Screen Opinions (1923-24)

240 SCREEN OPINIONS WEEKLY SERVICE — grammatical errors are frequent. Scenes of an orgy are so badly directed as to be vulgar. STORY OF THE PLAY Philip Quentin, arriving in Vienna after several years’ travel, meets an old-time sweetheart, Dorothy Garrison, and thereafter bends his efforts on saving lier from marrying a certain Prince Ugo Ravorelli, whom he recognizes as a murderer he has met in Brazil. At the moment when the priest is about to pronounce the girl and her infamous bridegroom man and wife the lights are turned out and the bride-to-be is carried off. Philip makes her a prisoner, surrounded by her friends in the ancient castle of Craneycrow. After a series of adventures, which include a fight in an underground passage, Prince Ugo arrives on the scene with an officer and a warrant for the arrest of Philip, only to be told by Dorothy that she left Vienna of her own accord to be with the man she loved. PROGRAM COPY — “The Prisoner” — Herbert Rawlinson and Eileen Percy ( Philip Quentin had made up his mind to marry the girl and rout an infamous cur hiding behind the dignity of a title, and so there occurred a series of thrilling and romantic adventures as pictured in Herbert Rawlinson’s latest production, “The Prisoner,” in which pretty Eileen Percy plays the feminine lead. “WHO’S APPLAUSE”— Class A (Especially prepared for screen) Story: — Actress Caters Indiscriminately to World’s Applause VALUE CAST Photography — Very good — L. Guy Wilky. Corinne d’Alys Bebe Daniels TYPE OF PICTURE^ — Sensational. John Eliot Lewis Stone Moral Standard — Average. Elsa Townsend Kathlyn Williams 11 ■ Robert Townsend Adolph Menjou Story — Very good — Drama — Adults. James Crane Brandon Hurst Star — Very good — Bebe Daniels and Secretary to Corinne Maym Kelso Lewis Stone. Maid to Corinne Bernice Frank Author — Very good — Clara Beranger. Valet to Townsend George Kuwa Direction — Very good — William DeMille. Valet to Eliot James Neil Adaptation — Very good — Clara Beranger. Technique — Very good. ■ ■ ■ ■ Spiritual Influence — Average. March 1 to 15, 1923. Producer — Paramount Footage — 6,526 ft. Distributor — Famous Players Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE — World’s Applause at the Risk of Reputation Is Short Lived. Well-Directed Picture Has Good Moral There are a number of things in connection with “The World’s Applause” that place it in the class of “very good” pictures. It is a story of the stage, strictly up-to-date in its development and attire, it is particularly fortunate in the matter of cast selection, and very near perfection atmospherically. The more discriminating persons will find the subtitles slightly faulty, but the average fan will be so entertained by the picture itself that this defect may not matter. The titles are often a bit more suggestive than is wise, but on the other hand the picture is well edited. It is to be expected that the character of Corinne d’Alys would allow plenty of opportunity for the wearing of bareback gowns, and also that Adolph Menjou, cast as a profligate artist, would play the part to the limit. And yet under the master hand of William DeMille the story has been molded into a perfectly decent picture, rich in human interest, with spectacular incidents of the stage, and a melodramatic vein skillfully enough handled to fit neatly into the dramatic construction of the picture without the usual lurid glare. Bebe Daniels is quite lovely in the role of Corinne. In fact she reminds one that she has been developing both talent and t beauty. Lewis Stone gives a fine performance as Corinne’s manager sincerely in love with her, but unable to prevent the unhappy affair between the actress and his brother-in-law. Adolph Menjou is also excellent, and Kathlyn Williams lives up to former records as the exasperated wife of the artist. STORY OF THE PLAY Corinne d’Alys, longing for the world’s applause, is so elated over her sudden rise to fame on the stage that she decides to grasp every opportunity for publicity without counting the cost of certain questionable methods. The attentions of Robert Townsend, a wealthy artist who is already married to the sister of John Eliot, Corinne’s manager, are accepted by her in spite of Eliot’s warnings. The result is that on the evening when Townsend plans to exhibit a painting of Corinne, Mrs. Townsend comes to the studio, slashes the portrait, and in a struggle with (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!