the famous old stage play, Blazed Trail Productions, Inc., decided to mike another which would be even bigger and better in every way. And so they began work on that equally well-known and well-beloved melodrama, "Lost in a Big City." It was adapted to the screen by the same scenarist, L. Case Russell, and the cast is headed, as before, by John Lowell and Baby Ivy Ward, and includes Jane Thomas and Evangeline Russell. John Lowell's rise to fame has been extraordinarily rapid. In fact, it may be said that " Ten Nights in a Bar Room " alone has served to make his name known from coast to coast. Strong, virile and rugged, he seems to radiate the very spirit of the great outdoors. It has often been said of him that he is not, in the strictest sense of the word, an actor but simply a man of extraordinary personality, who works before the camera as he would act if he were actually faced with the situation he is to portray. John Lowell's hold upon the affections of the public will most certainly increase as he goes from triumph to triumph. His work in " Ten Nights in a Bar Room " is magnificent— but it is absolutely outshone by the splendid characterization which he contributes to " Lost in a Big City." Babv Ivy Ward is probably the best known child motion picture actress today. She has played stellar parts for Metro, Famous Players and a host of other big producing companies. She has appeared with such prominent and well-known stars — both on the stage and on the screen — as Elsie Ferguson, Ethel Barrymore, Emily Stevens, Ethel Clayton, Robert Warwick and Dorothy Dalton. Jane Thomas does splendidly in her role of the deserted wife. She is one of the most brilliant of the younger actresses before the camera today and bids fair to become one of the screen's leading luminaries in the near future. Her excellent work in the big Fox special, "The Town That Forgot God," is known to all. In addition she has appeared in man}' other successful and popular productions, among which may be mentioned Goldwyn's "The North Wind's Malice" and "Restless Wives." Evangeline Russell comes rightfully into her heritage of histrionic ability, for her father is one of the screen's foremost actors, while her mother is one of the greatest scenarists in the profession. In spite of these advantages, Miss Russell chose to make her wav entirely on her own rather than to bask in the doubtful splendor of reflected glory. And so, little by little and bit by bit, she worked her way up from the ranks of extras until her ability won for her a place in the cast of " Lost in a Big City " — a place which she is ideally fitted to fill. By her excellent handling of the part of Blanche Maberly she definitely establishes herself as a screen star of great promise. The balance of the cast includes many players who appeared in " Ten Nights in a Bar Room." The names of Charles Beyer, Charles Mackay and James Phillips, who will be remembered for their sterling characterizations in that big triumph, have all become members of the Blazed Trail Stock Company. The direction of the picture was placed in the hands of George Irving, one of the foremost wielders of the megaphone in the industry, who has a vast string of successes to his credit. Among his many other notable cinema achievements may be mentioned " The Misloading Lady," a Metro production starring Bert Lvtell; "Hidden Fires," a Goldwyn picture; "Daughters of Destiny," in which Olgfl Potrova was starred, and " The Witching Hour." He has, however, never achieved a production of more sterling merit than " Lost in a Big City " — a picture of which any director might justly be proud. The story deals with the adventures of Harry Farley, a prospector — played by John Lowell — who returns from Alaska after many years to his home town to learn that his sister Helen's husband has deserted her and that she has sold the old farm and gone with her little, blind child, Florence, to live in New York. He starts immediately for the city and after a long search finds them in a squalid tenement. Richard Norman, the missing husband whom Helen believes to be dead, has, under the name of Sidney Heaton, married Blanche Maberly, the daughter of an old friend of his father's. Maberly is a rich banker and it is Blanche's wealth which has attracted Heaton. One day Dick Watkins, an old pal of Heaton's, who had been paid to report his death, turns up and threatens to blackmail him. In order to raise money Heaton joins a gang of bootleggers, whose smuggling headquarters is in the Adirondacks, and cleans up a large sum in his first deal. Watkins, hearing of this, demands more money for his silence, but Heaton cannot see it that way and, as a last resort, decides to kidnap his little, blind daughter, Florence, and hide her in the Adirondack retreat. In this way he will remove a strong link in the blackmailer's chain of evidence. Meanwhile, Helen, his first wife, dies and Watkins. fearing that he will be cheated out of his money, turns the tables on Heaton by telling Farley what he knows. It is here that the big thrills begin. There is a smashing fight in a saloon when Farley tries to rescue his little niece; a chase in an aeroplane to a lodge in the Adirondacks; an exciting ride by state troopers to save one of their men who has been trapped in a blazing fire; another big fight between the troopers and the bootleggers, and a final, tremendous climax when Heaton, in attempting to escape, meets death as his car veers from the road and crashes over a waterfall. Here is a real story! A story that will cause, everyone to rivet their attention to the screen until the final fade-out; whose heartinterest and pathos will bring a lump into their throats and whose thrilling scenes will keep them on the edge of their seats, tense with excitement. In brief, a wonder photoplay of the type that will make history.