The Moving picture world (May 1921)

May 21, 1921 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 327 Newest Reviews and .Comments J accuse French Made Feature Directed by Abel Gance Rebounds Between the Tire- some and the Sublime Reviewed by Edward Weitzel. The war picture "J'accuse," written and directed by Abel Gance, is an unsatisfac- tory attempt at feature making.which re- bounds between the tiresome and the sub- lime. In its original fourteen reels and shown in the countries of the Allies, during the war, it must have been an effective piece of propaganda. In its present form, shorn of at least four of its reels, and con- sidered solely as a work of art, it reveals crudities of production in every depart- ment of moving picture making, except the acting, which are not offset by the loftiness of its theme and the many intensely dra- matic moments in its action. The direc- tor's plea during an address he delivered before the first public showing in this country, "We have not at our disposal your financial and technical facilities," hardly accounts for the eccentric tinting used in the first reel when the flames of a day time bonfire turn the scene into a night effect which is immediately contrasted with another shot of the same scene ablaze with dazzling white light. The composi- tion of many of the scenes is beautiful and impressive. As already stated, there are situations of superb significance, but they are heaped up by such a prodigal and un- skilled hand that the impression left on the spectator is of a disjointed and confused story that tells too much and tells much of its pertinent matter badly and defeats its own purpose by forgetting that, men- tally as well as physically, "they are as sick that surfeit with too much as they that starve with nothing." The acting is excellent. Naturally it is of the excessively animated and florid French school, but the work of M. Severin- Mars as Francois Laurin, Romuald loube as Jean Diaz and M. Desjardins as Henri Lazare is superlatively efficient. Marise Dauvray is especially fine in the latter half of the picture as Marie Laurin. The Cast Francois Laurin S6verin-Mars Jean Diaz Romuald Joube Marie Laurin Marise Dauvray Henri Lazare. Marie's father Desjardins Mrs. Diaz, Jean's mother Mancini Little Angele Angele Guys The Story The daughter of Henri Lazare having been promised to Francois Laurin, a man twice her age. is forced by her father to marry him, although she loves Jean Diaz, a young poet. Laurin is a rough, violent man, who becomes terribly jealous when he imagines his wife may have betrayed him. When the war breaks out Laurin enlists and hur- ries to the front. Jean is a pacifist and re- mains at home. Marie goes to the north of France and is captured by the Germans. Jean enlists at once and is put in command over Laurin. During the four years of war that follow the two men learn to respect and like each other. Jean is sent home to recover from trench fever. One night Marie returns, bringing a child with her. The victim of a brutal attack by several of her captors, she does not know which one is her child's father. Laurin also returns, and Jean takes the child to his house. Laurin is led to suspect that Jean is its father, and there is a wild outburst of rage before he is con- vinced of his mistake. He hurried back to his regiment and is killed in battle. Jean goes back also, is wounded, loses his mind and comes back to Marie. Here he gathers his neighbors together, and his disordered brain pictures to them all of their dead ris- ing from their graves and coming back to see if their near and dear ones have proved "In the Heart of a Fool" Excellent Production With Exceptionally Fine Cast Is This First National Picture Reviewed by Jessie Robb. Given a powerful dramatic story, and a cast of finished and talented actors, Direc- tor Dwan has made a picture that is ab- sorbingly interesting. It deals with the complex problem of marriage and the trage- dies which result when certain of the hu- man beings indulge their lower propensi- ties. It is human life as it is really lived; although the ending where evil is very properly punished and the good very properly rewarded, is so obviouisly the forced happy finish, that, while disappoint- ing to the more discerning, will please the great general public. There are a number of big thrill scenes; such as the burning mine and the mob, intent upon murder, that will "get" the confirmed "movie" goer. Also considerable allegory has been worked in a weaver standing before a loom weav- ing a pattern of life from the reels, each one representing a human life. Honors are evenly balanced among the actors. Anna Q. Nilsson, Mary Thurman, James Kirkwood and Philo McCullough have the more prominent roles in a large cast which is distinguished by the intelli- gence, restraint and naturalness of their characterizations. The picture is hand- somely staged with flawless photography. The Cast. Grant Adams James Kirkwood Margaret Muller (the Lorelie) .Anna Q. Nilsson Laura Nesbit Mary Thurman Tom Vandorn Philo McCullough Henry Fenn Ward Crane Dr. Nesbit (Old Linen Pants). . . .John Burton Mrs. Nesbit Margaret Campbell Daniel Sands (Hoglight Sands) Percy Challenger Mortie Sands Arthur Hoyt Mary Adams Kate Tancray Amos Adams Emmet King Violet Mauling Maryland Morne Story from the novel of the same name by William Allen White. Directed by Allan Dwan. Length, 6,600 Feet. The Story. Laura, the daughter of Dr. Nesbit, and Grant Adams, editor of the local paper, are engaged. Laura is the leader of the "younger set." Margaret Muller arrives to teach school and engages lodgings with Grant's mother. She is ambitious socially and uses Grant as a tool. Laura and Grant quarrel. She goes away, and meanwhile Margaret is the mother of Grant's illegitimate son. His mother, to shield Grant, says that the child is hers. Dr. Nesbit, who knows the secret, forbids the engagement of Grant and Laura. Grant's mother dies. Laura marries Tom Van Dorn, whose great- est pleasure in life is the conquest of women. Margaret marries Harry Fenn, Tom's law partner. Eventually, tiring of Laura, Tom and Margaret have an illicit love affair, which results in two divorces. Meanwhile, Grant has become foreman in the mines, with the object of bettering the miners' conditions. There is a terrific ex- plosion and fire. In rescuing a man Grant is badly injured. Laura, who has returned to her father, nurses him and they learn they had never ceased to love. There is a strike at the mines and the owner engages strikebreakers to run Grant out of town. In the fight Grant's little son is killed through the machinations of Van Dorn. Margaret and Van Dorn have been quarreling. The death of her son awakens Margarot's latent motherhood. She shoots Van Dorn and goes insane. Laura and Grant worthy of the sacrifice they have made for them and for France. Jean also dies, and Marie Is left alone with her child. "Outlawed" Pioneer Releases Usual Western in Picture of Sylvanite Production Company. Reviewed by Jessie Kobb. The West of the plains and the cattle country forms the background for this melodrama. The picture has been well pro- duced for its class as regards direction and photography. The story is coherently de- veloped and has a novel opening introduc- ing the leads in a unique and amusing fashion. There is some trick riding, plain and fancy shooting and much rough and tumble fighting. Rather two much, as the final fight between the hero and villian is extended to such lengths and covers so much territory that the spectators' interest lags and turns into laughter, a result evi- dently not intended by the producers. The cast is adequate to the exigencies de- manded. The entertainment value may be classed as fair plus. The Cast. Barbara Benton Carlyn Wagner Bob Fleming Bill Patton Bud Knowles Buck Conners Tom Benton Joseph Rickson. John Cortwright Lee Pate Howard Gordon Pop Kennard Frank Kayner Steve Clementc- Dick May George Sewards "Sophy" Bobbin Edward Burns Story and Direction by Alvin J. Neitz. Length, Five Reels. The Story. Bob Fleming, cowboy and U. S. marshal, on his way to Sierra Madre races the train steaming into the same town. On board is Barbara Benton. Bud Knowles, the sheriff, has tried to make her acquaintance, but un- successfully. Barbara attempts to take a snapshot of Bob. Her hat blows out of the window. It is rescued by Bob, who makes a lying leap on the train. The porter, who covets a tip, tries to prevent Bob from enter- ing. He draws his revolver. The passengers, thinking it a hold-up, deposit their valuables in Barbara's hat. Bob hands everything to Barbara and leaps from the train. Arriving at the. ranch. Barbara 'finds Bob installed as one of the hands. The sheriff soon arrives and demands Bob's arrest as a cattle thief. Bob escapes, but drops a badge of a U. S. marshal. Barbara overhears a con- versation in which she discovers that the sheriff and her father are the leaders of the thieves. Bob is captured by the sheriff, who forces Barbara to confess that Bob is the train robber. The townspeople intend to hang him. Bob escapes. That night Barbara learns that Bob and her father are working together to catch the sheriff and his gang who are the real thieves. The next day Barbara is captured by the sheriff, who plans to hold her as the price of his freedom. Bob and his posse follow. In a terrific fight the sheriff is killed and Bob saves Barbara. Program anil Exploitation Catchllnesi A Terrific Fight Between the U. S. Marshal and the Treacherous Sheriff Saves the Girl of His Heart from a Villain. He Met Her First by Leaping on a Flying Train with Her Rescued Hat and Won Her at Last After Many Perils. are united. Fenn finds solace with Violet Mauling, whom Van Horn had wronged. I'i'icraiii ami Exploitation Catchlinesi In the Heart of a Fool, Whose Only God Was the Gratification of His Desires Came Forth the Evil That Brought Tragedy into Many Lives. •A Truly All-Star Cast in This Absorbing Intense Drama of Everyday Life. An Allan Dwan Production That Thrills and Entertains.