Screen Opinions (1923-24)

190 SCREEN OPINIONS WEEKLY SERVICE “NINETY AND NINE”— Class B (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Falsely Accused Man Regenerated by Efforts of Girl VALUE Photography — Good — Steve Smith, Jr. TYPE OF PICTURE— Sensational. Moral Standard — Good. Story — Good— Melodrama — Family. Cast — Good — All-Star, featuring Warner Baxter and Colleen Moore. Author — Good — Ramsay Morris. Direction — Average — David Smith. Adaptation — Average — C. Graham Baker. Technique — Average. Spiritual Influence — Good. Producer — Vitagraph Footage — 6 CAST Tom Silverton Warner Baxter Ruth Blake Colleen Moore Mark Leveridge Lloyd Whitlock Kate Van Dyck Gertrude Astor Abner Blake Robert Dudley Rachael Mary Young Hud Bryson Arthur Jasmine Reddy Ernest Butterworth, Jr. Mrs. Bedelia Dougherty Aggie Herring Mrs. Aramantha Markham .. Dorothy Wolbert February 1 to 15, 1923. ,800 ft. Distributor — Vitagraph Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE — Value of Kindness and Faith in Regeneration. Forest Fire Thrilling Feature of Ordinary Production “The Ninety and Nine” is what would be termed a good audience picture, and by the time the plot has reached the home run it is easy to imagine that you are looking at the final reel of a thrilling serial. The thrill is extracted from the rescue of the heroine and a couple of hundred people from death in a forest fire when the hero, who has been hiding from justice and incidentally drowning his troubles in drink, risks identification by running an engine through the burning timber lands to the succor of the villagers. The development of the bulk of the picture is sentimental, but at the same time points the lesson of charity toward the erring. The majority of people will be in sympathy with the lovers, but the plot throughout contains fictitious situations which are not rectified in the adaptation. Warner Baxter and Colleen Moore do excellently and are supported by a good cast. STORY OF THE PLAY Philip Bradbury, engaged to a wealthy society girl, returns from South America on the evening when she is giving a large party. Entering an upper room as the girl’s brother shoots and kills another man, he covers the brother’s tracks and, shouldering the blame, hurries away, eluding the police. Later he turns up in a western village and is regenerated through the efforts of Ruth Blake, the “nicest girl in the village.” His former rival appears! on the scene and attempts to complete his ruin by getting the secret service on the job. But after he has proved his identification by his ability to run an engine and his heroism by rescuing a couple of hundred people, including Ruth, from death in a forest fire, he learns that the real murderer has confessed on his death bed. The story ends happily. PROGRAM COPY— “The Ninety and Nine”— With an All-Star Cast, featuring Warner Baxter and Colleen Moore Pretty Ruth Blake just wouldn’t let the intoxicated, but handsome stranger go to the bad no matter how hard he tried. Come and see how she hauled him into a stampeding herd and proved the correctness of a woman’s intuition. Colleen Moore and Warner Baxter are featured members of the staff. “HERO”— Class A-c (Adapted from play of same name) Story: — Wounded Soldier Becomes Real Hero VALUE Photography — Excellent — Karl Struss. TYPE OF PICTURE — Unusual — Fascinating. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Excellent— Drama — Family. Cast — Excellent, Featuring Gaston Glass. Author — Excellent — Gilbert Emery. Direction — Excellent — Gasnier. Adaptation — Excellent — Eve Unsell. Technique — Excellent. Spiritual Influence — Good. Producer — Preferred Pictures Footage— CAST Oswald Lane Gaston Glass Hester Lane Barbara La Marr Andrew Lane John Sainpolis Sarah Lane Martha Mattox Andy Lane Frankie Lee Bill Waters David Butler Martha Doris Pawn Hilda Pierce Ethel Shannon February 1 to 15, 1923. -6,800 ft. Distributor — A1 Lichtman Corp. (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!