Screen Opinions (1923-24)

68 SCREEN OPINIONS TELLS THE TRUTH “TEMPORARY MARRIAfiE”— [Class C] 50% (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Murder Mystery Caused by a Wife’s Indiscretion VALUE CAST Photography — Good — Not credited. Robert Belmar Kenneth Harlan TYPE OF PICTURE — Ordinary. Hazel Manners Mildred Davis Moral Standard — Fair. Mrs. Hugh Manners Myrtle Stedman ■■ Olga Kazanoff Maude George Story — Average — Melodrama — Adults. Hugh Manners Tully Marshall Cast — Good — All-Star. Preston Ducayne Stuart Holmes Author — Average — Gilbert Patten. Direction — Average — Lambert H illy er. Adaptation— Average — Not credited. Technique — Average. . . . Spiritual Influence — Neutral. June 1 to 15, 1923. Producer — Sacramento Film Corp. Footage — 7,000 ft. Distributor — State Rights @ur Opinion MORAL O'THE PICTURE — The Duty of Parents to Set a Good Example for Their Children. Crude Development Picture’s Worst Fault — Excellent Cast Employed — Unsavory Social Scenes a Detriment If the adapter and likewise the director had used better judgment in developing the story of “Temporary Marriage,” there would be less fault to be found with the production. As it stands, the opening reels, in fact, the majority of the action up to the point where the murder mystery takes the center of the stage, presents scenes of social orgies that are repellent. The subtitles are also a bit raw, and consequently do not help matters along. On the other hand, the murder mystery and the scenes of the trial are well staged, and hold the interest to a marked degree. An excellent cast plays the picture, including pretty Mildred Davis, who gives an intelligent performance: her work is delightfully convincing. Myrtle Stedman has an unsympathetic role to play, and likewise Maude George. Needless to say, these two favorably known players do well. Tully Marshall gets his inning as the lawyer for the defense. Kenneth Harlan and Stuart Holmes play the lover and the villain, respectively. This is a picture for adults only. STORY OF THE PLAY Mrs. Hugh Manners, wife of a prominent lawyer, and mother of pretty Hazel Manners, who is not yet out of boarding school, is obsessed with the idea of hiding her years, believes her husband to be old and poky, and falls for the flattery of an adventurer, Preston Ducayne. Hazel, returning from school, finds her mother, who is already separated from her father and about to sue for a divorce, in the midst of a wild party, which she calls a “divorcees’ party.’’ Once she recovers from the shock of the moment, Hazel decides that what is/ good enough for her mother is good enough for her. And so later on in the story we find her in the rooms of Ducayne, intoxicated. Her mother, who has by this time awakened to the danger of the situation, rushes to the scene and, entering, shoots at Ducayne at the same time that a cast-off sweetheart fires the shot that kills. Robert Belmar, fearing for Hazel, takes the blame of the murder, and is on trial for his life when Hugh Manners unearths the criminal, forcing her to confess. The story ends with a happy reconciliation. PROGRAM COPY — “Temporary Marriage” — With an All-Star Cast Mrs. Hugh Manners failed to count the cost of the example she set her daughter in the liquid parties and other indiscretions which formed the majority of her life. This story should interest mothers. The picture is played by a cast including pretty Mildred Davis, Kenneth Harlan, Myrtle Stedman, Tully Marshall, Stuart Holmes and Maude George. « “HER FATAL MILLIONS” — [Class B] 05% (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Borrowed Finery to Meet Sweetheart Gets Girl Into Trouble VALUE CAST Photography — Good — John Arnold, A. S. C. Mary Bishop Viola Dana TYPE OF PICTURE — Amusing. Fred Garrison Huntly Gordon Moral Standard — Average. Lew Carmody Allan Forrest . — Louise Carmody Peggy Brown Story — Good — Comedy-drama — Family. Amos Bishop Edward Connelly Star — Good — Viola Dana. Mary Applewin Kate Price Author — Good — William Dudley Pelley. Landlady Joy Winthrop Direction — Good — William Beaudine. Adaptation — Good — Arthur Statter. Technique — Good. — — Spiritual Influence — Neutral. June 1 to 15, 1923. Producer — Metro Footage — 5,700 ft. Distributor — Metro (Continued on next page) No Advertising Support Accepted!