Screen Opinions (1923-24)

156 SCREEN OPINIONS WEEKLY SERVICE STORY OF THE PLAY The story concerns a dancer living with her crippled grandfather on the water front of San Francisco. She is victimized by Bliss Gordon, who neglects his wife, and is loved by Gordon’s nephew, Peter. Bonita lives in fear of the realization of a dream in which she dies as her lover claims her. Peter .is the hero of her dream and after a series of adventures, in which the wife of Gordon, representing the mother, dies in the jester’s arms. Peter rescues Bonita from his uncle and finally persuades her to marry him. PROGRAM COPY — “Singed Wings” — Featuring Bebe Daniels With the man of her dreams ever beseeching her, Bonita, the dancer, fled fearfully from the love that she believed meant death. If you want to see something really different with marvellous tricks of photography presenting fairies, witches, etc., see “Singed Wings,” with Bebe Daniels and a superb cast. “YOU NEVER KNOW”— Class C (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Adventures of Detective in Smuggling Plot VALUE Photography — Good — E. F. Smith TYPE OF PICTURE— HumorousSensational. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Average — Comedy-drama — Family. Star — Average — Earle Williams. Author — Average — Harry Dittmar. Direction — Average — Robert Ensminger. Adaptation — Average — Graham Baker. T echnique — Average. Spiritual Influence — Neutral Producer — Vitagraph CAST Eddie Manning Earle Williams Miriam Folansbee Gertrude Astor Carlos Medina George Field Inez Claire DuBrey Jaspar Folansbee James Conway Muggsy Coy Watson, Jr. Jose DeSilva Loui9 Dumar Miguel Leonard Trainor January 1 to 15, 1923. Footage — 4,822 ft. Distributor — Vitagraph Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None. Small Boy Pleasing Feature of Ordinary Film “You Never Know” doesn’t afford the star good opportunities and is therefore not interesting as an Earle Williams picture. On the other hand, a comedy interest is developed through the presence of a small boy in the plot, who, with his dog, shadows the hero and is always on the job to stage a rescue. The action of the film is ordinarily attractive, the cast adequate, but the production is best suited to the second-rate house. Coy Watson, Jr., is the clever child of the picture who evidences unusual talent. STORY OF THE PLAY Eddie Manning, a detective, is employed as chauffeur by a man who is supplying money for the transportation of munitions to Durango, a South American republic, and thereby gains knowledge of a conspiracy headed by the leader of the rebel faction who also hopes to win the hand of the financier’s daughter. Eddie, with the aid of a street urchin, fights his way through a series of adventures, uncovering the conspiracy and winning the girl for his bride. PROGRAM COPY — “You Never Know” — Featuring Earle Williams In polite society it is sometimes hard to distinguish between a hero and a villain until the cloak is removed from the yellow cur. Earle Williams is the star of this interesting mystery drama. *1 “HER HALF BROTHER”— Class D (Especially prepared for screen) Story: — Chinaman Attempts Revenge Through Adopted White Girl VALUE Photography — Average — Not credited. TYPE OF PICTURE— Ordinary. Moral Standard — Average. CAST Paul Preston Dan Hallet Lee Wong William A. Lowry .William McQuade Story — Fair — Melodrama — Family. Cast — Fair — All-Star. Author — Fair — Not credited. Direction — Fair — Not credited. Adaptation — Fair — Not credited Technique — Fair. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Producer — Not credited “Black Bill" January 1 to 15, 1923. Footage — 5,000 ft. Distributor — State Right* (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!