Motion Picture News (Sept-Oct 1921)

October 8,. 1921 E X H I B IT O R S HERALD 45 "The Son of Wallingf ord" a Winner VITAGRAPH has another'special'that lives up to the meaning of that much-abused word. "The Son of Wallingford" as a screen play has about everything the showman wants. It was written, directed, subtitled, and edited by Mr. and Mrs. George Randolph Chester, noted writers of short stories, and the authors of the "Get Rich Quick Wallingford" stories which had quite a vogue in the Sattirday Evening Post. The authors bring to the screen the lovable characters made famous in their stories. They call this the one hundred and fifth and it is a worthy successor to the others. The story is straightforward and full of dramatic possibilities which are fully realized. The many unique stunts which are essential to the plot are well handled. The element of natural humor which runs through the eight reels is an integral part of the picture. The many intricate situations at the climax of the story are well handled. Everybody should be satisfied. It is a splendid piece of work. All of the well-remembered characters of the Chester stories arc here: Big-hearted, jolly J Rufus Wallingford, "Blackie" Daw, suave and lean; C)ld "honest" Henry Beegoode, and his son Bert; Violet Bonnie Daw, "Blackie's" wife, and Mrs. J. Rufus. Then there is "Toad"' Jessup, Talbot Curtis, Mrs. Curtis, Mary, and last but not least, Jimmy Wallingford, who inherits his father's lobeless ears and many of his mannerisms. « « « The really clever continuity allows the tale to be told with absolute clearness. It is a special production in every way, in genuine appeal, grip and humanness. The astute exhibitor should not overlook its possibilities for efiFective exploitation. There is the circus parade, which J. Rufus stages to further his land-selling scheme; the endeavor of Jimmy to drill an oil well and win the hand of an honest farmer's daughter; the rescue of Jimmy and Mary from the oil-covered pond, all present unusual opportun ties for advertising. And it is a picture that will fulfill every promise of a high-class, successful offering. The acting on the whole is splend'd. Tom Gallery in the role of Jimmy distinguishes himself. Wilfrid North as Wallingford\ Sr., is the exact type of the Chester stories, and George Webb's carefully drawn portrayal J. Rufus WaJlingford and Blackie Daw, as~ portrayed by Wilfrid North and Gecrge Webb in Vitagraph's "The Son of Wallingford" Tcm Gallery and Priacilla Bonner in a scene Vom "The Son of Wallingford" (Vitagraph)^ of "Blackie" Daw is remarkably true to life. Antrim Short is effective as "Toad" Jessup, and the pair of skin-flints, Henry Beegoode and his son Bertram, were in excellent hands as played by Van Dyke Brooke and Sydney D'Albrook respectively. Florence Hart plays Mrs. J. Rufus, Lyla Leslie is Violet Bonnie, Priscilla Bonner, a pretty and demure Mary Curtis. Martha Mattox is Mrs. Curtis, and Andrew Arbuckle, that fine old actor, IS Talbot Curtis. « * « The story revolves around Jimmy Wallingford's and "Toad" Jessup's efforts to ea n an honest living apart from the influences of J. Rufus and "Blackie" Daw. They go to a distant village and "Toad" discovers oil on Talbot Curt-s' farrn. They form a company, the Big Hope Oil Company, Inc., and start to drill. After spending all their available cash — $800 — they decide to sell their automobile. Mrs. Wallingford buys it and with the renewed finances they continue operations. Unknown to Jimmy, however, J. Rufus. Wallingford and "Blackie" Daw hit the same town, buy up a piece of land and start to promote a manufacturing centre. This is a unique piece of business where they erect a huge canvas drop picturing a dozen factories with smoke pouring from every canvas chimney, as a graphic illustration of what the finished product will look like. When they discover they have encroached on Jimmy's preserves, Ihey allow the land scheme to die a natural death. They continue operations on the land, however, and pipe oil to an empty shed through an abandoned gas line from some oil cars stationed five miles distant. THE CAST J. Rufu» Wallingford Wilfrid North BUckie Daw George Webb Jimmy Wallingford Tom Gallery "Toad" Jessup Antrim Short Henry Beegoode Van Dyke Brooke Bertram Beegoode Sydney D'Albrook Mrs. J. Rufus WaJlingford. .Florence Hart Violet Bonnie Daw Lyla Leslie Mary Curtis Priscilla Bonner Emily Curtis Marthai Mattox Talbot Curtis Andrew Arbuckle A leak in the pipe line floods Jimmy's land, and his well begins to "spout." "Blackie" and J. Rufus work diligently to stir up interest in their scheme, thinking they have the bill of sale in their possession, but in reality it is stolen by a pair of bootleggers and buried ■ in the sand in the pump house. When J. Rufus refuses to sell an interest in the land, the angry townspeople turn to the former owner, Henry Beegoode, and he does a thriving business re-selling the property. J. RufUs turns the tables on Beegoode, however, when the bogus oil well catches fire and the thoroughly incensed citizens realize they have been duped. At the height of the excitement the Big Hope Oil company's oil well spouts forth real oil and everything looks rosy for Mary and Jimmy. The feature is in eight reels, but'^so smoothly does the story run it seems like five. The story grips one from the first few feet to the end. It is drama 'of the best type and we recommend .itjjwithout hesitation. — J. , R. iM. AST.