Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1923)

.November 24, 1923 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 407 barefoot boy hero, appealing because of his humbleness and innocence. Fran'<ie Lee plays this part, and as pathos is an overruling element in it, he is a very good choice. The melodramatic possibilities of the early part of the picture have been stretched to the limit. Dick Alden is beaten by his stepfather, is the rescuer of a runaway, snubbed by the girl he saves, accused of setting fire to the schoolhouse, abused by his teacher — in all a self-sacrificing victim of almost every conceivable sort of cruelty. Considered as a portrait of life, these events are of course unconvincing. But they serve to make a stirring drama, entertaining to the general public, and culminating in a farewell scene between mother and son that will be sure to make them weep. The last half of the picture brings a new hero and a new mood. The boy returns to the town which he practically owns now and plans his revenge by proceeding to ruin everyone there except two or three of his steadfast friends. John Bower plays this rather stern role with marked feeling. Marjorie Daw is cast as the girl who has always loved him and who stands between him and his vengeful purpose which so nearly destroys him. “The Barefoot Boy” has assured box office value, and has already demonstrated its emotional power. It has been well directed by David Kirkland. Cast Dick Alden John Bower Mary Truesdale Marjorie Daw Millicent Carter Sylvia Dreamer Rodman Grant George McDaniel Deacon Halloway Raymond Hatton Tom Adams Tuily Marshall SI Parker George Perilot Mrs. Blake Virginia True Boardman Josiah Blake Brinsley Shaw Bill Hawkins Harry Todd Wilson Otis Harlan Dick Alden, as a child Frankie Lee Mary Truesdale, as a child . . Gertie Messinger Based upon poem by J. G. Whittier. Scenario by Wallace Clifton. Directed by David Kirkland. Length, 5,943 feet. Story Dick Alden, a barefoot boy, helps his old friend, the village drunkard, to get out of the school house cellar and is seen by some of the children. The school house catches fire because of carelessness of a smoker and Dick is blamed. His stepfather beats him and the whole town scoffs at him. His mother helps him to escape and years later he comes back a wealthy man, determined to ruin every person in town. His enemies blow up his factory one night and both he and the girl who is trying to turn his purpose are injured. He realizes his mistake nad with the girl’s encouragement decides to forgive. “The Steadfast Heart” Golchvyn Offers an Appealing Human Interest Drama on Theme of Downtrodden Boy Who Makes Good Reviewed by Beatrice Barrett There is no stronger appeal to the heart than the appeal of a child made an apathetic and hopeless creature by abuse. And there is no greater appeal to the sympathies than the downtrodden boy who, given a chance in the world, overcomes his handicaps of birth and environment and makes good. “The Steadfast Heart” is a picture with this child appeal, and it will reach every heart in the audience. It is a simple, small town story, well told in a convincing, trueto-life manner that makes the characters live on the screen. Almost the entire first half of th-e picture is devoted to the life and hardships of the child, but unlike most pictures in which child actors are featured, this does not drag. Events move along quickly and in a manner that will hold the intense interest of the audience. Joseph Depew is a most able child actor with a happy faculty of becoming the boy he is depicting, and he cannot fail to arouse the sympathy of any audience. The latter part of the picture, showing the boy grown up, fighting against the narrowminded prejudice of a small town, contains many dramatic situations. A fascinating love story is interwoven through the picture, starting with the first love of two children — the one the rich little girl of the town, the other the son of the town drunkard — and culminating in a real love theme when the boy makes good and returns to seek the sweetheart of his youth. “The Steadfast Heart” makes no pretentions of being a big production, but is the sort of picture an audience can thoroughly enjoy. It is ably enacted by players who have all entered into their roles with a sympathetic understanding which makes the characters live and have personality. Miriam Battista does her part to carry along the juvenile part of the story, and Joseph Striker as the grown boy fighting alone to make a place for himself in the world will keep the interest aroused, while Marguerite Courtot plays an attractive other half of the love duo. Cast Lydia Canfield Lydia Canfield (child) Angus Burke Angus Burke (child). Mai Crane Mai Crane (child).... Crane Biswang Mrs. Burke Woodhouse David Wilkins Jake Titus Burke Trueman Mary Mrs. Canfield Marguerite Courtot ....Miriam Battista Joseph Striker Joseph Depew Hugh Huntley lorry Devine ...William B. Mack Sherry Tansey Mary Alden William Black ....Mario Majeronl Harlan Knight Walter Louis Louis Pierce Mildred Ardin ...Helen Strieklnnd From story by Clarence Buddington Kelland. Adapted by Philip Lonergan. Directed by Sheridan Hall. Length, 7 reels. Story Angus Burke’s father stole money and ran away. His mother, half crazed by her life of abuse and poverty, believes the sheriffs men to be robbers and tells Angus to shoot. He kills the sheriff, is tried and released. Dave Wilkins takes the friendless boy to live with him. Angus is persecuted by the people of the town, especially Mai Crane, son of the prosecutor. His one friend is Lydia Canfield, the rich little girl of the town. Wilkins sends Angus away to school. He rises rapidly in the business world but is called back to Rainbow by the sickness of Wilkins. Mai Crane tries to run Angus out of town. Lydia is engaged to Mai. He and his father have formed an oil company and the people become suspicious of their dealings. Angus learns Crane has left town with the funds of the people. He goes after him and catches up to him just as Crane’s car turns turtle down an embankment, killing Crane. Angus returns with the money, becomes the hero of the town, and wins Lydia’s love. “Flaming Youth” First National Film Which Gets Down Beneath the Surface of the Jazz Craze; Provides Exceptional Entertainment Reviewed by C. S. Sewell In “Flaming Youth” adapted from a highly successful novel, First National has a production which gives every indication of being a tremendous box-office attraction. Superbly made and acted, it deals with an up-to-the-minute subject, social restlessness and the craving of pleasure in place of real love, as exemplified in the jazz craze, but unlike many other pictures dealing with jazz the manifestation of this craze as shown in wild and riotous parties has not been made the outstanding feature. There are such parties, but they are subordinated to the author’s idea. Here is a picture that seeks to get down under the surface and dig to the bottom of this ultra-modern problem, to find the causes and show the effects as exemplified by a wealthy girl who at a crucial moment is deprived of a mother’s guiding hand. It is not a preachment in any sense but a tremendously interesting and vital human document that will provide absorbing entertainment for all types of patrons. It is a picture that you will watch unfold with continually mounting interest as you follow the career of this girl for whom tremendous sympathy is developed. Those responsible have achieved an unusual degree of success in accomplishing the task they set out to do. It is not a story which depends on one big punch situation but rather a character study of the heart of a modern girl, as you follow her problems, you become engrossed in them. Then too, there is no absence of vital dramatic situations. Colleen Moore in the leading role, an unusually difficult one, proves a revelation, and even though some may feel that she should have been more restrained in her portrayal of the growing girl, certainly her performance after she has reached womanhood is one of the finest the screen has seen; she enters wholeheartedly into the character and makes it so real that you seem not to be watching a picture, but real life. This intensely human and realistic note is also evident in the work of the other principals. Milton Sills gives a fine performance as the hero who is not a milk-and-water type but a man who has his faults. Myrtle Steadman was so fine as the mother that you regretted her death early in the story. Elliott Dexter did excellent work in the rather idealistic role of the doctor whose love for Pat’s mother was one of silence and service to Pat. Phillip Smalley was good as Pat’s pleasure-loving, philandering father, And so on through a large and unusually well-selected cast. Grab this picture, Mr. Exhibitor, or you will be sorry. Boost it for it deserves boosting, and your patrons will go away from your theatre and advise their friends to see it, for it is a picture that from every standpoint is well worth seeing. Patriea Fentriss Cary Scott Doctor Bobs . . . Dee Fentriss . . . Mona Fentriss . Connie Fentriss Ralph Fentriss . Jamieson Janies Monty Standish Fred Browning . Warren Graves Leo Stenak .... Annie Sidney Rathbone Cast Colleen Moore Milton Sills Elliott Dexter Sylvia Dreamer Myrtle Steadman Betty Francisco Phillips Smalley Walter McGrnil Ben Lyon George Barraud John Patrick Gene Carrado Gertrude Astor Michael Dark Based on novel by Warner Fabian. Scenario by Harry O. Hoyt. Directed by John Francis Dillon. Length, S434 feet. Story Mrs. Fentriss, because of her husband’s neglect plunges in for a round of gayety and jazz and two of her daughters following suit contract unhappy marriages. She seeks however to be more of a real old-fashioned mother to her youngest daughter Patricia. Being stricken with heart trouble from overexcitement she dies after telling her friend Doctor Bobs about Cary Scott the one man she really loves and making Bobs promise to write to her regularly about Pat placing the letters in a wall-safe. Pat grows up a confirmed devotee of jazz. Cary Scott returns and becomes the one stabilizing influence in her life. After a while, they learn to love each other but Cary cannot marry her until he gets a divorce from his wife from whom he is estranged. Pat disillusioned because of the unhappy marriages around her hesitates to marry. She seeks solace in the company of a violinist who proves to be a cad and after a terrifying experience comes home ill and is near death. Cary returns and he and the doctor try to revive her. Finally it seems as if the influence of her dead mother’s spirit has helped her and spoken through her, for she recovers and finds happiness in marriage with Scott.