The Moving picture world (January 1924-February 1924)

670 MOVING PICTURE WORLD February 23, 1924 terest as for instance the scenes where Johnny climbs into a burning doll's hospital and rescues his poor old father who has rushed iti and is near suffocation ; also where he climbs down on the front of his trolley and snatches a little boy from what appears to be certain death. Another excellent sequence deals with a boarding house in which there are forty boarders and only two bath-rooms. This brings about a wild scramble and many amusing situations. Also the scenes where he goes to a skating carnival as the north end of a camel, another chap being the other half, is full of good humor. While much of the material is familiar, it is all the typical kind of comedy that Johnny can do so well, he is thoroughly at home and gives a good performance. Doris May is satisfactory as the girl, and mention should be made of Dan Mason, who created the role of the "skipper" in the Toonerville Comedies, who is cast as Johnny's kindly old father. He gets a lot out of the scenes where in polite society he strives to be proper so as not to disgrace his son who is rising to social success through the medium of his love for the girl. The others in the cast are entirely satisfactory. The trolley scenes which give the picture its title constitute an important part of the picture and they have a good bit of the flavor of the "Toonerville Trolley", as for example where Johnny as Conductor 1492, stops to converse with his lady love, to his passengers' disgust, and also where he absent-mindedly runs past a number of passengers and then backs his car up the street, picking up a long line of irate couples. With an abundance of good comedy that will bring continuous laughs and smiles, with pathos and human interest, this picture should prove a winner in the majority of houses and keep the patrons in good spirits as it did in the suburban house in which it was witnessed by this reviewer. Cast Conductor 14»2 Johnny nines \orett.-i Connelly Doris !>!.•< > Mike OToole Dan Mason Ednn Brown Ruth Renlck Richard Langford Robert Cain Denman Connelly Fred Esmelton Bobby Connelly Byron Sage James Stoddard Michael Dark Mrs. Brown Dorothy Burns Story by Johnny nines. Directed by Charles nines and Frank Grlffln. Length, 0,500 feet. Story Terence O'Toole leaves his old home in Ireland to seek his fortune in America. He becomes "Conductor 1492" on a trolley car belonging: to a system whicli both the president and vice-president are struggling to gain control. The final outcome of this fight depends on two shares of stock which are missing and which if not found will bring disgrace to President Connelly. The villain produces two forged shares but Johnny's father saves the day by producing the real shares, which he bought a number of years before. In the meantime Terence has fallen in love with Connelly's daughter and he gets her as his reward. "The White Sin" Palmer Corporation Scores Again in Second F. B. O. Release Reviewed by Sumner Smith "The White Sin," the second production made by the Palmer Photoplay Corporation for F. B. O. release, is a thoroughly interesting drama of the consequences that attend a bigoted aunt's restrictions on a country girl eager to enjoy life, even such mild pursuits of happiness as attendance at a country festival. Denied the normal pleasures of a country girl, she runs away from home only to be trapped into what she for a long time believes was a mock marriage. How she, for the sake of a name for her baby, wins over obstacles and does at last find real happiness, forms the major part of the story. Harold Shumate, the author, took a timeworn theme but provided a believable and gripping plot and developed it well, with the possible exception of a couple of situations. Director William Seiter has treated it with real artistry, keeping the story moving and choosing backgrounds of rare interest and scenic value. Madge Bellamy, in the principal part, invests it with virility and realism by doing some of the best acting of her career. The photography is at all times excellent. The climax of the picture is a fire scene, and it is here that the photographer, Max Du Pont, has surpassed himself. The work of the cast is generally competent, except that the characterization of the villain is slightly overdone at times. The picture will touch the heartstrings and be voted good entertainment. Cast Hattlp Lou Harkness Madge Bellamy Grant Van Gore ...John Bowers •;race Van Gore Franeella Billington Spencer Ann Core Hal Cooley Peter Van fiore Jns. Corrignn Tr.-ncrs Dale Billy Bevnn Vunt Cynthia Ethel Wales Mrs. Van Gore Myrtle Vare Adapted by Del Andrews and Julian La Mothe from Harold Shumate's story. Directed by William Seiter. Photographed by Max Dn Pont. Length, 0,237 feet. Story Hattie Lou Harkness" life with her aunt becomes unbearable and she runs away from the country home, finding employment as a maid with the wealthy Van Gores. Spencer Van Gore stages a mock wedding on board his yacht with the ship's captain officiating. Learning of the trick, Hattie Lou leaves. Two years later she is out of work. Read ing that the yacht has been wrecked and the party of Van Gores lost, she goes with her baby to the elder Van Gore's home and poses as Spencer's wife. Grant Van Gore, a war invalid there, falls in love with her. Spencer turns up and Hattie Lou learns that the marriage was legal and binding, as the captain deliberately performed it outside the three mile limit. Spencer dies when the Van Gore home burns, and Grant and Hattie Lou marry. "The Next Corner" Paramount Offers High Class Production of Popular Novel Based on the Eternal Triangle Reviewed l>> C. s. sewell Adapted from Kate Jordon's novel and play of the same title, Paramount's "The Next Corner" is a story of society life in Paris involving the eternal triangle. It is a picture with a number of elements of boxoffice appeal. Sam Wood has given it a high class production and the cast is composed of well-known players. The story deals with a young wife who, during the prolonged absence of her husband, gets mixed up with an ultra-fashionable set, falls under the spell of a polished Spanish scoundrel, writes a letter renouncing her husband and is only saved by the Spaniard being killed by a man whose daughter he has wronged. The remainder of the action hinges on the wife's dread that the incriminating letter will turn up, her ultimate confession and reconciliation. This is a familiar situation but it provides good opportunities for suspense. The story is drab in tone and no attempt has been made to lighten it with comedy relief, and there is a marked deliberateness to the action. There are several dramatic situations which, while of a familiar type, are enhanced by the smoothness of the direction and excellence of the acting. There is a good moral lesson for restless and flirtatious wives. In fact it is a picture that will more strongly appeal to women. There are a number of striking gowns worn by the characters. The star's clothes furnish an interesting study in the psychology of dress, for with many patrons her adoption of the most exaggerated fashions in gowns, makeup and method of dressing her hair go far toward alienating the sympathy for her and furnish a striking contrast to her characterization of the innocent girl and loving wife. While the title is a good one for exploitation, its application to the theme is vague. Dorothy Mackaill is well cast as the heroine and Ricardo Cortez is strikingly effective as the Spanish lover. Conway Tearle gives a noticeably contrasting portrayal of the Scenes from "The Man Who Smiled," One of a Series of Indian Fron tier Stories o National Film Corporation of America for Release by Kathe f and by the Indians. Produced in TwoReels by the