The Moving picture world (December 1920)

912 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 18, 1920 Newest Reviews and, Comments to a promise of reform in the final embrace. His wild spirit is never wholly tamed, but it is tested so severely as bring out its noble qualities. Through pain and sorrow it becomes elevated to one of rude dignity. The theme is an evolution of manhood. The idea of the story is Hart's 'own, developed and directed in production by Lambert Hillyc. The story construction is so strong that more than one condition of high suspense is set up and skilfully maintained. The sets and romantic backgrounds are chosen with keen appreciation of the story's wild and picturesque mood. William S. Hart as the tigerish outlaw, "Sierra" Bill, is a figure so powerful and distinct as to need no other centering of. attention than that provided by his own personality. His dress is new, his attitude more intensely animal than ever before, his expression of the lawless male one to be remembered. He has gathered about him a talented support, Eva Novak as the leading woman, Gordon Russell as a fascinating-villainous heavy, Florence Carpenter pathetic in the role of a Mexican girl, and even the baby, little Richard Headrick, is fully imbued with the importance of playing his part. All these contribute to a production bound to hold any motionpicture audience, as they did that of the Rivoli Theatre, in a thrall of intense interest. Cast "Sierra" Bill William S. Hart Nelly Gray Eva Novak Ringe Gordon Russell Rosita Florence Carpenter Sonny Richard Headrick Slim Ira McFadden Story by William S. Hart Adopter and Director, Lambert Hillyer Length, Five Reels The Story "Sierra" Bill is the leader of g. band of outlaws in the days of the California gold rush. His physical strength and. courage are dominant, but his moral fibre has never stood of "The Testing Block" of really bitter experience. In a raid to collect a reward offered for himself, he comes upon a poster of Nelly Gray, violinist in a band of strolling players. He and his men intercept the players and compel a performance. Nelly's violin plays havoc with the bandit's heart. He gives her a bag of gold and rides away with his followers, but not to forget her. Neither has Ringe, one of the bandits. The gold is taken by the managers of the players, and they leave the rest of the troupe stranded. The bandits decide to capture the women and draw lots for them. "Sierra" BUI wants first choice and proposes to fight for it. In order to be on a par with his drunken mates he drinks his fill. He downs one after another of the band and rides away. On reaching the hotel where the players are stranded, Bill encounters a justice of peace. Half-crazed by drink Bill drags the Justice up to Nelly Gray's room and forces a marriage. He then carries off the girl. Billy and Nelly are man and wife two years later and have a little baby boy. Bill is mining gold with fair success when Ringe comes along with a Mexican girl he is tired of and plots to steal lovely Nelly. With the aid of others he induces Nelly to leave her husband, ruins Bill at the gambling table and gets his Pinto. He causes Bill to be arrested and taunts his jailed victim that his wife has gone and his child sick. Bill Is half-crazed and uses his insane strength to break through the roof of the jail. He manages to send for Nelly and wreaks his rengeance on Ringe. Nelly returns to find the Mexican girl nursing the child, the doctor in despair because the little one cannot eleep. Nelly now learns of the conspiracy and uses her wits to save her child. She does so by playing her violin. She is thus occupied, happily succeeding, when Bill returns a changed man, a nobler one that he has passed through bitterest sorrow and misery on "The Testing Block." Program and Exploitation Catch lines: William S. Hart in a Story That He Wrote Himself. A Western Melodrama Telling How a Rough Man of Force Is Made Tame By a Girl Violinist. William S. Hart as a Roving Outlaw in a Story of the West. Exploitation Angles: Play this up as Hart's own story and make capital of that. Exploit it widely as one of Hart's best and tell that he has a new character to play. You don't have to argue very hard to sell a Hart. The big idea is to get the fact of his appearance widely known through the papers and on the billboards. "Flame of Youth" Shirley Mason Blossoms Out W onderfully In This New Five-Reel Fox Production Reviewed by Robert C. McElravy. There is a wealth of pictorial charm and competent acting in this five-reel Fox production. It is a simple, human story, with a particularly strong climax. Shirley Mason is expertly directed in this and rises to her opportunities splendidly. She has done nothing more effective in her screen career thus far than her portrayal of Beebe, the peasant flower girl of Belgium. The production has offered many fine shots to the cameraman and the photography of Friend F. Baker is a constant reminder that he was aware of this. The picture from first to last is one of decided appeal in a pictorial way, and this, combined with a pleasing plot and cast of players, make the feature one of unusual strength. The scenes are laid in a little Belgium town, near Brussels, and begins with the infancy of Beebe. The early part of her life is sketched in lightly but effectively and makes a pleasing background for the events which follow. Her flaming love for the American artist, Victor Fleming, which leads her to trudge clear to Paris in her wooden shoes when she hears he is ill, is the main situation. A few more scenes picturing her on this long talk would have heightened the effect considerably, but the idea carries nicely. Her disillusionment and the coming of her country lover bring the story to a powerful conclusion. Betty Schade does some exceptional work as Lady Magda and Philo McCullough, Raymond McKee and others in the supporting cast do good work. The picture should have wide appeal. Cast. Beebe Shirley Mason Jeanot Raymond McKee Victor Fleming Philo McCullough John Forsythe Cecil Van Auker Antoine Adelbert Knott Lady Magda Betty Schade Old Bac Karl Formes Adapted by Barbara Le Marr Deely. Scenario by Frank Howard Clark. Directed by Howard M. Mitchell. Length, Five Reels. The Story. Little Beebe. in "Flame of Youth," is a Belgian peasant girl of rare beauty, who was found in a basket when a baby and reared by an old woodman. After her foster father's death Beebe keeps the cottage herself and sells flowers in the market place for a living. She has a country lover named Jeanot, but her first real knowledge of love comes through the attentions of an American artist, Victor Fleming. Fleming paints a portrait of the flower girl and makes love to her, but his attentions are interrupted at a critical moment by the arrival of Magda, an abandoned sweetheart. Magda saves Beebe from Fleming and the latter return to Paris, promising not to return. Beebe returns Magda's kindness by awakening a new interest in life In that despondent creature and finding her a home with a childless old man. Later another lover comes from Paris to claim Magda. Beebe hears that Victor Fleming Is ill In Paris and she trudges to the city on her wooden shoes to aid him. Great is her disillusionment when she finds him well and enjoying the attentions of many young women. Jeanot arrives at this moment and Beebe turns to him in her suffering. Program anil Exploitation Catchllnes: Shirley Mason As a Peasant Flower Girl of Belgium. Story of a Peasant's Girl's Love for An American Artist. He Painted Her Picture and Won Her Love — Then An Abandoned Sweetheart Appears— Shirley Mason In a Human Drama. Exploitation Angleti: Play up Shirley Mason and tell that this is her greatest play thus far. Stick to this interest In the star to get the play over, since it Is your beat bet. Make as much use as you can of the story angle, dwelling upon the disillusionment angle chiefly to gain interest, telling that she walked to Paris in her wooden shoes for what? And leaving them to guess. "Billions" Metro Romantic Comedy with Nazimova In a Delightful Role of Adventurous Girlhood Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison "Billions" is high comedy of tendency distinctly romantic, well suited to the magnetic personality of the star and admirably produced. Derived from the French drama by Jean-Jose Frappa and Henry Dupuy Mazuel, its screen charm, aside from interpretation, is due to exceptionally fine scenario construction, skilled direction and a rare co-operation of scientific factors to creat backgrounds that, will be felt quite as well as seen, that stimulate the imagination. The keynote of production is beauty. The theme is that of an intelligent and true-hearted woman's love, keen and discerning while above mercenary calculation, capable of brilliant sacrifice for its object. Charles Bryant has made it consistent in his scenario, Ray Smallwood has treated it with careful attention to mood, while Bergquist and Ruoff in photography and interior artistry have rendered it all grateful to the eye. With her unusual ability to hold true to a characterization, Nazimova has given an entirely new view of adventurous young womanhood throughout. Not for one instant does she vary from the delightful effect she creates as a girl of resource who has suddenly acquired complete freedom. While she is thoroughly feminine, there is a boyish enthusiasm in the way she enters upon living her own life. To this is added grace of movement, inherent dignity and the charm of highly sensitive personality, holding the spectator spellbound. In a generally good support honors go to Charlie Bryant. A large audience at the Capitol Theatre enjoyed "Billions" as a performance of distinct merit presented through a rare combination of artistic and harmonious effort. Cast. The Princess Triloff Nazimova Krakorfeller, multi-millionaire ) „ Owen Carey, poet ( CnaS' Bryant Frank Manners William J. Irving Pushkin Victor Potel Isaac Colben John Steppllng Mrs. Colben Marian Skinner Mazie Colben Bonnie Hill