The Moving picture world (December 1920)

914 MOVING PICTURE WORLD December 18, 1920 Newest Reviews and .Comments woman's home, the kitchen baking scene, the porch party and the town picnic. These two feminine roles have been discriminate^ assigned to Mona Lisa and Claire Windsor, both of whom give sympathetic characterizations. Edward Burns, as the doctor, is hardly serious enough, as a type. George Hackathorne and Edith Kessler in the juvenile roles are appealing and capable. Cast Alice Granville Claire Windsor Cecilia Granville Edith Kessler Dr. Ransome Edward Burns Freddie Birkle George Hackathorne Bobby Granville Gordon Griffith Leila Mona Lisa Her Husband Howard Gay Lucien Wainwright L. C. Shumway Scenario and Direction by Lois Weber Story Idea by Marion Orth Length, Seven Reels The Story Leila, a selfish young wife who has been pampered by a devoted husband, refuses to stay in the same town with her husband when his financial ruin becomes known. She retires to their summer home in Sea Girt. Shortly after her arrival she sees an attractive young doctor talking with a patient In front of his house-, and making a note of his name on the sign, she decides that he shall be the next victim of her coquetry. She plays sick and, complaining of a nervous breakdown, secures his services. Alice Granville, known as the sweetest girl in Sea Girt, is In love with the doctor and he with her. Accompanied by her romantic young sister, Cecilia, and Dr. Ransome, she goes to the town picnic. Leila hears of the excursion, and jealous of the doctor's pleasure in company with another woman, decides to break It up. She sends word to the Granville home that she is seriously ill, that it is a matter of life and death, and that they must get hold of the doctor. Bobbie Granville, the youngest boy, hears of the call, and though sick with a fever and ordered by his mother to stay at home, he starts out on his bicycle to get the doctor for the sake of the unknown lady whom he supposes is dying. He grows worse on the way, but continues the ride until he gets to the picnic grounds. There he gives his message and the doctor leaves immediately, taking the boy with him. Leila's ruse is undetected by Dr. Ransome, who soon becomes infatuated with her. Meantime another lover appears, and she divides her attention between keeping them both interested. Alice learns of Leila's hold upon the doctor, and suffers In silence. Bubble gets worse and worse, and is finally given up. Meantime Cecilia has become infatuated with Leila's other admirer and goes aboard his yacht at night. Finding that her love is unrequitted she throws herself into the lake and is rescued by her country lover. Leila's husband comes unexpectedly, discovers her faithlessness, kills himself. The doctor's eyes are suddenly opened and he leaves her forever. Bobbie's death follows, and this tragedy serves to teach the doctor a lesson, and he realizes the true worth of Alice. Program and Exploitation Catchllnes: Showing To What Extent Men Would Go "To Please One Woman" — How the Lives of Two Were Lost and Many Others Saddened Until her Real Unsightly Character Was Revealed, and She Was Shorn of Her Power to Charm. Lois Weber Produces a Woman's Picture in a Woman's Way to a Woman's Taste. Exploitation Angle*: The vampire angle gives the best chance for sensational advertising. Use the title like this: "What Would Tou Do — How Far Would You Go — Would Tou Forget Everyone Else — To Please One Woman?" Play on this homewrecking idea, but insist on the satisfactory ending, that retribution is meted out to the "one woman." ' 'Midsummer Madness ' ' William C. DeMille's Production for Famous Players-Lasky Sets a New Standard The review of "Midsummer Madness" appears on page 851 of this issue. C'UNt Bob Meredith Jack Holt Julian Osborn Conrad Nagel Margaret Meredith Lois Wilson Daisy Osborn Lila Lee Mary Miller Betty Francisco Mrs. Osborn Claire McDowell Peggy Meredith Charlotte Jackson Caretaker Charles Ogle Caretaker's Wife Lillian Leighton Jap Servant George Ku wa Story by Cosmo Hamilton Scenario by Olga Prlntzlau Directed by William C. DeMille Length, Six ReelsThe Story "Midsummer Madness" is the story of the Infatuation of Julian Osborn for the wife of his best friend. Bob Meredith. Osborn is married to a charming girl, who loves him devotedly, but he takes advantage of the fact that Margaret Meredith, not without reason, considers herself a neglected wife. Her husband's mind is entirely taken up with his business. He loves his wife and their small daughter, but forgets that a woman does not want all of the romance to go out of her life the moment she is married. Julian's mother is a member of his family, and the Merediths have a young girl living with them named Mary Miller, a companion for Mrs. Meredith, to whom she is devoted and also to the child. Meredith is obliged to go away and he tells Julian that he must help entertain Margaret until his return. The absence of his own wife permits Julian to flirt with Margaret and to take her, late at night, on an auto trip to a lodge In the mountains. Carried away by the beauty and stillness of the night the two forget everything but the moment. Margaret yields herself to Julian's embrace, but the sight of ber husband and child's portrait on a table in the lodge recalls her to herself in time. Overcome with shame, she makes Julian take her home at once and is punished for her brief moment of folly by the conviction that she has stained her womanhood by thought, if not by act. The secret visit made to the lodge by Julian becomes known, but not the name of his companion. Finally a suspicion of the tenth dawns on Bob Meredith and Daisy Osborn, and Mary Miller takes the disgrace upon herself In order to shield Margaret, but is not allowed to make the sacrifice of her good name. Margaret confesses everything, and her sincere repentence shows her husband her real worth and forces him to see that she is not wholly to blame. Julian, also repentent, convinces his wife that he will never repeat his error. "Evolution of Man" An Intelligent , Trained Chimpanzee as the Principal Player in Nathan Hirsch Production, Aywon Release Reviewed by Jessie Robb. The title of this production, "Evolution of Man," Nathan Hirsch Production, Aywon Release, would lead the spectator to expect a drama of the nature of the "Tarzan" kind. Such is not the case. This is a five-reel story, evidently of French manufacture of Anno Domini, 1912, judging from the fashion of the women's clothes, cut and titled with some up-to-date American slang that at times is quite funny. The lighting, acting and production are distinctly of that period and naturally do not compare with the present-day methods, and the results are what would be expected. The story is that of two clever crooks who are operating at a fashionable seaside resort, with the help of a highly trained and uncannily intelligent chimpanzee. Valuable jewels are constantly disappearing and the detectives are unable to obtain a clue. Finally, after an especially daring robbery, a clue is found that leads to the discovery of the thieves. The simian leads the detectives a chase that calls for some acrobatic stunts on the part of the chasers. The end of this is the capture of the chimpanzee, recovery of the jewels and the arrest of the crooks. "Cowboy Jazz" Wild West Thriller Made by the Benevolent Protective Order of the Elks, S. & E. Enterprises, State Rights Release Reviewed by Jessie Robb A two-reel film of competitive western riding by experts has been made under the auspices of the Benevolent Protective Orders of Elks, distributed by S. & E. Enterpries for the state rights market. Broncho busting, wild steer roping, lariat throwing, fancy riding and the popular but dangerous pastime of the West, "bulldog steering" are the hair-raising "stunts" performed by these cowboy and cowgirl riders of the western ranches. "Bulldogging" a wild buffalo is an especially thrilling performance by Gus Schultz. Joe Gardner, wild steer roper; Guy Schultz, steer bulldogger; Chester Beyers, lariat thrower; Tommy Kirnan, fancy rider; Bryan Roach, broncho buster; Rose Henderson and Bee Kirnan are the champions who have performed for the silver screen. A closeup or two of Gertrude Olmstead, the winner of the $10,000 prize awarded by the Elks for the most beautiful girl in Chicago, has been inserted in the picture. The photography was done by Captain Nicholas MacDonald, formerly an official photographer of the A. E. F. These stunts are the cowboy conception of the popular "jazz" and are quite a contrast to the "jazz" as performed in the East. This is a good film of dare-devil riding and can be recommended as a thriller to any exhibitor looking for a picture of the kind. "White Youth" Edith Roberts Featured in Five-Reel Universal Story of the Old South Reviewed by Robert C. McElravy The chief feature of this five-reel Universal production, aside from the attractive feminine lead, Edith Roberts, is itt entertaining pictorial delineation of "a certain old Louisiana city" and its environs The city, it may be safely assumed, is New Orleans, and the photographic effects of the entire subject deserve commendation. They do much to render interesting a production that is otherwise quite mild in its appeal. The plot, which is laid in modern times, is obvious in character and has a tendency to drag in the later reels, no doubt owing to the fact that the spectator has a good idea of what is coming. It concerns the granddaughter of an old general who was once a gallant in the court of Napoleon III. The old man takes her out of a convent and plans to marry her off to a man almost as old as himself, but a Yankee hero appears on the scene and frustrates this scheme.