The Moving picture world (May 1922)

May 20, 1922 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 343 Newest Reviews and .Comments "The Beauty Shop" Raymond Hitchcock Heads a Cast of Prominent Stage Folk in Cosmopolitan Paramount Pictures. Reviewed by Fritz Tidden. Chief interest in "The Beauty Shop" lies in the cast, which is an ail-star aggregation of players well-known on the musical comedy stage with but two exceptions. Headed by Raymond Hitchcock, the inimitable comedian who is a favorite from coast to coast, the company includes such familiar names as Billy B. Van, James J. Corbett, the Fairbanks twins, Madeline and Marion, Diana Allen and Laurance Wheat. The two well-known screen players are Louise Fazenda and Montagu Love. To the writer it seems especially appropriate to cast the picture with people from musical comedy, for it is from that class of entertainment "The Beauty Shop" comes to the screen, being an adaptation of Rennold Wolf's and Channing Pollock's tune show of the same name that met with success some seasons ago. Desisrned as entertainment of the lightest kind, "The Beauty Shop" fulfils its purpose of amusement. Most of the comedy, however, is derived from the countless sub-titles, which in the greater majority are funny, with the balance being either silly or wheezes of the memory testing class. Raymond Hitchcock has always been funniest when he can use his peculiar voice or his method of pointing a joke, but he contributes as much humor as possible under silent restriction with a performance embracing all of his familiar comedy mannerisms. Louise Fazenda does the best acting in the picture, getting constant laughter whenever she is on the screen, playing the homely girl whose suffering from the pangs of love completely unseats her mind from its already unbalanced position. The rest of the company are adequate. It must be appreciated that Doty Hobart, the scenarist, had a most difficult job in converting the musical comedy story into a moving picture script. The form of entertainment of the original is noted for its slimness of plots, but Hobart has done as much as possible to inject enough interest to keep the picture alive. iThe director, Edward Dillion, has done his part well, and the settings are attractive and appropriate. "The Beauty Shop" will make your audience laugh, and it is unique in its array of talent. The Oast Dr. Arbutus Budd, a beauty doctor Raymond Hitchcock Sobini, an undertaker Billy B. Van Panatella, an inn-keeper. .. .James J. Corbett Cremo Panatella, his daughter Louise Fazenda Coca... f twin danc-> ...Madeline Fairbanks Cola....) ing girls I Marion Fairbanks Anna Budd, the doctor's ward. . . .Diana Allen Maldonade, a bad man Montagu Love Phil Briggs, Budd's attorney Laurance Wheat Adapted from the Musical Comedy of the Same Name by Rennold Wolf and Channing Pollock. Scenario by Doty Hobart. Directed by Edward Dillon. Length, 6.53S Feet. The Story The story of "The Beauty Shop" concerns Dr. Arlnitus Budd primarily. The beauty doctor is hard up but is "discovered" by natives of Bolognia who. note that the Insignia upon the bottles of beauty lotion is that of a long lost baron, Sobini, an undertaker, is sent to Broadw.ny to entice the "baron" back to his "estates" but what the doctor really inherits is <a deadly feud in which, according to tabulation, he is to be slain by the giant Mnldonado. the village bad man. To add to the medico's problems, he "Watching Eyes" Arro2V Picture zvith a Pomeranian as the Star Has Decided Appeal for Children Reviewed by Mary Kelly. The adventures of Kiki, the latest aspirant for screen honors in dogdom, will undoubtedly have a great appeal to children, and to many grown-ups as well. "Watching Eyes" depicts what a little Pomeranian of more than average intelligence, sees in the household of which she is an important member. Her's is the role of a spectator rather than participant, although her timely interferences now and then have decided effect upon the turn of events. At times, naturally, the powers of canine understanding are exaggerated, as when Kiki overhears the devilish plottings of a stableman and his accomplice. But the whole picture is done in the spirit of make-believe with an appeal to the imagination rather than the reason of the spectator. Furthermore, Kiki inspires such affection in whatever she does that one is tempted to give her credit for knowing as much as she says she does in the sub-titles. The story is consistently planned to exploit the dog and not the subordinates, in this case, human beings. Among these are Edna Beaumont and J. Butt, who are capable performers. There are a number of attractive exteriors, which could make a more striking appeal if the photography were finer. The direction is exceptionally good. The Cast Kiki Herself Evelyn Selby Edna Beaumont Adam Dewey Geoffrey H. Mallins Clayton Miles John Wickens Story and Scenario by Robert Blaine. Direction Not Credited. Length, 4,577 Feet. The Story Kiki is the pet Pomeranian belonging to Evelyn Selby, who is engaged to Adam Dewey. Evelyn is waning in her affection for Adam, due to the interference of Clayton Miles, keeper of the horses, with whom she believes herself infatuated. Kiki leads Adam to a seat in the garden one night where he finds Clayton making love to Evelyn. Clayton senses that Kiki is an enemy and tries to drown her, but the dog is too smart for that. Later Evelyn and Clayton try to elope, but Kiki delays the event by hiding herself so that her mistress can't find her until Adam appears. Adam proves to the girl that he is the man for her and she gives up Clayton. Program and Exploitation Catchllnes: The Story of a Little Pomeranian Who Loved Her Mistress and Her Mistress' Beau — How and How Much She Did to Keep Them Together When the Affair Became Triangular — If You Like Dogs, You'll Love Kiki. Exploitation Angles: Play up Kiki as the smallest canine star in the world, and draw what you can from the Curwood type of animal. Play it strong and drive to the limit on the children. falls in love with a pretty dancer whose twin sistor is the fiancee of Maldonado. A remarkable cure of homeliness finally brings peace to Budd and a realization that, having made the ugliest woman beautiful, he can return to Broadway and capture shekels. And he takes back the dancer as his bride. Exploitation Angles! Play it strong on Hitchcock and the remainder of the cast, and hammer away on the musical comedy origin, both of which are big selling points. Try and get the songs for your orchestra and play these in advance. M. P. W. Reviews Are Best "Don't Blame Your Childrrn'* Director Did Not Take Full Advantage of Posibilitics in This Old Style Drama. Reviewed by J. M. Shellman. "Don't Blam?' Your Children," the B. & C. production released by Gunning, is one of those old style dramas of the "force-your-daughter-tomarry-me-or-I-will-inform-upcn-you" variety. At best it is but a sordid little story of unhappy home life that has great possibilities of which the director did not take full advantage. It is a play of commonplace acting, staging and directing. The salient points of the story are not brought out with their full value and the many little telling details of characterization are missing. The basic theme back of the plot is that a father cannot preach godliness to his children and then act otherwise. In this particular case the children seem to sense the hypocritical attitude of their father and they resort to subterfuge and clandestine meetings with their friends when the father will not permit his two daughters to have their friends call at the house. The action in the first part of the story is arranged so as to give the impression that Jean is meeting Captain Ross in his horse at nights and that she is guilty of wrongdoing. Later it is explained that she is married to him. It seems a very cheap way to get suspense and creates an ugly, tawdry view of the character. The photography is clear but the lighting effects are ordinary. The scenes on board the steamer and showing the steamer snnposedly during a storm are neither convincing nor dramatic and they are in no way enhanced by the scenes showing the stoker at work. There is a dramatic squence of events in this story that would hold the interest very well if it were produced in the proper way. The title fits and will undoubtedly draw many persons on its curiosity arousing strength. But the suspense lags and the action is not tense. The Cast John D'Anvers Norman McKinnele Joan D'Anvers Malvina Longfellow Mrs. D'Anvers Frances Ivor Gladys D'Anvers Mollie Miller Jimmy D'Anvers John Reid Hartley Warren Arthur Burne Harry Riggs Bobby Andrews Capt. Ted Ross Alec Fraser Adapted from the Play, "The Joan Danvers," by Frank Stayton. Scenfl,rio and Direction by George RidgewelU Length, 5,550 Feet. The Story "Don't Blame Your Children" is a story of stern parents rearing a family of girls. The conflict comes when the elder daughter takes her affairs in her own hands. She does as she pleases, at first quietly and without the knowledge of the parent, then wiien it Isknown to her parent, she tells him to jolly well like it or jump in the lake. After a series of dramatic incidents she paves the way for her younger sister and younger brother to make their own happiness and in the bargain she converts the father into the new way of ruling by love and understanding rather than by a strict course of "Don'ts." Prosrram and Exploitation Catchllne.s: Suppose You Were Secretly Married and Your Father Wanted You to Marry a Man to Save Himself from Prison? What Would You Do? See How Joan D'Anvers Solved the Question in "Don't Blame Your Children," The Story of How a Hypocritical Father Made His Home a Prison for His Wife and Children by Ruling it With Blue Laws and Had Sh'ady Transactions in His Business, But He Was Taught a Lesson. How? See "Don't Blame Your Children." Exploitation Angles: If you take this, it will probably be to work on the sensational title, so make the most of that.