Screen Opinions (1923-24)

ALL THE “TRUTH” ABOUT PICTURES 155 tie Allen, the child of the Chinese-American marriage, is irresistibly natural and beautiful. Beatrice Bentley is also lovely in the color scheme, and Kenneth Harlan not only looks well, but acts well. The gossips, Etta Lee and Ming Young, give intelligent performances, and just here we want to hand it to the director and to the editors for the fine tempo at which the picture moves throughout. The production could be billed as a novelty in natural colors as well as a forceful human interest drama. STORY OF THE PLAY Lotus Flower, looking from her garden that slopes down to the sea, sees a half-drowned man brought in to shore. Later she falls in love with Allen Carver, the rescued American, and a marriage ceremony according to the Chinese custom is performed. But when Allen is called home to America he fails to take Lotus Flower with him. And a few years later he returns with an American wife to ask forgiveness of the Chinese sweetheart. In the meantime a child has been born to Allen and Lotus Flower. Without revealing this fact to him she gives the child to the American wife and then walks out into the sea and ends her life. PROGRAM COPY— “The Toll of the Sea”— With an All-Star Cast If you want to see a picture of exquisite beauty in natural colors, in which is combined heart-stirring romance and tragedy, don’t miss “The Toll of the Sea,” staged against amazingly gorgeous and beautiful oriental backgrounds. Anna May Mong and Kenneth Harlan head a splendid cast. “SINGED WINGS”— Class A (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Dream Lover Recognized With Another Woman ~ VALUE CAST Photography — Excellent — Paul Perry. Bonita delia Guerda Bebe Daniels TYPE OF PICTURE: — Unusual — Interesting. Peter Gordon Conrad Nagel Moral Standard — Average. Bliss Gordon Adolphe Menjou ■ ■■ ii.. Don Jose delia Guerda Robert Brower Story — Very good — Drama — Adults. Emilio Ernest Torrence Star — Very good — Bebe Daniels. Eve Gordon Mabel Trunelle Author — Very good — Katherine Newlin Burt. Direction — Very good — Penrhyn Stanlaws. Adaptation — Very good — Edfrid A. Bingham. Technique — Very good. , , .. ■ Spiritual Influence — Neutral. January 1 to IS, 1923. Producer — Paramount Footage — 7,788 ft. Distributor — Famous Players Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE: — None. Plot Too Complicated — Artistic Staging — Beautiful Prologue We are not sure that the average person will become sufficiently familiar with the author’s intention to thoroughly enjoy “Singed Wings.” Penrhyn Stanlaws has handled the story in a remarkably artistic way, and together with his technical staff has succeeded in making a picture quite out of the ordinary. The prologue is especially interesting from an artistic standpoint, inasmuch as fairies with shimmering wings fly through the air, alighting on toad stools or flit about the lawn of an old-fashioned garden. A surprising trick of double exposure shows a fairy alighting on the heroine’s shoulder and plucking a rose from her hair to throw it at the feet of the hero. Then when the prologue with its fairies and the old witch with her broomstick have faded out, the real story is brought on with its divergent and interesting characters. Bonita, the dancer who administers to her crippled grandfather, and is herself watched over by a weak-minded, but kindly clown, is played delightfully by Bebe Daniels. The girl’s life, overshadowed by the terror of the realization of her strange dream, is courted by the husband of another woman, while the man of her dreams stands by begging to be loved. The neglected wife, determined to gain the applause accorded by her husband to the dancer, finally becomes proficient in the art and is killed by the clown at the moment her desire is fulfilled. The. scenes in which Bonita dances at the cafe are especially beautiful in illumination and color. We would not advise this picture for use in any but the best theatres, where it has a better chance of being understood and appreciated. The cast is excellent throughout. Miss Trunelle makes good in the role of the wife. Adolphe Menjou gives a good performance, and Conrad Nagel is exactly the type for the romantic lover. Robert Brower is excellent, and so also is Ernest Torrence as the clown. (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!