The Moving picture world (May 1922)

276 MOVING PICTURE WORLD May 20, 1922 Booth Tarkington's screaming comedy, "Clarence," is transferred to the screen by William De Mille with a success that will make this one of the funniest pictures of the year. Mr. De Mille has chosen an all-star cast for this work. In it are Wallace Reid, who is Clarence, the coleopterist just out of the army; Agnes Ayres and May McAvoy. Not a whit of humor of this comedy of American family life which convulsed audiences at the Hudson Theatre, New York, for many months and then made a successful run across the country has been lost in making this a photoplay. In fact, the greater detail of scenes adds to it. The **Clarence'* A William de Mille Production play was one of the great successes of the author of "The Man From Home," "The Gentleman from Indiana," "Penrod," "Seventeen" and other stories. It was adapted for the screen by Clara Beranger. The picture reaches home. It mirrors all the amusing complications that a temperamental American family can get into and keeps them unfolding so rapidly that there isn't a dull moment in it. In the story the family consists of a successful American busi ness man, a son and daughter, fifteen and sixteen years old, respectively; a pretty governess and a stepmother. Both children are erratic and lively, the father has a tendency toward falling in love with the governess and the stepmother is insanely jealous. Clarence breaks into the scene at the father's office where he has come following his discharge from the army to find a job, as his position as beetle specialist in a laboratory is not at that time open to him. The children think a soldier ought to know everything. The boy is waiting to tell his father why he has again been dismissed from school, the girl is about to explain another love affair before the governess, and the stepmother breaks in because she suspects an intrigue between the governess and her husband. The fact that Clarence had driven mules in the army impresses the father and before the row is settled he is engaged as secretary for the family. There is no break in the laughable developments which follow. Clarence becomes the family confidant, but winds up by falling in love with the governess. Here is a sure-fire hit. "Nice People" is a straight shot into the heart of the modern problem of the young people whose free and easy ways of living and amusing themselves lead them into trouble at times, despite the half-hearted opposition of their conservative but indulgent parents. It promises to repeat the record-breaking success scored by the play of the same name by Rachel Crothers from the time it was first presented by Sam H. Harris in the Klaw Theatre, New York, and as Mr. De Mille is among the recognized leaders of producers of intimate problem dramas for the screen, it should ''Nice People" A William De Mille Production register near the top of the list of the year's big box-office, pictures. \\ illiam De Mille has taken the scenario by Clara Beranger, and with the powerful cast headed by Wallace Reid, Bebe Daniels and Conrad Nagel, has created an absorbing story that cannot fail to impress parents and children alike. In the earlier stages of the picture where the willful daughter of a wealthy business man pursues her butterfly existence with no thought of the possible consequences there are many lavish scenes. Tense moments follow when the father and aunt try to prevent the girl from departing with her gay companions for a breakfast at a road house following a late night party. The climax comes at the country home of the girl whither she has gone with her intoxicated companion and is overtaken by a storm. Drawn by the flikering lights, a westerner who has also been caught in the downpour, enters and rescues the girl from the unwelcome attentions of her friend. All are forced to remain all night. This is the turning point in her life. In the filming of these scenes an entire house was constructed in the studio for both the outdoor and indoor shots. The cast was carefully selected. In support of Mr. Reid, Miss Daniels and Mr. Nagel, there are Julia Faye, Eve Sothern, Claire McDowell, William Boyd and Edward Martindel. Scenes on such a scale that their magnificence startled blase New York critics and taxed the capacity of the Criterion Theatre during a nine weeks' pre-release engagement mark "The Loves of Pharaoh," the latest production by Ernest Lubitsch. It is the most ambitious work thus far attempted by the young creator of "Deception," "Passion" and "Gypsy Blood." There are Egyptian temples skilfully reproduced, the pillars of which dwarf the men and *'The Loves Ernest Lubitsch' s women standing beside them; there are stairways and courts which hold thousands of actors and leave impressive vistas beyond. A whole city is pictured and at the close burned to make more vivid the picture of its capture by the Ethiopian army. Some of the greatest actors before the European public appear of Pharaoh" Latest Production in this production. Emil Jannings, the king of "Deception," appears as Pharaoh. Paul Wegener, director of "The Golem," who also had the leading role in that production, is the Ethiopian king in "The Loves of Pharaoh." Dagny Servaes, one of the most beautiful women in Europe, is the Greek slave girl, and Harry Liedtke and Lydia Salmanova have conspicuous roles. It took a year of study of Egj'ptian history to lay even the ground-work for this production. The critic of the New York Evening Journal was so impressed that he dispensed with adjectives and simply said: "So many superlatives have been poured on motion pictures in this town that it is difficult to do 'The Loves of Pharaoh' justice. Simple words and few may be effective by contrast." Again the desert, the romance of Egrypt, the fleeting action of the tribesmen ! With it the vivid story of a man, who loving the silences and the solitude of the desert, is strong enough to win away from the luxury and pleasures of society the daughter of the British governor. The production is George Melford's work at its best, the atmosphere is not unlike that of "The Shiek." But the story is different. Wanda "Burning Sands" A George Melford Production Hawley and Milton Sills have the leading roles. There are some wonderful scenes in the moonlight at Cairo, colorful pictures of boating on the Nile, and of the desert. Mr. Melford knew how to put it over, because he is the man who directed "The Sheik," as well as "Moran of the Lady Letty," "The Woman Who Walked Alone," "Behold My Wife" and many others. Wanda Hawley, who appears in the leading role, is a star in her own right. Mr. Sills is well known for his work in "Behold My Wife," "At the End of the World," "Miss Lulu Bett" and others. With them are some strong names, too — Jacqueline Logan, Robert Cain, Winter Hall and Louise Dresser. "Burning Sands" is certain to be one of the big attractions of the year. The story was a big seller in novel form. In the adaptation by Olga Printzlau it has lost nothing of its dramatic possibilities. The artistry of Penrhyn Stanlaws, so wonderfully exemplified in "The Little Minister," "At the End of the World," and "The Law and the Woman," has full opportunity for expression at its best in "Pink Gods," a story of the complications of a beautiful and flirtatious wife gets herself into in the region of the South African diamond mines. It is her fondness for diamonds in preference to the pearls her husband favors as her ornament that leads to the tense climax of her life when a wealthy diamond dealer who has loaded her with gifts tries to get her to run away with him. 'Pink Gods" A Penrhyn Stanlaws Production Bebe Daniels, who starred in "The Affairs of Anatol" and has a long string of successes to her credit; James Kirkwood, who was featured in "The Man From Home," "The Great Impersonation" and others; Anna Q. Nilsson, and Adolphe Menjou, who was the king in "The Three Musketeers," head the cast. The story is from the novel by 'Cynthia Stockley and was adapted to screen by J. E. Nash and Sonya Levien. The story opens in Kimberley with the arrival of Loree Temple and Pat Temple, who have been married a year. He is madly in love with her and adorns her with pearls. She loves attention and has a great fondness for diamonds. Haseltine Quelch, a power in Kimberley, stirs her cupidity by showing her some valuable stones and gets her woman com panion into his power by threatening to expose her when he discovers her attempt to steal one of the gems. Emotional struggles follow in quick succession as Loree plunges into the flirtation, aided by her supposed friend, until the moment comes when she must choose her husband who is absent in the interior and the man who has showered gifts upon her. In a thrilling climax there comes news that the false friend's son has been drowned saving a companion at a school in England. She tells the plot and help* Loree to escape.