Screen Opinions (1923-24)

229 ALL THE “TRUTH” ABOUT PICTURES Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE — Disappointment Is Result When Age Seeks Romance With Youth. Splendid Production Provides Entertainment for All Classes The tragedy of fleeting romance, and the still greater tragedy which meets the man who tries to grip romantic illusions that mock him from the avenues of youth, forms the subject of “The Dangerous Age,” one of the most skilfully directed of modern photodramas. The great charm of this production lies not alone with the vital theme, or with the splendid cast that plays the picture, but with the vision of adapters and director in deliberating sufficiently on each individual situation to round it out with detail and atmosphere that serves to familiarize the spectator with the characters, their sensations and attitude toward life. In short “The Dangerous Age” is a human drama. Lewis Stone as the man whose wife is so absorbed in the drab things of life that she has no time for romance gets completely under the skin of the character, and there is both comedy and pathos in the perfectly natural and thoroughly mannish things he causes this character to do. Cleo Madison may be criticised for being slightly too youthful a type for the unromantic wife, but barring physical unsuitability she does well. Edith Roberts’ portrayal of Ruth Emerson aglow with the joy of first love, and James Morrison’s conception of the role of the youthful lover Bob are pleasant memories of what wholesome screen romance should be. Ruth Clifford is beautiful as the girl who thoughtlessly caused a near-tragedy in the lives of the Emersons, and innocently put things to rights by telling John Emerson that he was old enough to be her father. John Emerson’s race from New York to his own home in a breathless effort to overtake a letter written in a mad moment to his wife creates a vast amount of suspense. Book this picture by all means. Your patrons will thank you. STORY OF THE PLAY On a lovely spring evening, “when a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love,” John Emerson, no longer young, the husband of a good wife and the father of a lovely daughter, finds himself again under the magic spell of romance. His first thoughts as in years gone by, are of his wife. But friend wife is too busy mending to take serious note of her husband, whom she reproaches with acting like a silly boy. The outcome of this is that on John’s next trip to New York he fancies he is in love with a pretty young girl, who accepts his attention until he speaks of love, and then, after John has written home to his wife to ask for a divorce, she tells him that she has not thought of him in terms of love, and that he is old enough to be her father. The close of the story, which also includes the romance of Emerson’s daughter, shows the return of the husband, repentant, to a wife who has discovered her mistake. PROGRAM COPY — “The Dangerous Age” — Featuring Lewis Stone Spring is a dangerous season for middle-aged men who are still chasing the illusions of youth. You can’t afford to miss “The Dangerous Age,” a wholesome, romantic drama featuring Lewis Stone and a splendid cast. “PAWN TICKET 210”— Class B (Adapted from play of same name) Story: — Child Left in Pawn Reclaimed by Parents Years Later VALUE CAST ~ Photography — Good — George Schneiderman. Meg Shirley Mason TYPE OF PICTURE — Interesting. Chick Saxe Robert Agnew Moral Standard — Good. Ruth Sternhold Irene Hunt ' Abe Levi Jacob Abrams Story — Good — Drama — Family. Mrs. Levi Dorothy Manners Star— Good — Shirley Mason. Harris Levi Fred Warren Authors — Good — David Belasco and Clay M. Greene. Direction — Good — Scott Dunlap. Adaptation — Good — Jules Furthman. Technique — Good. • Spiritual Influence — Average. March I to IS, 1923. Producer — Fox Footage — 4,871 ft. Distributor — Fox MORAL O’THE PICTURE — Hasty Conclusions Often Lead to Sorrow. Story, Star and Cast Have Fine Opportunities This is the best of the recent Shirley Mason pictures, for the reason that the story is interesting and the direction such as to bring out the best points (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!