Screen Opinions (1923-24)

208 SCREEN OPINIONS WEEKLY SERVICE Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None. Production Caters to Cheap Tastes “The Footlight Ranger” is a production of the cheaper sort, with the same old material that has served the melodramatic plot ever since chorus girls and theatrical managers existed. Another case of the company getting stranded and having to be helped back to New York, where the peppiest of the crowd finds an “angel” to back her in a show, and is rescued by her rural lover when the man with the money assaults her behind the locked doors of a private dining room at an inn. Both of the leading players, Charles Jones and Fritzi Brunette, are capable of better things. There is no fault to be found with the cast, and doubtless there still exist audiences that can enjoy this sort of trash. The production has little to redeem it in the way of unusual direction, and certainly the subtitles do not help the situation any. PROGRAM COPY — “The Footlight Ranger” — With Charles (Buck) Jones Romance treated Bill Moreland rough when it caused him a trip to New York, a siege in the hospital, and a fight for the girl. You’ll enjoy Charles (Buck) Jones’ latest screen effort. “WHAT FOOLS MEN ARE”— Class B (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Flirt Reunites Husband and Wife VALUE Photography — Good — Rudolph Mariner. TYPE OF PICTURE— Interesting. Moral Standard — Average. Story — Good — Comedy-drama — Adults. Cast — Good — All-Star, with Faire Binney. Author — Good — Eugene Walter. Direction — Good — George Terwilliger. Adaptation — Good — Peter Milne. T echnique — Good. Spiritual Influence — Neutral. Producer — Pyramid Footage — 6,087 ft. CAST Peggy Faire Binney Kate Claybourne Florence Billings Bartley Claybourne Huntley Gordon Ralph Demarest Joseph Striker Mr. Demarest, Sr J. Barney Sherry Maid Lucy Fox February 15 to 28, 1923. Distributor — American Releasing Corp. Our Opinion MORAL O'THE PICTURE — None Outstanding. Amusing Portrayal of Flapper as She Is and as We Think She Is This is not a highbrow production, but just an ordinary story of a type with which we are familiar, the flapper. The author attempts to show that she is not as dangerous as she is sometimes painted, and that the frivolity which she assumes is often a veneer covering a womanly spirit. Faire Binney is pleasing as the flapper, and Florence Billings is dignified and charming as the married sister, whose husband Peggy was not above flirting with. In fact, it is mostly her fault that the parties of the first part finally land in the divorce court. It seemed to the writer that some of the situations were a bit forced, but generally speaking, the action and development of the story is satisfactory, and the popularity of the type should do a great deal toward making the picture popular. The cast is an excellent one, and the direction capable. STORY OF THE PLAY Peggy, a flapper, flirts with every man that comes along, including her brother-in-law, who falls for her to the extent that Kate, his wife, decides to divorce him. Following the divorce Peggy and Bartley Claybourne, her brother-in-law, become engaged, but in true flapper fashion, she tires of the older man, and elopes with a youth, Ralph Demarest, whose father has plenty of money. Here she strikes a snag in the elder Demarest, who is certain that his son has headed for ruin when he marries Peggy. The close of the story shows Peggy reuniting Kate and Bartley, and overcoming the prejudice of Mr. Demarest. PROGRAM COPY — “What Fools Men Are” — Featuring Faire Binney A flapper isn’t half as dangerous as she looks. So you’ll learn when you see “What Fools Men Are, with pretty Faire Binney and an excellent and well-known cast. No Advertising Support Accepted l