Screen Opinions (1923-24)

ALL THE “TRUTH” ABOUT PICTURES 159 ing salesman is persuaded to play a practical joke on a judge whose double he is, and which would have ended disastrously to the judge’s political campaign had not the salesman been more of a man than a joker, has a good punch, and is put over with an ordinary amount of vim. The picture has been made cheaply, and there are no new kinks to the double exposure work in which the star stands in the same room face to face with himself, but William Russell makes an acceptable hero with a wholesome personality. The romance of Jimmy Gallop, salesman, with the Judge’s choice for a wife is nicely developed, and Rene Adoree is charming as the sweetheart. The cast is good throughout. STORY OF THE PLAY When Jimmy Gallop, salesman, came to town the enemies of Judge Grainger, who is about to run for mayor, sieze on him as a convenient instrument with which to route Grainger’s chances to win, because Jimmy is the exact double of the judge. Hurrying him to a meeting where he poses as the judge and makes a speech that causes a near riot. Later, after Jimmy has unintentionally stolen the affections of the judge’s sweetheart, he apologizes and makes a public announcement that reinstates the judge in the confidence of the townspeople. But the girl in the case sticks to Jimmy. PROGRAM COPY — “Mixed Faces” — Featuring William Russell It was unfortunate for Judge Grainger that Jimmy Gallop, salesman, happened to have been cast in the same mold. For who was to blame if Jimmy was the more successful lover? You’ll like William Russell in this amusing and thrilling tale of a double identity. “JILT”— Class C (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Girl Mistakes Sympathy for Love of Man Blinded in War VALUE CAST Photography — Good — William Marshall. Rose Trenton Marguerite De La Motte TYPE OF PICTURE — Uninteresting. George Prothero Matt Moore Moral Standard — Average. Sandy Ralph Graves ' -■■■ Mrs. Trenton Eleanor Hancock Story — Average — Drama — Family. Mr. Trenton Harry De Vere Cast— Good — All-Star. Author — Average — R. Ramsey. Direction — Average — Irving Cummings. Adaptation — Average — Arthur Statter. Technique — Average. ■■■■■■ -■ — — Spiritual Influence — Neutral. January 1 to 15, 1923. Producer — Universal Footage — 5,000 ft. Distributor — Universal Our Opinion MORAL O'THE PICTURE— None Outstanding. Poorly Developed Plot Robs Picture of Expected Punch “The Jilt” is based on a story that is not apt to have a strong appeal at its best, especially as presented in the film in which it is developed in an uninteresting way. It is lacking in human interest detail, and one grows weary of the heroine’s rather meaningless trips to and from the home of the blind man, hesitating to tell him that she has mistaken sympathy for love and must therefore break off her engagement with him. And indeed, if it were not for the beauty of Marguerite De La Motte and the fetching personality of Ralph Graves, “The Jilt” might go begging. There is “much ado about nothing” as the picture stands, although much more could have been made of the story, handled in a different way. STORY OF THE PLAY Rose Trenton discovers that she does not love George Prothero, a man she became engaged to before the war, and who has returned blind, and after much hesitation tells him the truth. She then becomes engaged to Sandy, a dashing ex-soldier ; and one day when Sandy and George are driving alone George blackjacks Sandy, having kept secret the fact that lie has regained his sight. The story closes with Sandy and Rose happy, and Prothero getting his deserts. PROGRAM COPY— “The Jilt”— With an All-Star Cast Rose Trenton had not the heart to jilt a blind man. But having done so she discovered that she had made a lucky escape from a life with a “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.” You’ll be interested in the love story of the pretty heroine, played by beautiful Marguerite De La Motte. Matt Moore and Ralph Graves are included in the cast. No Advertising Support Accepted!