Motion Picture News (May-Jun 1922)

2592 Motion Picture News f; reclaim her singing voice. Other treatments having failed, Anne seeks Hindu physician and hypnotist, whose success in preying upon the imaginations of foolish women, is making him rich. While under his treatment, Anne's voice naturally revives, but believing the Hindu responsible for the return of a voice which had never been gone, she becomes one of his numerous faithful followers. Meantime, prosecuting attorney, unaware that Anne has consulted Hindu, is making an investigation which will lead to his arrest and conviction for fraud. A young girl Anne has asked the Hindu to employ, one Anne saved from severe prison sentence, is a victim of the Hindu’s thieving, the girl’s faith in Anne making it possible, her devotion pathetic. Upon learning that Anne has been consulting the hypnotist, her fiance extracts her promise never to see him again, although Anne’s belief in the Hindu is not altered. When, employed in bringing justice to bear, the prosecuting attorney is obliged to cancel an engagement with Anne before she sails for Europe, the singer, in pique, complies with the Hindu’s coincidental request to permit him to see her once more before she goes. That night, Kasimir is murdered. Anne, leaving without reading an account of it, accidentally becomes informed while in Europe, finding Jennie accused. Anne having been cared for by Jennie on the fatal night, can prove an alibi. Upon her arrival, when the trial is nearing an end, Anne’s protests only involve her and fail to help Jennie. Finally, in jealous rage, Kasimir’s attendant and housekeeper, confesses to the murder, proving the other two girls innocent. There is nothing particularly new about this picture. It will tend to please a class of women interested in fortune telling, palmistry, etc., its shallowness saved only by Ethel Clayton’s dramatic skill, and a cast worthy of better material. The Cast Anne Woodstock Ethel Clayton Christopher Armstrong Vernon Steel Jennie Dunn ZaSu Pitts Dr. Joseph Kasimir Bertram Grassby “Smith” Maym Kelso Signora Bartoni Sylvia Ashton Cousin Selma Mabel Van Buren By Elmer Rice. Scenario by Beulah Marie Dix. Directed by Paul Powell. Produced by Famous Players-Lasky. Story : About concert singer’s loss of voice leading her into dangerous contact with Hindu physician and hypnotist. Murder, for which servant girl, innocent of crime, is tried and found guilty. Singer’s attempt to save girl involves herself. Confession of woman mad with jealous hatred clears both inocent suspects. Classification : Society melodrama. Romance between young prosecuting attorney and beautiful concert singer, interrupted by loss of singer’s voice and contact with Hindu hypnotist’s infatuation for girl. Involves crime, pinning evidence on two innocent women. Production Highlights: Scene in courtroom when singer returns from abroad, hoping to clear evidence against innocent girl accused of murder. Miss Clayton’s fine acting when she believes that she, in spell of hypnotist, may have done the murder. Confession of the guilty woman. “ The Glorious Adventure ” J. Stuart Blackton — Seven Reels ( Reviewed by Laurence Reid) IT was only a question of time before some director would conceive the idea of using the Prizma effects or some other natural color scheme for a feature picture. J. Stuart Blackton’s unique innovation is certain to arouse a deal of comment. Taking a swash-buckling story based around the court intrigue of Charles II, he has realized that such effects could be more expressive in such a period when milady and the gentleman in waiting, and brigands bold stamped their personalities in song and story. It is such a marked departure— this natural color scheme — that people will flock out of curiosity to see it. From this argument it is worth a booking. Certainly high class houses who cater to a discriminate clientele will add prestige to their showmanship by capitalizing its conspicuous high-light. Experimentation must be made before all pictures are made with a natural color process. But it is a feather in Blackton’s cap that he, at least, has shown the way. While the figures are in movement their faces are almost indistinguishable. It is as if the colors merged too readily, leaving the spectator in a maze guessing their identities. Particularly is this noticeable in the long shots. The close-ups compensate for making the effort as the players in repose bring out the desired effect. We are speaking of actual movement. The costumes are always in harmony — colorful and picturesque. And the colors are held. Not so much success seems to have been made in bringing forth cerises, pinks, blues, oranges and yellows. Red and green are dominant and the former color, if one may be excused for using a vulgarism, splashes the other effects too readily. For instance it often shows a man’s arm or a woman’s neck a deep carmine. “ The Glorious Adventure ” is a tapestry — a mural decoration. Its story is of less consequence because the natural color design is really the motif. However, through it all nms a fantastic tale of the days when knights were bold. And despite the tendency to pay attention to the colors and losing the story interest as a result, one becomes transported. Mr. Blackton has directed long enough to know something of situation and climax incident and emphasis. He tells us of a band of rogues who seek to compromise the fair heroine, cheating her at the gaming table and carrying on an intrigue in the best Cromwellian manner. Quaint humor accompanies the dramatic scene when she pledges herself to marry a murderer awaiting execution following a custom when a wife’s gambling debts fell upon the head of a condemned husband. So he reaches a thrilling climax and the color scheme is vividly presented when London bums. The criminal is a medieval “ Hairy Ape ” — a veritable cave-man. He tosses the royal lover into a caldron of flames and is shocked to discover his victim much alive the next moment. So he actually rescues him and the fair lady from the cathedral, the roof of which is pouring molten lead about them. The continuity is not of the best and the plot is not easy to follow owing to the confusion of introducing a vast number of characters who are ever app ;aring up to the final reel. The picture is interpreted by a British cast of players some of whom look like living Rembrandts or Gainsboroughs. Lady Diana Manners appeared too much in repose. Perhaps she seemed so to us on account of Lois Sturt’s animated “ Nell Gwynn.” All in all “ The Glorious Adventure ” carries an opulence and richness of background that makes it a distinctive achievement. The vivid silks and satins, frills and furbelows — and the fire certainly offer a feast for the eye. The Cast Lady Beatrice Fair Hugh Argyle Stephanie Dangerfield .... Walter Roderick King Charles II Samuel Pepys Catherine of Braganza. . . . Nell Gwynn Barbara Castlemaine Rosemary Bulfinch Thomas Unwin Duchess of Moreland Humpty Lady Beatrice (as a child) Solomon Eagle . . . Lady Diana Manners Gerald Lawrence Alice Crawford Cecil Humphreys William Luff Lennox Pawle Rosalie Heath ...The Hon. Lois Sturt . . . . Elizabeth Beerbohm Flora Le Breton Victor McLaglan . . . . Rudolph de Cordova Gertrude Sterroll • • : Fred Wright Violet Virginia Blackton Tom Heselwood Directed and Produced by T. Stuart Blackton. The Story — Treats of intrigue and adventure during reign of Charles II. A band of rogues seek to compromise a fair lady of the court, cheating her at the gaming table. Heavy in debt she follows the custom by pledging herself to a murderer who assumes her obligations upon marriage. She is rescued by him when London bums. Classification — Unique innovation of natural color process for story of adventure, intrigue and romance during period when knights were bold. “ Across the Continent " Paramount — Five Reels ■r (Reviewed by Laurence Reid ) BYRON MORGAN has been so successful in giving Wallace Reid snappy stories :' written around racing cars and gasoline, that •*; another effort in this direction was to be ex •*; pected. “ Across the Continent ” places the i * star and Theodore Roberts in another picture which is based upon speed. Heretofore c they have been found as the sponsors of high , class cars. In this tale Roberts is a manu ’1 facturer of the “ tin lizzie,” the “ flivver,” the “ road louse.” Everyone will recognize that Henry of Detroit has his inning here. Everyone will notice that Reid and Roberts must have a disagreement because the former dotes r on speed and classy cars, while the latter is I content to turn out his product certain in the tr belief that it takes the owner to his desti i • nation without engine trouble. Back of this conflict revolves a romance between the daughter of a rival manufacturer £ and the hero. It isn’t Roberts this time who [ poses as the father of the girl. The picture ~ does not release much action until the trans i: continental road race is introduced. Up to i® this point the spectator sees some incidental « by-play which releases some humor, but not * as much as is expected after remembering n “Too Much Speed,” and “Excuse My Dust.”jJ Reid, tired of working in his father’s factory * and angry over the old man’s order that he should drive a flivver, starts on a journey o with the rival manufacturer and his daughter to Los Angeles. The first shaft of humor arrives when the car is stalled in the desert * and is towed into town by one of father’s tin I® can products. News reaches the hero that b his dad has entered a car to beat the record * of the rival machine. He also learns that the ; girl’s father is not afraid to stoop to desperate measures to keep the record safe. Thus to the punch scene when Reid steps into the flivver and gradually overhauls his rivals in the cross country race. This bit of f action is interspersed with a tourist train which carries the rival manufacturers to the ; coast. It isn’t until a cloudburst occurs that 3 the flivver shows its mettle. It is a better j mud car — also a better hill climber. The long shots here are quite picturesque. Result? The hero wins. Theodore Roberts . really walks away with the picture, although he has few opportunities to flash his capital ‘ humor. The star takes things easy in his role. In fact, to be frank, he displays very ' little spirit and the close-ups which featured him in the past are quite eliminated here. . “ Across the Continent ” is a good box-office bet. The exploitation possibilities are great. The Cast Jimmy Dent Wallace Reid Louise Fowler Mary MacLaren 1 John Dent Theodore Roberts | Lorraine Tyler Betty Francisco , Dutton Tyler Walter Long • Scott Tyler Lucien Littlefield 1 Art Roget Jack Herbert Irishman Guy Olivers: rr. r> o: r\’ A ’ I Tom Brice Sidney D'AIbroo Bv Byron Morgan. Scenario by Byron Morgan Directed by Philip E. Rosen. Produced by Famous Players. The Story — Treats of flivver manufacturer's son who rebels against parental influence and leaves employment. Finds romance with rival * car manufacturer’s daughter — and takes a motor! hike across country with her and relatives? Youth learns that her father maintains his cross-country record through desperate measures whenever any other manufacturer attempts to. lower it. Enters a race and wins against many} obstacles. Classification — Another of star’s automobile stories in which he excels. Carries plenty' of adventure and speed. Also romance. Production Highlights — Fine work of Theodore Roberts. The genuineness of the scenes across country, particularly aboard the train. The excitement of the race, the landscapes. The comedy when flivver tows in high-priced car.