The Moving picture world (April 1920-May 1920)

April 24, 1920 THE MOVING PICTURE WORLD 601 inviting further hostilities with us. The border warfare has been set forth in all its savagery, but the plea of the picture is for the spread of education among the ignorant natives and the employment of all human means to prevent further misunderstandings. One of the remarkable features of the film is the portrayal of Maria Inez by Rosemary Theby. This girl, half American and half Mexican, is a combination of conflicting passions, with a predominating love of justice. The interpretation is artistic and full of vitality. Allan Sears, as the Irish-American hero, is likewise most satisfying. Cast. Maria Inez Rosemary Theby ., J Georgie Stone Danny O'Ne.l , Allan Sears Mary Lopez Peaches Jackson Felipe Lopez Hector V. Sarno Alice Lopez Adele Farrington Don Jose Alvarado Arthur Carew Father O'Brien Harry S. Duffield Adapted from Play by Augustus Thomas. Scenario by Madge Tyrone and Edwin Carewe. Directed by Edwin Carewe. Length, Seven Reels. The Story. Maria Inez, in "Rio Grande," is the daughter of a Mexican father and an American mother. They are traveling in a covered wagon to the Rio Grande River, with a small adopted boy in their company named Danny O'Neil. When they reach the river the parents of Maria Inez, named Felipe and Mary Lopez, have a quarrel, during which Felipe says he is fleeing from the States because he had murdered an American. Mary Lopez says she will not go to Mexico. During the night Felipe conveys Maria Inez across the river, leaving his wife and Danny behind. Years pass, during which Maria Inez grows up as a beautiful Mexican girl. Danny in turn grows to manhood, as the adopted son of Mary, and becomes a Texas ranger. One day, while near the river, Danny captures Maria Inez, whom he does not recognize. She is now a rebel, fighting with her father and his men against the Mexican government, but she hates the Americans. Danny releases her and gives her his horse for the purpose of recrossing the river. She invites him to come over to a dance at the patio and promises him a kiss. Danny accepts the dare and attends the ball. He is captured, but the girl arranges for his escape. Later Maria Inez, thinking Danny to blame for the capture of her father, leads an attack on the American town. The Mexicans are beaten and she is made captive. Her father and mother recognize each other and Danny and the girl fall in love. But before the marriage Maria Inez goes back to Mexico and teaches the natives the folly of continued hatred for the Gringos. Prosrnm and Kxploitation Catchllmes: A Romance of the Mexican Border. She Promised Him a Kiss if He Would Come to a Dance at the Patio — He Got the Kiss, but Was Captured by the Insurgent Mexican Rebels — See How the Girl Arranges His Escape. "Rio Grande" — Adapted from the Famous Augustus Thomas Play — A Thriling and Romantic Love Story of the Mexican Border. Kxiiloitation Angles: Play up the fact that this is an Augustus Thomas play, and recall its stage successes. Work with such members of the cast as are known to your patrons, particularly Miss Theby. Use plenty of posters for this, even if you have to cut your newspaper work down a little. "Neglected Wives" wistaria Productions, Inc., Presents Capable Cast in Story of Domestic Tangle. Reviewed by Margaret I. MacDonald. A CAPABLE cast has been employed in presenting "Neglected Wives," which tells again the story of the unappreciated wife. The production will in all likelihood appeal to the majority of audiences, inasmuch as it is based on the problem of domestic happiness. One of the good qualities of the picture lies in the fact that it is free from immoral suggestion, and does not involve its characters in the sex problem. The direction is somewhat at fault and, for this reason, the pictures lacks that convincing clearness of .plot and skill of dramatic construction which add the punch that the spectator is looking for. The cast is composed of well-known players, whose work is too well known to require any special recommendation. Anne Luther, Claire Whitney, Charles Gerard, Al Hart and J. W. Johnson all do their best to put the picture over. Cast. Philip Pemberton E. J. Radcliffe Dorothy Pemberton Anne Luther Little Grace "Baby" Ivy Ward Baroness de Ville Claire Whitney Baron de Ville (alias Wadsworth), Charles Gerard Horton Al Hart Morelake ....J. W. Johnson Mme. Nana and Mons. .Alexis in a dancing speciafty. Story and scenario by Lloyd Lonergan. Direction by Burton King. Length, Five Reels. The Story. The story of "Neglected Wives" centers about the domestic life of Philip Pemberton, whose wife has striven to aid him in his career and has found out the truth of the old adage that "familiarity breeds contempt." Pemberton, about to be nominated for Governor, becomes the object of a conspiracy which aims at destroying his reputation. With this in view, the Baroness de Ville and her husband, who is a crook living under an assumed named, are employed to gain the confidence of Pemberton's wife. While out motoring with Mrs. Pemberton the baroness feigns illness, is taken into a bedroom at an inn, where her husband appears by previous arrangement. At the proper moment the baroness regains her usual health and steps out, locking the door behind her. Al Hart, the political boss who is trying to undermine Pemberton, notifies liim of the situation and gives him his choice between dropping out of the political race or having a scandal story involving his wife appear in the newspapers. The arrival of the police in answer to a call from a detective who has been on the job results in the arrest of the baron. The story closes with a happy change in Pemberton's domestic affairs. Program and I^xploitation Catchlines: Who Are the Neglected Wives? Are You One of Them? See This Fascinating Production for the Answer. They Tried to Trick Pemberton So That He Would Have to Quit the Race for Governor — They Had the "Goods" on Him, but the Stunt Was Only Faked— What Was It and Who Was It That Cleared the Whole Situation? — See This Producton for the Answer. "Neglected Wives" Tells the Story of a Domestic Tangle — A Play That Will Entertain. E:.il>loitation Angles: Use the players for what they are worth to you, but make your big drive on the title. Most wives think they are neglected, and they will all come and drag their husbands along, so work on the title to the fullest extent, if possible starting to tease with "Are you a neglected wife?" and kindred lines. "Locked Lips" Five-Reel Universal Subject Features Japanese Actress in Colorful Drama. Reviewed by Robert C. McElravy. A STRONG atmospheric charm is felt in the opening situations of "Locked Lips," a five-reel Universal subject featuring Tsuru Aoki as tlie heroine. The story begins on the wave-lapped coast of one of the islands in the Hawaiian group, where the heroine is leading a lonely existence in a bungalow and teaching native children during the day. Into her bungalow one night stumbles a derelict, a young American at the point of starvation. She brings him back to health and strength and later marries hirrr. The production as a whole strikes a quite original vein, despite the general familiarity of the main situation, dealing with the intermarriage of different races. There are some abrupt transitions, but the story clears up well and reaches a strong climax. Tsuru Aoki is an accomplished exponent of the repressed style of acting and plays with warranted assurance. Cast. Lotus Blossom Tsuru Aoki Harvey Stanwood, alias Parker, Stanhope Wheatcroft Komo A Jap Audrey Stevens Magda Lane Story by Clifford Howard. Scenario by Violet Clark. Directed by William C. Dowlan. Five Reels. The Story. Lotus Blossom, in "Locked Lips," is a native of Hawaii, and lives on the coast of one of the islands in her bungalow, teaching school by day for a living. A derelict enters her home one night and faints from hunger. She restores him to health and learns that he is an American. He . gives his name as Parker, though he is in truth Harvey Stanwood and is fleeing from a supposed murder committed in San Francisco. As the result of loneliness and their companionship the two marry, though they speedily realize later that it is not a case of real love. Stanwood, learning from a friend that the man he had shot did not die, wishes to be free from Lotus Blossom. So he pretends the body of a drowned man found on the beach is himself and sends her word that her husband, Parker, is dead. He then determines to marry a white girl named Audrey Stevens, who is visiting in Honolulu. Lotus Blossom, who has acquired a Japanese lover, Komo, wishes to go to San Francisco, where the latter lives. She visits Honolulu and becomes employed as companion to .-Vudrey Stevens. Later the principals are all in San Francisco, where Lotus recognizes Stanwood as her former husband. The latter tries to kill her, but falls a victim to his own plot. Lotus then marries Komo. Program and Exploitation Catohlines: A Charming Story Told Amidst the Beautiful Hawaiian Islands. Story of a Pretty Japanese Lady Who Teaches School on a Lonely Island — A Young American Derelict Stumbles Into Her Cottage One Day and After Nursing Him Back to Health She Marries Him. "Locked Lips" Stars Tsuru Aoki, Noted Japanese Actress, in Romantic Love Story of the Hawaiian Islands. Exploitation Angles: Play up Miss Aoki and recall that she is the wife of Hayakawa. Work hard on the story angle. You can get an effective window by hooking up the hardware store with cutouts of the star with padlocks of various sorts through the lips of the pictures, or you can work the same idea with a single cutout in your lobby. Comments JIGGS IN SOCIETY (Pathe). — A remarkable feature of this two-reel comic, based on "Bringing Up Father," by George McManus, is the fidelity with which it preserves the spirit of the original cartoons. It is very much like a newspaper comic, spread out and set in motion, scene for scene. Johnny Ray plays the burlesque Irishman to the life, extracting much humor out of the part, and Margaret Fitzroy is good as the Irish lady with the society bee. Jiggs doesn't take to society at all well and enters into a personal fight with the butler. Maggie circumvents him by employing a strong arm man as butler, and Jiggs "gets his." The poker game in the second reel is an amusing feature. The settings throughout this are elaborate and the number quite new in its general effect. THE GREAT NICKEL ROBBERY (Sunshine).— There are innumerable laughs in this two-reel comic, directed by J. G. Blystone, with Chester Conklin, Dorothy Lee and others in the cast. It gets a good running start. The opening scenes, where Chester appears as a flirtatious motorman on a street car, have a strong human touch in spite of their burlesque character. The fun in this number all through is quite spontaneous and accordingly successful.