The Motion Picture Studio (1922)

September 16, 1922 THE MOTION PICTURE STUDIO SCREEN VALUES MEASURING UP THE WEEK’S PRODUCT 1 “ A Sister to Assist * Er 13aron — Starring Mary Broiigh — Supported by Polly Emery, John McAndrews, Cecil Morton York, Billie Baron, Mrs. Fred Emery, J. Edwards Barber and Muriel Aked — Directed and adapted by George Dewhurst. T is always a pleasant duty to record the success of the first production of a new producing concern. Great interest has been evinced in this initial effort of Baron Films, and much has been expected of the company. Those who see the film will be in no way disappointed with it. It is excellent in every detail, story, scenario, direction, acting and photography. It is one of the. most delightful comedy subjects we have seen for some time, and it is a production that will do much to popularise British pictures. George Dewhurst is to be complimented on his skilful handling of the situations. Right from start to finish the picture is a continual .series of laughs without cne dull moment throughout. Mary Brough gives a delightful perform¬ ance in the leading role. Much of the success of the film is due to her clever handling of the part of Mrs. May. Polly Emery, as the landlady, gives another excellent interpretation. Her work in this role will keep everyone amused throughout the film. John McAndrews can. of course, be de¬ pended upon to see that no fault will be found with his work ; ,as the fishmonger he adds another success to his already long list. Cecil Morton York is a remarkable per¬ sonality ; whether in melodrama or comedy he seems to be quite equal to the demands of his role. Those who have been used to regarding him as first-class interpreter of dramatic roles will be delighted to see his performance in a comedy part. Billie Baron is very good as the sailor, and the many small parts are exceedingly well portrayed. The scenarist has handled the comedy situations admirably, and has extracted every ounce of humour from them. The ■story is full of humorous situations. G. Pauli’s photography is excellent, al¬ though such a oicture does not offer many opportunities for anything very brilliant in this direction. Summary. Direction : ‘Magnificent. Deads : Faultless. Supports : Excellent. Literary : Very fine story and wellwritten scenario. Lighting : Good. Exteriors : Suitable. Interiors : Convincing. Photography : Very good “ Repentance." B. and Z. Productions — Directed by Edward R. Gordon — Starring Ray Raymond and Peggy Hathaway — Supported by Ward McAllister, Fabbie Benstead, Geoffrey Benstead. Hetta Bartlett and Ray Lan¬ caster. TT is rather disappointing after witnessing so many excellent English pictures of late to see this film, which is the sort of thing we should have expected from a British studio a few years ago, but not nowadays. The film, of course, is nearly a year old, and in that time English productions have considerably improved. Technically, it is a very badly made pic¬ ture. No thought has been given to details, and the picture bears evidence of careless¬ ness in the direction. The acting is not of a very high quality. Peggy -Hathaway is fairly good as the heroine. Ray Raymond makes a good heavy, and plays his role of the brutal father well. Ward McAllister makes a fine juvenile lead. Geoffrey Benstead is well suited to his role. The supporting cast is good. Neither the scenario nor the story is par¬ ticularly good. Photography is just average, and con¬ tains no outstanding merits. Summary. Direction : Poor. Leads : Average : Supports : Fair. Lighting : Good. Exteriors : Suitable. Interiors : Unconvincing. Photography : Good. “ A Rogue in Love." Diamond — Directed, by Albert Brouett — Starring Frank Stanmore — Supported by Betty Farquhar, Lawford Davidson, Gregory Scott, Kate Gurney, Wallace Bosco — Scenario by Harry Hughes — Photography by -L. C. Egrot. f I^HIS is a valuable addition to the world’s "*■ stock of screen humour. Not that it is a comedy — it is more than that :it is pathos, drama and romance — but the heavier stuff is cleverly relieved by some of the most excel¬ lent comedy we have yet seen. Not comedy of slapstick crudities or nonsensical situa¬ tions, but the every-day comedy that falls to the lot of two true-to-life characters of the working-class type. It must also be stated that the pathos is of the best description : at times very intense, but never strained. The credit of this film — as the credit of all good films must of necessity be — is equally divided between director, artistes, scenarist and cameraman. Brouett is evidently the kind of director that we need very badly. He is a master of technique and never falls into the error of overdoing anything — the intermingling of pathos and humour is exquisitely artistic. Two characters stand out and overshadow all else : those played by Frank Stanmore and Betty Farquhar. Stanmore submits a polished performance as the Rogue ; he is master of the part. Always the real artiste, he shows sympathetic insight into the part of such a character, and his work is a flawless cameo lighted up with touches of piquant pathos and homely comedy inserted with the gesture of the genius. We consider that Betty Farquhar is a great find. Her study of the servant girl is perfect artistry. This kind of role is evi¬ dently her forte. Unerringly she does the right thing in the right manner every time. Even the coarseness of a “ skivvy’s ” life is never allowed to be crude or repugnant ; and the clever manner in which the servant adopts and maintains a kind of imitation dignity is highly commendable. Fred Raines plays a very difficult part capably. He skilfully avoids the danger ol becoming “old womanish,” and yet portrays emotion with consummate skill. Lawford Davidson, Kate Gurney and Wallace Bosco submit excellent perform¬ ances, but Ann Trevor and Gregory Scott fall somewhat below the standard of acting set by the rest of the cast. The former is too hard and unsympathetic for the part, and Scott will persist in adhering to the old-fashioned mannerisms and stocky stage conventions which do not allow him to display that histrionic initiative of which he is so capable. Both the scenarist and cameraman have done excellently Egrot maintains his reputation for photographic artistry, and his work is of the best quality possible. Summary. Direction : Excellently skilful. Leads: Stanmore and Farquhar won¬ derful. Supports : Adequate. Literary : Story fine, scenario good. Photography : Very good indeed. Lighting : Fair. Interiors : Well staged. Exteriors : Good, “ Dick Turpin’s Ride to York.” Stoll — Directed by Maurice Elvey — Starring Matheson Lang — Supported by Isobel Elsom, Cecil Humphreys, Lewis Gilbert, Malcolm Tod, Madame D’Esterre, Tony Fraser, Norman Page, Lily Iris and James English — Scenario by Leslie Howard Gordon— Photography by Jack Cox — Art direction by Walter Murton. A LTHOUGH this is undoubtedly a very _rV' good production, the most has not been made of it. Whether it is the scenario or cutting that is at fault it is difficult to determine. Maurice Elvey has handled the artistes very well indeed, and has done his share of the work in fine style. This is possibly one of his best productions. The ending is not .satisfactory. There are too many shots to complete the film ; some of these should be cut. Matheson Lang’s performance in this is better than it has been in some of his pre¬ vious films. Throughout he is natural and free from stageiness. He makes a fine Dick Turpin. Isobel Elsom gives a good performance as leading lady to Lang. Mdme. D’Esterre is particularly good’ as the mother of the Earl. Malcolm Tod has little to do, but is ex¬ cellent whenever he appears. Tony Fraser gives one of the best per¬ formances as the Bow Street Runner ; al¬ though his part is small he gives to it all the attention that one would bestow on a leading role. Lewis Gilbert, as Tom King, is very fine. The person who doubled for Lang in the riding does some excellent work. Norman Page, as the sneaky Bevis, has a wide range of facial expressions, and is without doubt a clever actor. Cecil Humphreys is already famous in the realms of screen villainy. His performance in this picture is quite up to the high stan¬ dard set by him in his previous productions. Lily Iris and James English both give good interpretations of their respective roles. Leslie Howard Gordon has not made the most of some of the situations, although the scenario is fairly well written and the con¬ tinuity well preserved. Jack Cox’s photography is one of the features of the film, and considerably helps in making it the success it is. Although the interiors are quite well done, it is on the exteriors that Cox gets the best results. (Continued on page 13 ) II