Moving Picture World (Nov-Dec 1923)

566 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 8, 1923 the hero also does good work in portraying the two types of young manhood and also appears as an elderly man. There is an excellent comedy element in the person of “Uncle Matthew,” portrayed by William Norris, who has about four different types of wives during the course of the story. His work is excellent, although in the early scenes he hardly looks as young as the character he portrays. Clara Bow, Wallace MacDonald, Robert McKim and in fact the entire cast gives thoroughly satisfactory performances. Cast Ottilie Van Zimilt Ethel Shannon Richard Wayne Harrison Ford Matthew William Norris Aliee Tremaine Clara Bow Claude Van Zandt Wallace MacDonald Col. Van Zandt Josef Swiekard Mathilda Martha Mattox Ermintrude Hetty Francisco Monte Mitchell Robert McKim Based on play by Rida Johnson Voting. Scenario by Olga Printzlau. Directed by Gasnier. Length, 7,500 feet. Story One Maytime long ago Ottilie Van Zandt, a wealthy girl, and her playmate, Richard Wayne, a gardener, declare their love and bury trinkets and a pledge of undying love under a tree. Ottilie’s father forbids the match and Richard goes west where he makes a fortune. Returning later, he finds that that very day Ottilie, unable to hold out .onger, has married the man of her father’s loice, her cousin Claude. Many years pass, richard has married, but he and Ottilie con\iue to love each other. Ottilie has lost her jn;tune and Richard buys the old home for jr". Still more years pass. Ottilie’s grand ughter is a sweet, old-fashioned type while itichard’s grandson, though he admires young Ottilie, likes jazz and chorus girls. Ottilie is lured to the home of a scoundrel, Richard saves her. Returning home in a severe storm, the old tree blows down and imprisons her. Richard again rescues her. They find the old pledge of love buried by their grandparents. Richard realizes that he really loves Ottilie and they pledge their undying love, thus bringing in the third generation the culmination of the thwarted love of their grandparents. “This Freedom” Fox Production Is Unusually Faithful Version of A. S. M. Hutchinson’s Widely Read Novel Reviewed by C. S. Sewell Another widely read modern novel, “This Freedom,” has reached the screen. It is by the author of “If Winter Comes” and is also being distributed by the Fox Film Corporation, but unlike that production, it was made in England and is acted by a cast composed entirely of English players who are unknown to American audiences. “This Freedom” as a novel has met with great popularit3’ and is one of the most widely discussed of recent books. It tells the story of a woman who continued her business career after she married and became the mother of three children and shows how two of them, deprived of real mother love and home influences, finally met with disaster, blaming her; and points out at what great cost she secured “this freedom.” The author, however, calls attention to the fact that this story is not typical of all mothers in business, as many work for their children while the heroine worked for herself alone. The theme is undoubtedly a powerful one and is presented forcefully in the screen version which follows the novel closely, no attempt being made to bring about a happy ending or to make a heroine out of the woman or make excuses for her action. There is consequently no strong sympathy developed for her. While the picture will not satisfy those rfl demand a happy ending or a strongly sympathetic leading role, it is undeniably a powerful character study. It is well made and well acted. It is out of the ordinary and gets away from the beaten path of the majority of screen productions. It is certainly a theme which will arouse discussions and it should have its greatest appeal for the women, though they may not all agree with the conclusions reached. The thousands who have liked the book will certainly like the picture, for it is an exceptionally faithful version even to the atmosphere and incidents surrounding the characters. While there are touches of comedy here and there, all of which are well done, the general tone of the picture is extremely serious and its denouement tragic. It is more of a narrative than a drama and there is little action, the author’s idea being registered in forceful subtitles of which there is a great number, the scenes serving mainly to personify the characters and make them vivid human beings. It is a picture which because of its nature it is hard to judge by the usual standards or to formulate any definite opinion as to the way it will be received by the average audience ; it should, however, prove a strong attraction for discriminating patrons and readers of the book. Dennison Clift deserves credit for the manner in which he has preserved the idea of the novel. So large is the cast that it is impossible to point out the excellent individual work. Fay Compton in the leading role, Clive Brook as her husband, Athene Seyler as Miss Keggs and Bunty Fosse, who portrays the heroine as a child, are deserving of special mention. Cast The Rev. Harold Anbyn . . . Fewlass Llewellyn Mrs. Aubyn Adeline Hayden-Coffin Rosalie, their daughter, at 6.. ..Bunty Fosse Rosalie, 17 to 40 Fay Compton «ilda ) Rosalie’s sisters ’ Joan Maude Flora I Faith Garden Harold l Her brothers Perey Field Robert ) Mickey Brantford Aunt Belle Gladys Hamilton Uncle Pyke Charles Vane Laetitia, their daughter Julie Hartley-Milburn Miss Keggs (“Keggo”) Athene Seyler Rosalie’s husband Clive Brook Mr. Sturgiss Myddleton Evans Mr. Field Robert English Huggo, at S "j Maurice Hopkins Huggo, at 22 | John Stuart Doila, at (J ( Rosalie's Betty Gardner Doda, at 20 f children Nancye Kenyon Benji, at 3 Tony Laing Ilenji, at 17 J Albert Brantford “Darkie” Blake Richard Atwood Prescott, the Governess Silvia Young Based on novel by A. S. M . Hutchinson. Directed by Dennison Clift. Length, about 7,000 feet. Story Rosalie, one of the many children in the home of the Rev. Harold Aubyn, is adopted by her aunt Belle because her parents are so poor. Even at the early age of six she has strange ideas of life and of the other sex. Growing to womanhood, she decides on a business career for herself. Opposed to men and disdaining marriage, preferring “her freedom,” she nevertheless succumbs to cupid and marries Harry Occleve. Within a few years three children are born to them, but Rosalie continues her business career, leaving the care of the children and the home to others. Discovering that the children are getting strange ideas and are drifting away from her, she gives up business, .but as she is unable to win back her rightful place in their hearts, she again resumes her career. Years pass, she has achieved great success. The war comes and goes, the older children have grown up. Huggo is caught in a shady business venture and sentenced to prison and Doda is betrayed by a blackguard. Both blame their downfall on her and the fact that she has never been a real mother to them and they have never had a real home. Then Rosalie realizes at what a great price she has purchased “this freedom.” “Fashion Row” Metro Production with Mae Murray Hat Sympathetic Note as Well as Pictorial Splendor Reviewed by Mary Kelly Mae Murray’s latest Metro production is sufficiently different from the others to startle most of the fans. It gives her a chance for a new characterization. The dual role should mean a definite box-office advantage because “Fashion Row,” contrary to the title, has an appeal that goes a shade deeper than lavish material production and exquisite physical beauty. If this impression could be created earlier in the picture, it -would mean improvement. As it is, the production starts out in familiar style, with too much artificiality to indicate the real motive. Mae Murray in the new role, that of the Russian peasant, which is by far the most effective with the average spectator, might easily be introduced earlier. The idea of the star playing a sympathetic — in fact a human interest role — is novelty well worth capturing for publicity. In one role she is the idol of New York, a dazzling theatrical star, with bewitching poses and clothes. In the other she plays a sister of the *tar, a forlorn little immigrant of wooden movements, crude but charming. The double exposures are well managed with fine contrasts in the two characterizations. Extravagant staging, good suspense at the close, the peasant dance and the Russian masked ball are entertaining features. Robert Z. Leonard has given the picture the atmosphere and style that is expected of a Tiffany production, and the photography and lighting accentuate the extreme effects. Elmo Lincoln gives a colorful performance in a heavy role. Cast Olga Farinova } Zita, her young sister j James Morton, a man about town Mae Murray Earle Foxe Erie Van Cortlandt, son of an old New York family Freeman Wood Mrs. Van C'ortlandt, his mother Mathilde Brundage Kami mill Elmo Lincoln Rapa Levitzky Sidney Franklin Mama Levitzky Madame Rosanova A Press Agent Craig Biddle Story by Sada Cowan and Howard Higgin. Direction by Robert Z. Leonard. Length, 7,300 feet. Story Olga Farinova is a New York star, who pretends for the sake of an advantageous marriage to be descended from the Russian nobility. While with her mother-in-law she meets her little sister, Zita, who has come from Russia and has searched in vain for her sister until now. Olga is forced to snub Zita but is summoned to her house on the East Side later by a message that Zita is ill. It proves to be false and only a scheme for an old suitor to get his revenge upon Olga, who had scarred his face in a terrific struggle. Olga dies in her husband’s arms but her little sister finds friends at last. “The Man from Brodney’s” David M. Smith Special for Vitagraph Features J. Warren Kerrigan and Alice Calhoun Reviewed by Mary Kelly All of the usual romance and pomp typical of George Barr McCutcheon fiction is found in the Vitagraph picturization of his recent novel, “The Alan from Brodney’s.” It should appeal strongly to his readers — and in fact to the majority of fans. It has color and action without stint in addition to a cast of favorites. The spectacular angle has been greatly stressed. The are some tremendous scenes showing the storming of a castle, which serve as a big, melodramatic climax. Palatial sets and stunningly gowned women have been provided. Altogether the picture is done in a lavish, ceremonious style deeply impressive