The Moving picture world (May 1922)

198 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 13, 1922 Newest Reviews and, Comments •'The Hate Trail" Story of Mounted Police and Smugglimg Pictured by Clark-Cornelius Corporation. Reviewed by Mary Kelly. The need for new material in Westerns is apparent in "The Hate Trail" to such an extent that the merits of the picture are more or less obscure. When the hero is a mounted policeman, and his mission, the trailing of smugglers and the protection of a helpless woman and wandering child, it requires something in the way of expert construction or superior acting to make such a trite theme entertaining. "The Hate Trail" is only average in its technique. This does not mean that it will not please in some localties, for with many the sentiment for save-my-child situations is still strong, and is dependable when calculating a picture's appeal. George Qiesebro's role is largely pictorial in value as most of his work consists of timely arrivals on the field of glory in a uniform which he wears very attractively. The timber forests give the picture a scenic appeal that is one of the best points in its favor. The Cost Sergeant Steve Blain George Chesebro Chief Painting Cougar Frank Caffray Hank Muiigfr Alfred Heweston Mary Munger Fritzi Ridgeway Moon Face Pearl Barbour John Ingless Russell Tizzard Little Cougar Virginia Morante Story and Scenario Not Credited. Directed by Milburn Moranle. Length, 4,588 Feet. The Story "The Hate Trail" is a picture of the snow country where trailing is made doubly hazzardous because of the elements. In the midst of this seething fury he finds a forsaken baby in a cabin that he has been ordered to burn down. This child he takes to an Indian couple to raise and in the meantime he continues his duties running down the border raiders who are very active. Among them is one Munger whom he .suspects. AVith Munger is his wife who is becoming discouraged with the life her husband is compelling her to lead and she one day rebels and leaves him to wander through the forest. There Sergeant Blain finds her and takes her also to the Indian couple so that the little child who is now about five years old might have someone of its own race to care for it. The discovery that this child is her own develops a dramatic situation. Proj^ram and Exploitation Cntchlines: The Sergeant Blain, of the Mounted Police, Met Romance and Trouble Both When He Found Little Cougar, Aged Four — a Fight With the Smugglers and the Rescue of a Wonderful Woman Were Part of the Experiences That Followed. Exploitation Angles: Make the usual melodrama appeal and sell it to the lovers of this class of story. "Danger" This two-reel Jack White Production for Educational is disappointing because of what it might have been. The first half drags and is silly. The "fun" is far-fetched and forced. The second reel comes as a surprise. The speed increases, the fun becomes more spontaneous, and the ending, featured by spectacular stuff, hai a decided punch. The big scene is where a building goes tumbling end over end down a steep hill, ilowing up as it hits a boulder. There are oiher thrilling scenes of motorcycle riders dashing along winding roads on the hills. The subtitles, evidently written by an amateur, detract I'mm the comedy. The exhibitor must decide if the last reel warrants the use of the whole film. — S. S. "The Man from Home" Well Known Play Picturizcd Amid Magnificent Scenery by Paramount. Reviewed by Fritz Tidden. Booth Tarkington's and Harry Leon Wilson's famous play, "The Man from Home," reaches the screen in a production made in Italy by George Fitzmauricc. There is distinct boxoffice value in the title as the play, which was used as a vehicle by William Hodge for many seasons, established a record Broadway run and then toured all over the country and in numerous places remained longer than any other that had preceded it. .^fter its years on the stage it has been used by countless stock companies. It will be seen that "The Man from Home" is probably one of the best and widest known plays of the decade. The production has been made by Mr. Fitzmauricc in its natural habitat, in a manner of speaking. Although the majority of the important characters are American, and it is an American play in genre, the locale is Italy. The Famous Players-Lasky Company recently working in England went down to the Italian sea coast at Sorrento and made the picture under Mr. Fitzmaurice's customarily expert direction from a smooth running scenario written by Ouida Bergere. The villas of two Italian noblemen were loaned for the screening, and the formal gardens and the views of the surrounding mountains and sea coast have seldom made more beautiful settings. Some of the scenes have smoking Vesuvius as a distant background. These scenic beauties are a valuable feature of the production and will assist in putting over the picture in no little measure. The film translation is remarkably faithful, the original theme being bolstered up with a little more drama than it contained when played on the stage. It has a general appeal. The cast, among which Anna Q. Nilsson and James Kirkwood play the most important roles, are excellent types and in every instance give fine performances. The Oast Daniel Forbes Pike James Kirkwood Genevieve Granger-Simpson. .Anna Q. Nilsson Horace Granger-Simpson Geoffrey Kerr Prince Kinsillo Norman Kerry Princess Sabina Dorothy Cumming Ribiere Jose Rubens Faustina Ribiere Annette Benson The King John Miltern Secretary to the King Clifford Grey Adapted from the Play. "The Man from Home," by Booth Tarkington and Harry Leon Wilson. Scenario by Ouida Bergere. Directed by George Fitzmaurice. Length, 6.895 Feet. The Story Genevieve Simpson, the society belle of Kokomo, Indiana, leaves her native town for a three years' visit to Italy with her brother. They are orphans, but before his death their father had appointed Daniel Forbes Pike, guardian and executor of their considerable fortune. Though almost brokenhearted at the parting, Daniel's grief is softened by learning that his love for Genevieve is reciprocated. But once abroad the three years make many changes and in Italy the girl, blinded by the dazzling splendor and the Impetuous, passionate wooing of a dissolute prince, finds herself enmeshed in a net of tangled emotions, among which is love for the prince. News of the situation in which Genevieve finds herself, reaches Daniel in America. He arrives on the scene in Italy and is unconsciously drawn into the tangle. His keen American preception quickly sizes up the situation, but he shrewdly holds all his cards until the psychological moment and then slashingly exposes the prince who proves to be a profligate and assassin. Genevieve, thoroughly disillusioned, realizes that she has never really ceased loving "Don't Write Letters" Entertaining' Comedy-Drama Made by Metro Features Garetli Hughes. Reviewed by Mary Kelly. "Don't Write Letters" starts out by being advice, but merges into pure entertainment that steadily increases in heart interest. While the theme is one that has been made possible by the war, there is no unwelcome emphasis upon war scenes, but for the most part, only a lingering sympathy for the doughboy who didn't have a sweetheart, or worse, for the one who lost her during the war. The subject has been developed naturally and interestingly, with just enough humor to make the pathos effective. Gareth Hughes, as the soldier who was too little to be a hero, has a role that does not overtax his ability, but rather brings out his most appealing qualities. His is a very human characterization of a doughboy who might have been any mother's son. Bartine Burkett is aelightful and Herbert Hayes offers blustering entertainment as the sevenfoot hero. The direction is splendid. The Cast Robert W. Jenks Gareth Hughes Anna May Jackson Bartine Burkett Richard W. Jenks Herbert Hayes Aunt Jane Margaret Mann The Father Harry Lorraine The Sweetheart Lois Lee The Lover Victor Potel Adapted from the Story by Blanche Brace. Scenario Not Credited. Directed by George D. Baker. Length, 4.S00 Feet. The Story Bobby Jenks. a small-sized doughboy, Is cook while overseas. He is allotted an army shirt many sizes too large, but decides to keep it when he finds in the pocket a note from a girl in New York, who made the shirt, and dedicates it to the "big" hero who is going to wear it. He writes her a letter and keeps up her illusions about his size, finally proposing to her, and being accepted. When he returns he calls upon her, but knowing her preference for big men, is afraid to disclose his identity, so posses as the friend of R. W. Jenks. the boy who was writing to her. Soon after another R. W. Jenks, who is six feet tall, shows up, and the small Jenks gets him to play the game for him, even though he, himself, is much in love with the girl. The big Jenks, however, turns traitor, tells the truth about the whole thing and the girl decides that the doughboy is big enough for her. Progrram and Exploitation Catchlinest She Loved Great Big Heroes — So She Made an Army Shirt a Mile Wide — a Little Doughboy Drew It — Found Her Note — Started Corresponding — Proposed — and Then His Difficulties Commenced! Exploitation Angrles: Try and get the I..egion to help you sell this bv offering a percentage of the receipts to the local post. You can get a lot of the title from a display of letters in the lobby to a symposium on "the letter than made the most trouble for me." "Ruler of the Road" In this three-reel Pathe Playlet originally issued in five reels, Frank Keenan has a congenial role, that of a man with a domineering personality whose spirit is finally softened by the love of a little child. Opposite him is Frank Sheridan, who gives a good performance as a locomotive engineer. It is an interesting story of the conflict of strong wills and contains considerable heart interest. — C. S. S. "The Man from Home," and is well content to feel Daniel's arms around her once more and to go back to Indiana. Exploitation Angrle*: Hook to the sta^e success of the play, then tie the idea of the cast of favorites and the "made in Italy with American actors" to this repute.