The Moving picture world (April 1920-May 1920)

140 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD April 3, 1920 JRevolutlonists and Then Comes to America, Where Love and a Home Is Waiting. Exploitation Angles: Play up the anarchist angle as well as Miss Wehlen, advertising "the girl -vrb'o beat the Reds" and similar sensational phrases. Tou can probably get some value out of the fact that this Is a Leonce Perret production, so use this as well. "The Inner Voice" E. K. Lincoln Does Best Work of Hi* Career in American Cinema Corporation's Seven-Reel Production. Reviewed by Margaret I. McDonald. ONE of the swiftest moving dramas of the season is "The Inner Voice," made by the American Cinema Corporation and presented by the Planet Film Co. E. K. Lincoln is the featured player, and is surrounded by a wideawake, competent cast. In this production the star does the best work of his career, portraying three different stages of a man's life in a convincing manner. The picture is well made, and especially to be commended is its clearness of outline in telling the story and its genuineness of detail. It is excellent entertainment under any auspices. It is based on a red-blooded story by Elaine Sterne, who has leavened its most bitterly passionate moments by means of a gentle character, presented as the Good Samaritan. When the favorite characters are about to commit uncharitable or criminal acts, his influence stays the hand of passion. Its dance hall scenes and tong war, in San Francisco's underworld, are well done and unobjectionable. A fight over a mining claim is one of the most realistic of its kind. "The Inner Voice" is a good alibi for those who claim that the length of a picture is not an important item, provided the quality is there. Agnes Ayres plays the feminine lead and is charming as Barbara. Her interpretation is graceful and intelligent. Fuller Mellish as the Good Samaritan, and Riley Hatch as Mike O'Hara are only a part of the splendid cast. Ca«t. Mark Reid E. K. Lincoln The Good Samaritan Fuller MelUsh Mike O'Hara..." Riley Hatch George P. Morrison Walter Greene Barbara Agnes Ayres Gilbert Dawson Edward Keppler Story and Scenario by Elaine Sterne. Direction by R. William Nelll. Length, 7,000 feet. The Story. The hero of "The Inner Voice" Is a young man, Mark Reid, who brought with him to the gold fields of California his dreams and his ideals. The turning point in his career comes when he discovers Mike O'Hara on his gold claim, and fights him almost to the death. The Good Samaritan, in whose cabin he has stopped over night, happens along just in time to prevent a tragedy. Reid. ashamed of his terrible burst of passion, shakes hands with his adversary, and decides that the claim is big enough and rich enough for both of them. At the saloon that night O'Hara boasts of his partnership with Reid. Morrison, a promoter from San Francisco, overhearing him, seeks out Reid at the cabin of the Good Samaritan and makes an offer for the mine which meets the approval of the partners. In the transaction of business in San Francisco. Reid Is thrown much in the company of Barbara, Morrison's niece, and their engagement is made known to Morrison, just as he is planning to fleece Reid. He acknowledges the engagement, but proceeds with his plan, and hands Reid a check for $65,000 as his share of the mine, for which he immediately sells him some bogus oil stock. Reduced to beggary, and led to believe by Morrison that Barbara never meant to marry him, he wanders about the slums of San Francisco, until he feel.'; the call of Paradise Valley and the gold fields. Returning he finds O'Hara in possession of another rich mine, in which he has made him a partner. From this moment Reid begins his rise in the financial world, and finally is in a position to revenge himself on Morrison. He makes a run on the market. Morrison, unable to cover. Is forced to admit ruin. The Good Samaritan again stepping Into the breach, brings Barbara to Retd's home, and once again the evil passions of greed and revenge are conquered. Program and Exploitation Catchllneai Mark Reid Visits the Site of His Gold Claim and Finds Another Man There — He has a Terrific Fight and Wins — But Still He Loses the Mine — See This Pleasing Picture Full of Pep and Punch. Swiftly Moving Story of a Toung Man Who Owns a Gold Mine and Has No End of Trouble In Keeping It — He Drifts to the Slums But the Love of a Pretty Girl Calls Him and He Returns and Is Greeted with Love and Financial Success. "The Inner Voice" Stars E. K. Lincoln In a Gripping Drama of the Gold Regions of the West. Exploitation Angleai Make an appeal to Lincoln's followers with this story, telling them that it Is one of the best he has ever done. To the casual theatregoer who does not follow the stars, play up the story angle strongly without giving too many particulars. "The Virgin of Stamboul" Universal Presents Priscilla Dean in a Picturesque Melodrama of Oriental Life. Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison. THE totality of eflfect in the Universal special, "The Virgin of Stamboul," is largely that of picturesque grandeur. It is conceived and executed by minds fascinated by the mystery of highly-tinted oriental existence. That many-sided, manycolored life grows in gorgeous costumes and decorative backgrounds. The color and gloom, the riches and poverty, the luxury and wretchedness of that older and narrower part of Constantinople known as Stamboul are skilfully visualized. They arouse sensations of romantic wonder as pictures rather than thrill with the excitement of tense drama. The Universal feature is a fine spectacle of generous treatment, with some stirring ensembles and a dash of melodrama to give it flavor. Priscilla Dean impersonates a beautiful beggar girl, an unveiled seeker of alms in the streets, whose character has remained clean. Her characterization has the splendid animation of a bright American girl whose energy of youth is ballasted by brains. While this may be remote from the oriental, it is very attractive. More true to the environment is Wallace Beery as a wealthy Sheik with a choice harem. He is decidedly representative of the combined austerity and sensuality of oriental fanaticism. The balance of the cast is satisfactory without exception. With so much to its credit as a careful and interesting production, "The Virgin of Stamboul" should be as favorably received elsewhere as it was by a crowded house at the Broadway Theatre. Cast. Sari Priscilla Dean Sari's Mother Eugenie Forde Captain Carlisle Pemberton . Wheeler Oakman Achmet Hamld Wallace Beery Yusef Bey E. A. Warren Hector Baron Edward Burns Kaptaln Kassan Nigel de BruUier Resha Ethel Ritchie Story by H. H. Van Loan. Scenario by Tod Browning. Directed by Tod Browning. Length, 7.500 feet. The Story. Sari is a beggar girl known as the virgin of Stamboul. In the old quarter of Constantinople she asks for alms as if It were a joy and thus attracts the attention of Captain Pemberton, American soldier of fortune. He has just resigned his command of the famous Black Horse Troop. She becomes so infatuated with him that her spiritual nature is aroused. She dares enter a mosque, though such an act is forbidden to women. She there witnesses the murder of a young man who has Incurred the deadly hatred of a wealthy sheik. Circumstantial evidence leads Pemberton to think Sari committed the crime. He leaves on military duty, and Sari believes herself forgotten. She comes upon the sheik drinking coffee and lets him know that she can identify him as the murderer. In order to cover such a revelation, and partly because Sari is fascinating, the sheik decides to make her a member of his harem. Preliminary arrangements are made through Sari's mother, without Sari seeing the face of her future lord and master. Pemberton learns of the approaching nuptials and bribes an emissary to substitute his name for that of the sheik. The ceremony Is performed, but the sheik discovers the plot and carries away the young couple by force Into captivity. They are at his stronghold In the desert when Sari makes a daring escape and rides to Inform the Black Horse Troop of their captain's peril. There is a tremendous struggle to capture the stronghold. Pemberton escapes from confinement and enters upon a hand to hand conflict with the sheik. When the troopers, aided by mounted police, finally enter the fortress. Sari rushes to find her husband. The sheik falls mortally wounded at her feet, and Sari and Pemberton are united. Progrram and Exploitation Catchllneai &he Was Only a Beggar Girl in the Streets of Stamboul — And She Fell in Love with an American Army Captain Who Thought Her a Murderess — See "The Virgin of Stamboul" for the Unravelling of This Fascinating Story. Sari, the Girl Beggar, Tells the Shiek He's a Murderer — To Silence Her He Plans to Take the Girl in His Harem — Does He Succeed — See This Exciting Drama with Priscilla Dean. An Unusually Picturesque Melodrama of Oriental Life with Priscilla Dean. Exploitation .Inglen: Play up Miss Dean, but make your heavy approach on the scenic production. This has been unusually well done and some of the big scenes are noteworthy. Get plenty of stills and spread them around to make people realize this bigness of production, and then follow up in your newspapers with talk along the same lines. Don't lead them to expect too much. Leave some room for surprise, but you can work strong and still have a reserve. If the material is available, try to frame up a Turkish lobby. "Haunted Spooks" A Crackerjack Harold Lloyd Farce Released by the Pathe Exchange. Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison. HAUNTED Spooks," the new Harold Lloyd release, is a most laughable farce-comedy," an instantaneous winner for good reasons. Foremost of these is the skill shown in all departments of production. To this fine workmanship is due the eflfect of spontaneity. Everything is done without apparent efTort. There are no labored attempts to be comic. From a spectator's point of view the farce is "just naturally funny." This is really high art. It involves a good story well-constructed, with ingenious incidents of great variety and bright glimpses of weak human nature. It requires in addition a veritable artist of interpretation, cleverly supported by every member of the cast. All of these are provided with results that set a high mark for "Haunted Spooks." Some of the most amusing incidents precede the spooky part of the farce. Harold Lloyd impersonates a disappointed suitor whose attempts at suicide are perpetually frustrated. The best incident of this kind is his elaborate attempt to jump from a bridge to find a watery grave. He makes the fatal leap only to stand up bewildered in water only three inches deep. He tries again, after sounding the channel and drops into a passing skiflF. An attempt to be run over by a motor car brings him to the attention of a lawyer in search of a man desperate enough to marry in a hurry. He finds himself speedily united to a young lady who has inherited a haunted house. The rest of the story is made up of their