The Moving picture world (February 1920-March 1920)

March 20, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 2013 (Continued from page 2011) recently come to town, and who becomes an apt student in the art of man catching. The man chosen by the author to accentuate the dancer's characteristics is Phillip Overman, whose wife, finally discovering where her husband puts in his spare time, calls on Adrienne to demand an explanation. While she is at the dancer's apartment her husband enters and she tells him that she will sue for a divorce. Not long afterward Adrienne meets a man with whom she really falls in love and marries, after dismissing Overman. Dick Wallace, Adrienne's husband, happens to be one of the fly-by-night sort, and soon tires of her, turning to his wife's old friend, Daisy Henderson, who is now a star of the Frivolities, practising the art acquired through early associations with Adrienne. The turning of the tables finds Adrienne pleading for the mercy refused by her to another woman in the same plight in former years. Her husband leaves her, and she boards the boat for Europe in hopes of drowning her sorrows, only to find among the passengers the couple wliose happiness she had tried to ruin. Program and Exploitation Catclilinesi Have You Ever Seen Louise Glaum as a Dancer? See "Sex." Story of a Show Girl Dancer Who Attempts to Win the Love of Another Woman's Husband — See How Her Plans Are Foiled. See Louise Glaum in a New Type of Role in "Sex" — Story of a Dancer Who Casts Her Net for Easy Ones. Exploitation Ang;le»: Play up Miss Glaum and her spider dance, and play up the story In such a way that people can know what they are going to see. Use the line "I did not steal your husband's love. You lost it and I found it" for a catchphrase, and tell that it is one of the most daring stories of the screen. "The Dream Cheater" Hodkinson Presents J. Warren Kerrigan in a Symbolic Story Adapted from Honore de Balzac. Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison. THE DREAM CHEATER," a new Hodkinson release, is a modern version of a famous short story by Balzac, on the order of Aladdin and His Wonderful Lamp. It relates to a magical skin of an ass, which gratifies its possessor's every wish. The skin shrinks each time and correspondingly limits the possessor's life, as the unlimited gratification of desire is bound to do. A man is apt to wish for more than is good for him. To fulfill all his wants leaves him disgusted with the idea of more. Such is the meaning of the symbol, though it is doubtful if all will so understand it. It suggests rather than states. WithOiUt explanatory sub-title near the end the meaning of the story is left entirely to the uninformed spectator's imagination. In performance and treatment "The Dream Cheater" is a fine production, though there is irrevelant matter concerning radical socialists shown during the opening scenes. J. Warren Kerrigan gives a highly intelligent interpretation of the leading role, and his support is both generously large and capable. Neither expense nor artistic pains have been spared in ensembles to make the story eflfective. Wherever its suggested meaning is even guessed, the whole product will rank as good entertainment. Cast. Brandon McShane J. Warren Kerlgan Shamus McShane Sam Sothern Angus Burton Wedgewood Nowell Miml Gascoigne Alice Wilson Shib Mlzah Joseph J. Dowllng Patrick Fiti-George Thomas H. Guise Pauline Mahon Fritzl Brunette Mrs. Mahon Aggie Herring Story by Honore de Balzac. Scenario by Jack Cunningham. Directed by Ernest C. Warde. Length, Five Reels. The Story. "The Dream Cheater" of modern times. Brandon McShane, is left almost pennliness by the death of his father. He declines help from his millionaire uncle, Shamus, preferring to make his own way as a writer. Force of circumstances leads him to board with the mother of Pauline Mahon. Pauline is touched by the young man's poverty and is caught adding money to his small store. Brandon is affected by her generosity, but he soon forgets it under the fascination of a young widow with a fad for radical socialism. He is embittered when she discards him for a suitor of wealth. In search of revenge he accepts from an Oriental the gift of a magic skin which gratifies the owner's every wish with the penalty of shortening his life so many years. At a dinner given by his uncle he wishes for millions, and the uncle falls dead at the feast. He is not happy with his inherited possessions. He is so constantly haunted by the shrinking of the skin each time he expresses a simple desire, that he ceases to wish. Fearing that his days are numbered he entertains royally. At one of his magnificent parties he comes upon Pauline, now in better circumstances. She tells him plainly that he Is a victim of superstition. They are now In such perfect accord that he comes near wishing she would become his life partner. He attempts in vain to burn the skin. It is brought to him from the ashes. Pauline now advises him how to utilize his last wish. He wishes the hideous thing wholly out of his life, and is permitted to live like a normal man, his finest wish gratified In the love of a loyal and splendid woman. Program and Exploitation CatcIiUnes: Would You Give Up a Year of Life for a Gratified Wish? See J. Warren Kerrigan In "The Dream Cheater." See J. Warren Kerrigan as "The Dream Cheater in This Fascinating Drama Based on Short Story by Balzac. Unusually Artistic Story of a Man Who Owned a Magical Ass Skin That Gratified His Every Wish. Exploitation Angles: Play up Kerrigan and make use of the fact that this is based upon a Balzac story. Work this latter angle on the schools and literary societies for what you can get out of it, using the title "The Wild Ass' Skin" for Identification. Work along the lines of "As Balzac might have written it today." For the popular angle start with a teaser asking who would give a year of life for a gratified wish, and tease up this angle, working down to the regular announcements. "The Lone Hand" Stirring Western Production for Alexander Film Corporation Features Roy Stewart. Reviewed by Margaret 1. MacDonald. ONE of the best of recent western productions is "The Lone Hand," presented by Richard Kipling through the Alexander Film Corporation, featuring Roy Stewart. This picture is clean, wholesome and thrilling. It presents deep landscape perspectives and "honest to goodness" western saddle work and bronco busting. The riding exhibitions to which the spectator is treated, the stage holdups, the cross country pursuits by posses at break neck speed, and last, but not least, the romance between the sherifT's daughter and her father's prisoner, are all refreshing variations from the ordinary five-reeler. Roy Stewart fills the bill as the bronzed mail carrier of Arizona; and Josie Sedgwick as the sheriff's daughter is as attractive a western type as one could wish. The production is well constructed, bubbles with the storied heroism of the old West, and displays interesting action for every foot of the film. Cast. Bob Benton Roy Stewart Betty Hampton Josie Sedgwick Joe Rollins Harry Von Meter Sheriff Hampton William Higby Story by Alvin J. Neitz. Direction by Cliff Smith. Length, About 5,000 Feet. The Story. The plot of "The Lone Hand" is constructed around an Interesting figure of western life, a young mail carrier. Bob Benton, who Is framed by Joe Collins, a dis honest deputy sheriff and his gang, and forced into a thrilling series of actions in exonerating himself, and rounding up the thieving gang. The sheriff's daughter, Betty, on her way to the annual rodeo at the nearest town. Is thrown from her horse, and rescued by Benton, who insists on her riding his horse to town, while he takes the locoed bronco in hand. The development of a romance between them is cut short when the sheriff notifies his daughter that she is needed at home. The young man, on his return trip, rescues a runaway team of horses; and before he has gone far he is overtaken by the deputy sheriff and his gang, who have killed the owner of the team, and have determined to fasten the crime on Benton. The frameup works, and Benton is landed behind the bars. That night Joe Collins hatches a plan to lynch him, but is forestalled by a girl in the dance hall, who sees interference to her own business If the proprietor of the dance hall happens to be sobered up by the lynching. Betty, aprised of Collins' diabolical plot, helps Benton to escape. Later Collins kidnaps Betty, and while Benton is fighting to rescue the girl, Collins is killed by a stray bullet from one of the gang on the outside of the house in which the fight takes place. The picture closes with the betrothal of Benton and Betty. I»rogram and Exploitation Catchlines; Thrilling and Wholesome Western Production Featuring Roy Stewart. Story of a Young Mail Carrier Who Is "Framed" by the Dishonest Deputy Sheriff and His Gang — He Frees Himself and Wins the Love of the Pretty Daughter of the Sheriff. They Tricked Him, But He Was a Fighting Man — Love Spurred Him On — See Roy Stewart in This Western Thriller. Exploitation Angles: Play up Stewart and the western atmosphere of the story. Bear on the rapidity of the action, and play up the strong lights in your copy. Comments THE RATTLER'S HISS (Western), March 27. — A brightly pictured two-reel subject, featuring Ed (Hoot) Gibson and Mildred Moore. The hero is a range boss who learns to imitate the hiss of a rattlesnake for humorous purposes. He has occasion to employ this accomplishment with m;ore dramatio effect later in the picture, when seeking to rescue the heroine from some bandits. The production is good in action, and carries an entertaining story. It was written by George Hively and directed by Reaves Eason. HIS PRIVATE WIFE (Sunshine) .—This comedy, in which Chester Conklin has the lead, opens in a restaurant, where some extremely funny action is shown when the proprietor tries to take an order for dinner from a customer who has wheels in his head. A bout of dough slinging between the cook and the proprietor Is followed by a series of scenes in which the domestic happiness of a couple of the parties to the disturbances is involved. This is very good comedy, and will go well in the majority of houses. GOOD NIGHT NURSE (George Ovey).— A comedy in which a stranded troupe of players are offered a substitute for their ordinary mode of gaining a livelihood, in the managing of a beauty institution. The steam cure, the face massage, and other avenues for comedy are taken advantage of. Gaining possession of money under false pretenses, and the accidental meeting of a husband and wife in the establishment where a pretty nurse and a fascinating doctor are employed affords good material for a comic situation. A fairly entertaining comedy. PATHE REVIEW, No. 39.— This opens with some views of Lourdes, the famous Mecca of French pilgrims, to which the lame and afflicted repair each year to be healed. The scenes picturing the process of mining and preparing cement for the market are very Instructive. Hand ball makes a good i^ubJect for "slow" camera treatment. A study of mason wasps and a demonstration of a Hawaiian dance are also included. Save $4.80 by subscribing direct for Moving Picture World. News men charge the IS cents per copy price. Send $3 and get your paper every week, by early mail, and miss no issues. That will give you $4.80 for War Savings Stamp investment.