Motion Picture News (Jan-Feb 1922)

1265 ‘February 25, 1922 : Late Feature and Short Subject Reviews 44 Too Much Married ” (Associated Photoplays — State Rights Feature) THE very emphasis of this title suggests that it is a farce-comedy and it proceeds to live 1 up to it in fairly satisfying fashion. The theme \ is based upon a tried and true formula which reveals a girl married secretly and immediately I separated from her husband. It is a story which builds a number of complications and really releases some sure-fire incident of a farcical 1 trend. Even the bedroom farce idea is sug; gested here and there, although the vulgarities 1 are never established. The exhibitor will calalogue it as average entertainment likely to please his patrons if he surrounds it with a colorful bill with comedy dominant in the short subjects. There is a delicate twist in the sequence which reveals an elderly couple requesting the heroine and her “ better half ” to accompany them on a motor tour. The girl is unable to explain and the “ husband ” realizes that he is prevented from declaring his true identity. The plot itself hinges upon a youth losing his fortune if he marries before he is twenty-five. While attending another marriage the young man and the heroine decide to marry secretly and the witness is another guest who had overheard the plan. The complications develop and much mystery, much confusion occurs before the newly-weds are reunited. The production is satisfying without being anything extraordinary in sets, locations, atmosphere or photography. You can catalogue them as just average. But at least they don’t irritate the spectator. The direction is capably handled — -the tempo of well regulated farce being adequately expressed. Mary Anderson plays the feature role and does good work, although she is nothing of a comedienne. Her support is fairly competent, consisting of Roscoe Karnes and Jack Connelly. It is a picture which can be well exploited. The title is a winner and should be made the most of in all advertising. —Length 5 Reels .—LAURENCE REID. 44 Rich Man, Poor Man ” (Hal Roach Comedy — Pathe) THIS is a pleasant little masquerade party introducing Paul Parrot and Sunshine Sammy and some others having a good time with romance in a fashionable hotel. You discover an heiress doubling as a maid and a janitor determined to look like a gentleman. A grand ball takes place and the rich girl refuses to wed the aristocrat until she discovers that he is really the porter. The comedy points are registered during the ball. There is some good hokum having to do with the burning feet of the janitor, whose patent leather shoes are too tight for him. Thus electric sparks shoot forth. When he takes them off, he doesn’t notice where he places them. But they are riding gracefully about the room aboard the train of a lady’s dress. Can you guess the following? Well, in attempting to rescue the shoes the train is torn and the milady is covered quickly with a cloaktaken from another masquerader. The comedy offers some amusing gags and travels with no time wasted. — Length 1 Reel. — LAURENCE REID. 44 The Boat ” (Buster Keaton Comedy — First National) A HILARIOUS sample of ridiculous burlesque is offered in Buster Keaton’s comedy, “The Boat,” which presents the sober-faced comedian as an amateur sailor. The high jinks are not long in collecting, and the action is so novel, so filled with comic buffoonery that even a “hard-boiled egg” must laugh. Buster builds a sea-going yacht. Everything is topsyturvey for the grand plunge. When the boat glides into the water it sinks right out of' sight, leaving Buster swimming for dear life. He is joined by his wife and a couple of kiddies. And while she acts as the cook, the star is the skipper, mate and jolly tar — tripling in brass as usual. There is some rich incident as the boat is operated upon a swivel system — so that the masts may clear the bridges. Buster pulls a Jever and the yacht is able to sail under nicely. He forgets one bridge and the masts are broken off. But he turns into ship’s carpenter and the repairs are made. Finally the boat strikes a typhoon and becomes a toy of the elements. It is like riding the loop. Meals are prevented from being served. Buster drills a hole in the boat to let the water out and succeeds in letting it in. He even puts a pancake over a leakage and it stays for a time. The ultimate climax finds Buster and wife and kiddies taking to a wash boiler for a life-boat. Like three men in a boat or tub, he sails the briny deep. This may be a children’s bath-tub, for one of the youngsters pulls the stopper and the water comes in again. The boat is about to sink when Buster feels land under him. The comedy is a rip-roarer, one calculated to please any house and put it in a mirthful state. The rare hokum, the ridiculous burlesque, the funny incidents — these are sufficient to make this Keaton pattern a sure-fire knockout. It is comedy with a vengeance. Between you and me, it is going to make many a feature resemble an “also ran.” — Length 2 Reels. — LAURENCE REID. 44 The Phantom Terror ” (Navy Feature — Two Reels — Universal) ' I 'HIS adventure story of the briny deep carries a title suggestive of a serial. But it continues no further than two episodes. However in this brief space there is revealed a story crammed with adventure, rapid action, good suspense and a wealth of atmosphere — to say nothing of some novel thrills having to do with submarine activities. Much of the interest centers upon the submarine exploits. The hero allows himself to be shot through the torpedo tube and climbs aboard the mystery ship from which he is able to send a wireless for assistance. The naval base is revealed and no time is lost in dispatching aid. Interspersed with the action are some good shots of a flotilla of LT. S. submarines plowing through the water in typical battle formation. What is happening to the hero? He is having a tough time of it. fighting the cutthroats who compose the crew of “ The Phantom Terror,” the outlaw ship. He skips over the vessel and manages to elude his tormentors by climbing to the top-rigging until the rescuers arrive. The love interest is well established although there is really no necessity for its introduction seeing as how the action is so vivid. In a little fishing village the girl awaits his appearance — willing to surrender her heart to a true son of the sea. Jack Perrin plays the fighting sailor with acceptable vigor and Gertrude Olmsted is the heroine. The picture is calculated to stir the pulse — so keen is the suspense— so vivid the thrills. It carries a full quota of exciting action .—LAURENCE REID. 44 Missing Men ” (Robt. Bruce Wilderness Tales Series — Released through Educational Exchanges, Inc.) r 1 1 HE second of Mr. Bruce’s series of “new A idea” one-reelers, which combine the pictorial beauty of the scenic with the human interest of drama, takes the audience into the north woods, and impresses, in very fine fashion, the grandeur and the solemn vastness of the wilderness. His characters are two men who are hunting far from civilization. They chase a deer across the snows, down the mountain sides, through gulches and streams. They become lost and the solitude and awful silence fills them with a vague terror. “ Timber Panic,” Mr. Bruce calls it. Each has his own idea as to the direction of the lost trail. They separate. One reaches camp, but the other wanders in circles until the terrible fear of the forest unhinges his mind. He rushes senselessly through the wilderness until he falls exhausted, and he is crawling on hands and knees when the searching party finds him. The backgrounds for this little story have been carefully selected, and help to make the reel powerful and beautiful. It is a worthysuccessor to “ Women Must Weep,” the first of this series. — MATTHEW A. TAYLOR. 44 The Bashful Lover ” (Ay Vee Bee Comedy-Pathe) < <’ I ' HE BASHFUL LOVER” belongs to the A series of comedies starring Ernest Truex, the diminutive comedian who is registering success upon the stage in a current Broadway play-, “ Six Cylinder Love.” This fact is mentioned if the exhibitor intends to “ campaign ” the selling qualities of the comedy and personality of the star. As a medium of expressing humor, “ The Bashful Lover ” is not entirely successful. This is because the director or author has had recourse to a number of stock situations. However this may be due to the compressed edition of the star’s personality. The little fellow is being forced to marry a “heavyweight” because she is the choice of his aunt. Truex is adept in bringing out the pathos of the situation. He can register a forlorn attitude with the best of them. After the storypresents a series of shots having to do with aesthetic dancing with the dancers getting into the comedian’s room, the story ends with the hero marrying the star dancer after the doors are locked upon the pursuers. Mr. Truex should be given serio-comic stories — stories which emphasize his ability to find the hidden subtleties — the little satirical slants of life. Broad burlesque is not his forte.— Length, 2 Reels. — LAURENCE REID.