Photoplay (Jan-Jun 1920)

68 The Shadow Stage (Continued from page 66) the month) some folks are going to be disappointed in this clever Famous Players-Lasky picture. This is a timely, a human and a consistently told story. It relates the final departure of old John Barleycorn from an exclusive Californian suburb. The six best cellars are owned by the six best fellows and their six exclusive wives. At least that is the supposition. Young Mr. Washburn knows, however, that his particular "cellar" contains no more than the makings for six rounds of cocktails. First, he tries to cover his alcoholic poverty by manufacturing a little yeast-and-raisin stuff, even as you and I, but this spoils on him and blows up a close-up. Then he tries to buy a httle from the amiable Elk who lives across the way and has barrels of it, thinking the ambition of the Lady Elk to get into exclusive society will help him out. But the Lady Elk gets in — without parting with more than her husband serves to his now eager guests. Then, his gods being with him, Bryant falls heir to several cases of a rare old vintage (worth hundreds of dollars a case) only to find the bottles empty the night of the party. So his alcoholic and social fortunes ebb and iiow until, fmally, he decides the best way out is to assume a virtue though he likes it not and pretend to indorse prohibition. At which crisis, and just as the prohibitionists have accepted him and given him all their law work, and offered to run him for mayor or something, his aunt really does find a cellar full of the rare old stuff, and asks him to take it over. What's he to do? Refuse the liquor — and lose money and prestige and a future? Or, take it — 'and make friends? He puts it up to the audience: "What would you do?" Indeterminate conclusions, as I said, are seldom satisfying. But, in a similar situation, what woidd you do? Washburn is quite as immaculate as usual as the worried hero. Wanda Hawley is his pretty wife, and the long cast includes people of better than average competence. "SLAVES OF PRIDE"— VITAGRAPH VITAGRAPH has had the courage to offer in Mr. and Mrs. G. R. Chester's "Slaves of Pride" a picture dependent largely upon the intelligence of its actors and their acceptance by the audience. In both plot and theme it is conventionally ancient. In fact, it is practically a modern allegory— with Alice Joyce playing "Truth," Percy Marmont "Pride," and Gustav von Seyffertitz "Deceit." They are talented players, these three, and each has the gift of projecting with a modicum of conscious effort, the points he or she wishes to make. You never catch one of them out of character, nor find yourself doubting his or her reality. The story of these slaves is of a young Mr. Howard who was most particular about the honor of his name and his line. He married the heroine, first because her grasping mama threw her at him, and, second, because his secretary and social mentor approved of her. Once married, the new Mrs. Howard found conditions in the home of pride rather difficult, and after her husband had said to her. with some severity, "Mrs. Howard, your behavior displeases me," she determined to run away with the secretary — not with any intention of being a bad girl, but to humiliate her too proud husband. Young Mr. Howard followed after, and learning that the deceitful secretary had escaped continued in pursuit of him until he (the fleeing sec) backed into a railroad train and was squashed. Then the husband went home and contemplated shooting himself, seeing that his stubborn pride had made a hash of his life. But visions of his wife, who really loved him, followed him from room to room until she herself appeared, and all was forgiven. The Howards were, you feel sure, considerably less proudful after that, and much more human. Save for an occasionally strained formality — as in the case of "Mrs. Howard, your behavior displeases me," etc., the titles are carefully edited, preserving both the character and flavor of the story. The pictured background, taking in sections of another of those million dollar estates, is fine. Von Seyffertitz is a suave and dignified deceiver, Miss Joyce her usual lovely and perfectly poised self, and Percy Marmont an excellent choice for the proud Howard. Fine actors all. It cannot be sure of wide popularity, this picture, but it is worth praising for the quality of its editing and its production. (Continued on page io6) "On With the Dance" is a picture of New' York City — crammed with color and vivid sets and real acting by a company that includes Mae Murray. ■H| ^^"^^5 ^HM^^H ^^^B ^^^ ^9 ^^^Pf^^^^l ^^^^F^ Sl^l \ .^Bi i^^^^^^^^l VP^^I V *U nP^^^Q ISS^K' ^^^^^^^1 •\1 r, J ■piii^ T^K:r:'^^^| ^^^H. T r*3r Hh ^■-^ '^^^H ^^^^^V , ■'> ^^ I wM S,i^HJH^m^ft tJ^^^^^^^H J^I^^^H^B^^^^B^,^^ "V •IHI ' ^Hi^^ ^^^^^^^f^^P^^H Hi ^,„. «..^.«A^ ^s^^H^^^V' '^'>,VH Alice Brady has never been seen to greater disadvantage than in "The Fear Market. " The plot, taken from a story by Amelie Rives, presents nothing new. "Other Men's Shoes," directed by Edgar Lewis, drips ^vith sentimentality, but will appeal to very many, especially to the sort of ladies who dote on ministers. i