The Moving picture world (January 1926-February 1926)

January 16, 1926 MOVING PICTURE WORLD 265 "Soul Mates"— M-G-M Newest Elinor Glyn Novel with Edmund Lowe and Aileen Pringle Is Pleasing and Amusing UNDER the title "Soul Mates" MetroGoldwyn-Mayer is offering a screen version of Elinor Glyn's novel "The Reason Why" adapted by Carey Wilson and directed by Jack Conway with Aileen Pringle and Edmund Lowe in the principal roles. While the central idea is the familiar one of certain parties endeavoring to bring about a marriage between two young persons unknown to each other at which they both rebel, only to have Fate bring them together with the result that they fall desperately in love with each other; other complications are introduced and the plot is worked out so smoothly and enlivened with clever and amusing subtitles. The couple meet in the park and Lord Tancred is so persistent that Velma capitulates. All goes well until a mortgage on the lord's estate complicates matters. Velma's uncle holds it and proposes that Tancred Reviewed by C. S. Sewell CAST: Velma Aileen Pringrle Lord Tancred E;dinnnd Iiowe Markrute Phillips Smalley Velma'!* Brother Antonio D'Algry Tancred's Mother Edythe Chapman Velma's Maid Mary Hawes Dolly Katherlne Bennett Stevens Lucien L.ittlefleld Based on story by Elinor Glyn. Scenario by Carey Wilson. Directed by Jack Conway. Len^h, 6,073 feet. marry his niece but he refuses unaware that Velma is the girl. Velma believes Tancred is marrying her to save foreclosure and only consents to save her brother who is charged with embezzlement. After the marriage she still continues to show her hatred and disgust. Finally she realizes her love when he takes her in his arms and then threatens to go away and get a divorce and he discloses that he has paid off the mortgage. Aileen Pringle who has been identified with the majority of Elinor Glyn roles, wears some stunning gowns and gives a pleasing performance as Velma while Edmund Lowe is excellent as the dapper and fascinating and perfectly groomed Lord Tancred. The other roles while satisfactorily handled are of minor importance. The course of this romance can scarcely be taken as a mirror of real life but there are a number of amusing situations and an especially bright and witty set of conversational subtitles so that aided by smooth direction "Soul Mates" despite its rather improbable and not altogether original story furnishing pleasing light entertainment. "Blue Blazes"— Universal Western Starring Pete Morrison Has Plenty of Punch and Fast Action and Should Please THERE is certainly no dearth of action, villainy, heroism, fast riding, fighting, romance, or in fact any of the attributes so dear to the heart of the "western" fan in "Blue Blazes," the newest Universal production starring Pete Morrison. With the return of young Halloran to the West the action starts oflE with a bang for it develops that a young girl he rescued from a runaway stage is seeking treasure left in a hidden cabin and also to bring to justice the murderer of her grandfather. She has accidentally fallen into the clutches of Fitzgerald, leader of a band of desperadoes and the real murderer who has made her believe that a friend of Halloran is the culprit. Before Dan manages to straighten matters out, convince her of his innocence and sincerity Reviewed by C. S. Sewell I'l CAST: Bee Halloran Pete Morrison Grace Macy Barbara Starr "Red Dan" MeKellar Jim Walsh Jeff Macy Dick La Reno, Jr. Buck Fitzgerald Lea Bates Matt Bunker Jerome La Gasse Based on mag;azine story by Frank O. Robertson. Conttnnity by Joseph Beresford. Directed by Joseph Franz. Length, 4,700 feet. tiiuiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiin^ and recover the treasure there are plenty of developments that keep the story moving at a rapid pace. Among the highlights are the situation where Dan goes to the desperado's place and licks him in a hand-to-hand fight, and the climax in which there is a four sided battle between different ones seeking the treasure which is further enlivened by a cloudburst in the mountains. All of the characters are broadly developed types played up to get the maximum eflect and the director has concentrated on the punch action and melodramatic possibilities rather than in makin<^ the story smooth and plausible. The hero undaunted rides into the face of overwhelming odds and even succeeds in holding his own against a half dozen desparadoes who attack him ; there is a cunning leering spy, a powerful unprincipled gunman and the forceful, crafty brutal leader and there is nothing subtle or restrained about their portrayals but there certainly is punch and fast action. ^Infatuation'^ — First National Egyptian Setting with Intriguing Oriental Atmosphere in Newest Corinne Griffith Film EGYPT with its Oriental glamor and atmosphere of intrigue that mystifies the Occidental mind furnishes the setting for "Infatuation," adapted from W S.omerset Maugham's play "Caesar's Wife" and offered by First National as the newest Corinne Griffith production. The star is cast as a fascinating young Englishwoman who despite an initial dislike for what she terms his inhuman method of warfare with the natives, marries an English general who is in charge in Egypt. Business and secret diplomacy which he does not share with her result in loneliness, and she finds solace in the love of a subordinate. Faced with a situation where her husband's life is in peril she rushed to his rescue and realizes her real love for him and that she was only infatuated with the younger man. Reviewed by C. S. Sewell CASTS Violet Bancroft Corinne Griffith Sir Arthur Little Percy Marmont Ronald Perry Malcolm McGregor Osman Pasha ...Warner Oland Lady Etheridge Clarissa Selwynne Ronald's Sister Leota Lorraine Pasha's Wife Claire DuBray Based on W. Somerset Maugham's P'layf "Caeswr's Wife." Directed by Irving Cummtngs. Length, 5,794 feet. llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllO The picture has been produced on a high class scale with a good sequence at the beginning showing warfare with the deserttribes. The Egyptian settings are convinc ing and director Irving Cummings has admirably established the strange and sinister Oriental atmosphere which aids in holding the interest in a story that moves forward at a deliberate tempo from the war scenes to the well-handled climax. There is a good melodramatic punch here when the wife rushes through the streets of the native quarter and throws herself in front of the horses drawing her husband's carriage in time to save him from an assassin's bullet. As always. Miss Griffith is decidedly attractive and wears soiree gowns that will captivate the women. Percy Marmont gives a sincere performance as the husband and Malcolm -McGregor is well cast as the younger man. Warner Oland is decidedly fine as a sauve but cunning and unscrupulous native diplomat.