The Moving picture world (December 1920)

December 18. 1920 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 915 Newest Reviews and Comments The story is a pretty one, for all its lack of any great originality. It has a quiet sort of humor, which reaches its greatest strength in the duel scene. The characterizations are pleasing, but the general lack of suspense deprives the plot of realism. It will make its strongest appeal through its soft, langorous southern atmosphere, moss hung trees, dancing and singing darkies, and the vivid impression it leaves with the spectator of having really strayed for an hour in the Old South. The Cast General Belame Alfred Hollingsworth Aline Ann Belame Edith Roberts Francois Cayetane Thomas Jefferson Burton Striker Arnold Gregg Calalou Hattie Peters Story by Clara Beranger and Forrest Halsey Directed by Norman Dawn Length, 4,765 Feet The Story Aline Ann Belame, in "White Youth," Is the granddaughter of General Belame, whose plantation is near a famous old Louisiana city. The girl has been reared in a convent and has never seen her grandfather. One day a letter comes, telling her to come to him and announcing the fact that he has chosen a husband for her. The girl is transported with joy, at the thought of having a real home and a husband. But when she arrives at the Belame plantation, she discovers that her intended is the withered Monsieur Cayetane, a man almost as old as her grandfather. She instantly rebels, being a girl of spirit, and says she will not wed this man. A young Northerner, Burton Striker, happens to be at the place, having come to instal a new combination to the general's precious wine cellar. Burton sees the girl's predicament and sympathizes with her. They run away to a village fete and fall desperately in love. The couple plan an elopement, but this is frustrated. Burton then fights a duel with Cayetane, which comes to a bloodless and humorous finish. Cayetane abandons the field and the general consents to Burton's marriage with his granddaughter. Program and Exploitation Cat online*: A Story of the Old South. Story of a Yankee Hero Who Goes South and Weds a Pretty Southern Lass After Her Grandfather Had Already Selected a Husband For Her. Exploitation Angles: Put most of this on the star, but you can get some good stuff out of the Southerner who has a safe com bination put on his wine vault, and can pick some good lines out of the made-to-oider marriage. "Polly With a Past" Vivacious Impersonation by Ina Claire in Metro's Picture Version of Belasco Stage Success Reviewed by Louis Reeves Harrison George Middleton and Guy Bolton wrote "Polly with a Past" for stage presentation and Davil Belasco applied his artistery to production with results that made Ina Claire, a well-known young actress. Though long and hard rehearsals probably contributed heavily to the star's clever work, she leaped into fame through "Polly with a Past" alone. It created her, and she helped materially create the play's popularity, for it is a one-character vehicle as reflected on the screen, depending almost entirely for interest upon the central figure's skill in dual impersonation. Ina Claire is a rather modest screen personality outside of her vivacious impersonation of the Belle Francaise, but once that role is assumed, she becomes transformed, her thorough training shining out with the radience of a veritable star. In the twinkling of an eyelid she is no longer a demure maid, officiating as a servant to a couple of unobservant and unappreciative bachelors, but French to the core, convincingly so in spite of a native lack of resemblance. She is French in winnning amiability, as though trained, like the Jeunne Fille from childhood, to betray no vexation of spirit, always to please. Her interpretation in facial expression, dress, movement and poise is perfection, a marvel of its kind. The rest of the company play up to her with skill, contributing in nice balance to a very pleasing entertainment. Cast Polly Shannon Ina Claire Rex Van Zile Ralph Graves Mrs. Van Zile Marie Wainwrlght Clay Cullum Harry Benham Authors, George Middleton and Guy Bolton Scenario by June Mathis Under Personal Direction and Supervision of Maxwell Karger Length, Six Reels The Story "Polly with a Past" created for her, la nothing more than a country girl, Polly Shannon, with musical aspirations. In order to study for grand opera in Paris she tries to earn money in New York, but she is only a maid servant in elaborate bachelor quarters, when the two bachelors give her opportunity to get-rich quick. Their chum. Rex Van Zile, is the rejected suitor of a girl devoted to the "uplift." The only way for Rex to win is to need uplifting. He must be vamped. As Rex is rich enough to pay for the experiment, it is arranged that Polly shall do the vamping as an alluring young French lady with a past, the latter to be provided by the conspiring bachelors as publicity agents. It thus appears that a fascinating siren appears at a neighboring hotel function and Rex is promptly enslaved. Meanwhile the bachelors, acting as press agents, spread about lurid reports of the siren's notorious adventures in Europe, where she has supposedly wrecked the lives of prominent men. She becomes so interesting that Rex is genuinely bewitched. A man of the world Is sent for, a relative, to extricate Rex from the toils of the adventures. He offers a check of five thousand for the young man's release and raises it to ten thousand. ThlB Polly accepts, but she turns it over to charity. By this time Rex has lost all interest In the young lady of the uplift and refuses to be uplifted, to the amazement of the conspiring bachelors. Through the identification of an old man who knew Polly as a clean-minded daughter of a country minister, the atmosphere is finally cleared. Polly is restored to respectability in the eyes of society, but she refuses Rex, believing that he does not know his own heart, until assured by him that he loves her as Polly Shanno the country girl, far more than as "Polly with a Past." Program and Exploitation Catehllne*: Ina Claire in a Story About a Country Girl Who Had Musical Aspirations. Adaptation of George Middleton and Guy Bolton play. She Wanted a Musical Career — Became a Maid for the Bachelors in Order to Get Money— And Then It All Began. Exploitation Angles: Play up Miss Claire, who is now in her second year in New York in "The Gold Diggers." Throw all of the story interest to the impersonation of the French girl with a past. Make the past the feature, but always with the hint that it Is not a real past, or you will scare away many who would get the most enjoyment front this production. "HERE, YOU ROGUES, QUIT ROMANCING OUT HERE IN MY GARDEN," SAYS GEORGE B. SEITZ Scenes from Pathe's "Rogues and Romance," which <was made in Spain by George B. Seitz from his own stage play. Playing -with him are June Caprice,' Marguerite G. Courtot and George Semels