Photoplay (Jan - Jun 1924)

THE NATIONAL GUIDE TO MOTION PICTURES 1 • BEAU BRUMMEL— Warner Brothers AN absorbingly interesting picture, from the famous play by Clyde Fitch in which Richard Mansfield made such a success. The title role is in the hands of John Barrymore and permits him to give one of the finest performances of his screen career. Brummel, disappointed in love, determines to advance himself by sheer insolence, and does so until he loses the friendship of his patron, the Prince of Wales. He is exiled from England and dies in a French hospital. Mr. Barrymore's performance is masterful always. His expressions, his mannerisms, depict all shades from impertinence to the most studied insolence. The direction is excellent, and some of the photography is wonderful. Second only to the star are the performances given by Willard Louis as the Prince of Wales, and Mary Astor as Lady Margery. A SOCIETY SCANDAL— Paramount GLORIA SWANSON never ceases surprising us these days. She showed a phase entirely new in "Zaza," then she did a remarkable piece of work in "The Humming Bird" as a tOUgh, little Apache, and now she comes back as a maligned society woman who works Out her own scheme of vengeance in the screen version of Sulro's "The Laughing Lady." She is growing in slat ure as an actress by leaps and bounds, sin has developed a power of facial expression and a breadth of gesture that are strikingly effective. This story. although somewhat altered from the original, offers a wealth "i opportunity to an actress who really can act. and Miss Swanson never fails. Rod La Rocque and Ricardo Cortez are especially noteworthy in the supporting cast, and Allan l)\\ an's direction is excellent. Th Shad ow (BEG. U. S. PAT. OFF A Review of the J\[ew Pictures THE THIEF OF BAGDAD— United Artists HERE is magic. Here is beauty. Here is the answer to the cynics who give the motion picture no place in the family of the arts. Here is all the color and fantasy of the greatest work of imaginative literature, Arabian Nights, done so beautifully, so perfectly, that it is an everlasting credit to its producer and an everlasting joy to those who see it. Into the words of this great classic, Douglas Fairbanks has blown the breath of life. »He has achieved the much discussed possibilities of the camera. It is a work of rare genius, and the entire industry, as well as the public, owes him a debt of gratitude. If you miss this picture it is your loss. 'I'lie production itself is almost flawless. It would be small business, indeed, to use a microscope. .Mr. Fairbanks spent almost a year in preparation. At his studio he assembled ;ut isls from all parts of the world, as is told in the Rotogravure section of this magazine. He spent over a million dollars. It is futile to say that it is worth every cent ol" its cost because the great imaginative quality and beauty of the picture is something that cannot be measured in dollars and cents. Through the delightful fantastic tale of the Orient runs the theme, "Happiness must be earned." and it is a remarkable tribute to the story that it is so entrancing that you find yourself taking all the marvelous effects for granted. Go see this picture at the earliest opportunity. Your ticket will be a magic carpet which will carry you with the hero of the Oriental tale to palaces in the clouds, to the abode oi the winged horse, and to the citadel of the moon on wondrous adventures, and you will learn that " If you love a princess, \ ou must make yourself a prince."