Picture Play Magazine (Sep 1921 - Feb 1922)

Elsie Fc'/^'uSiin and Wallace Reid will be tlm two big attractions in "Forever," the picture based on Du Maimer's "Peter Ibbetson." The Screen in Review A critical discussion of recent and forthcoming pictures. By Agnes Smith WHEN it was announced to a waiting world that Famous Players-Lasky would present George Fitzmaurice's production of "Peter Ibbetson" under the title of "Forever," the reviewer heaved a sigh of relief and exclaimed "Oh, goody ! They might have called it 'His Dream Woman.' " The fact that the picture is adapted from a fairly well-known novel by George Du Maurier, and the fact that several Barrymores and Constance Collier appeared with great success in the dramatic version of the story has nothing to do with the value of the title "Peter Ibbetson." This business of changing titles without warning is an old joke, and only the amateurs make a fuss over it any more. This reviewer could sit through a modern version of "Faust" under the title of "A Devil In His Own Home Town" and not shed a tear. All the tears that may be shed over "Forever" will be shed openly and outwardly because the Du Maurier story is a gorgeous romance ; the romance of two souls parted in childhood and reunited in death. But it is sad only in the happiest sort of way. Peter, condemned to life imprisonment in Newgate Gaol, and the Duchess of Tozi'ers, imprisoned for life with a movie villain of a husband, have a dream life together. Aided by Mr. Fitzmaurice's settings, they do considerable traveling and enjoy themselves more than most persons do when they are wide awake. Of course, the followers of Freud, who believe that a dream is worse than a career of crime, would disapprove of this gentle Victorian romance. For the most part, the picture retains a beautiful illusion, although there are minutes when one wishes that Mr. Fitzmaurice's too, too-solid settings would melt. Other of the settings, particularly Peter's boyhood home in Paris, are charming. In designing the backgrounds for "Peter Ibbetson" — there we go using the discarded title — Mr. Fitzmaurice has realized that sentiment may be attached to inanimate objects and he has caught much of the especial high-flavored sentiment of the A'ictorian era. As for the players : The cast is an all-star one and the acting pretty good — considering. I suppose that if I find any fault with Wallace Reid's portrayal of Peter the fans will chase me around the country with a carving knife. I have grown used to associating Mr. Reid with automobiles. I cannot think of him as a melancholy 3'oung Victorian gentleman with an imagination. But this I can say of his portrayal of Peter Ibbetson : he does his best. He honestly tries to act the part and to feel the part. In the later episodes of the picture he achieves dignity ; in a brief boxing scene he is simply great. He tries to control his eyebrows, and he succeeds in forgetting that he has won a great many popularity contests. Elsie Ferguson as the Duchess of Tozvers is a glorified vision from an old album. With not much to do in the way of acting, she dresses wonderfully. Wise woman! Her clothes are enough to make any woman want to go back to the old-fashioned custom of wearing petticoats. She never has been more gracious or more easy to look at. Montagu Love is properly brutal and rmfeeling as old Uucle Ibbetson, while Elliott Dexter plays a small role delightfully. "Thunderclap." At the opening of the theatrical season, William Fox hurled so many specials at Broadway that, for a time, it looked as though something ought to be done about it. These "specials," coming in quick succession, are guaranteed to make the reviewer extremely nervous. All the Fox directors who made hits last year, with the exception of J. Gordon Edwards, who is abroad doing as the Romans do, were sent out to get all Griffithed up. That means to get yoiu name in electric lights at one of the legitimate theaters. And so they came. First there was "Thunderclap,"