Screen Opinions (1923-24)

114 SCREEN OPINIONS TELLS THE TRUTH Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None. Crudely Made Picture Suitable Only for Cheaper Theatres The story of “The Mysterious Witness” might have been worked into an interesting photodrama if director, adapter and title writer had been more keenly alive to the requirements of the screen. And with a better set of titles it is probable that the picture’s shortcomings in other ways might have been overlooked to a degree. As it stands the action is too “cut and dried” in effect, and none of the characters are quite as well portrayed as they might have been. Robert Gordon’s Johnny Brant, for instance, is a case of misguided { effort. This young actor’s excellent work in other productions convinces us that his method of portraying distress in the role of Johnny Brant is due to careless direction. The part of the mother, Mrs. Brant, played by Nannie Wright, is the most capably handled of any. This picture will doubtless prove satisfactory in cheap sections, where the consistency of action or situation will not be questioned. STORY OF THE PLAY Johnny Brant leaves his widowed mother and starts out to seek a job on a ranch. He is unable to make much headway owing to the attitude of the foreman of the ranch, who finally fires him for going to sleep while riding the line fence on a rainy night. Later he is accused of killing an old prospector, and is saved from a death sentence through the silent testimony of his horse, whose actions when a pistol is fired from his back, proves that only one shot could have been fired by his rider in any event in place of the two fired by the murderer. Ed Carney, the villain of the story, is found not only to be implicated in the murder, but also to have swindled Johnny’s mother out of all her money. The story closes with the betrothal of Johnny and Ruth Garland, daughter of the ranch. PROGRAM COPY — “The Mysterious Witness” — Featuring Robert Gordon and Elinor Fair You will like the story of a youth whose life was saved by the silent testimony of his horse. There is plenty of human interest and a romantic finish to “The Mysterious Witness,” from a story by Eugene Manlove Rhodes. Robert Gordon and Elinor Fair are the featured members of the cast. “SLIPPY McGEE”— [Class C] 50% (Adapted from story of same name) Story: — Crook’s Soul Reclaimed Through Accident VALUE CAST Photography — Fair — Not credited. "Slippy McGee” Wheeler Oakman TYPE OF PICTURE — Interesting. Mary Virginia Colleen Moore Moral Standard — Average. Father De Ranee Sam Me Grasse »■ ... George Inglesby Edmund Stevens Story — Average — Drama — Adults. Madame De Ranee Edith Yorke Stars — Good — Wheeler Oakman and Colleen Howard Hunter Lloyd Whitlock Moore. — Author — Average — Marie Conway Oemler. July 15 to 31, 1923. Direction — Good — Wesley Ruggles. Adaptation — Fair — Not credited. Technique — Fair. Spiritual Influence — Average. Producer — Oliver Morosco Footage — 6,600 ft. Distributor — First National Our Opinion MORAL O’THE PICTURE— None. Poor Subtitling and Editing Detract From Entertainment Values of Otherwise Interesting Production “Slippy McGee” suffers from inexpert editing and subtitling. Nor is the adaptation of the story exactly what it might have been. It seems to us that there is plenty of opportunity for interesting development in he story of a crook whose soul was salvaged by means of an accident that made necessary the amputation of one of his legs. In trying to keep two stars in the foreground the character of Slippy has been somewhat neglected for the romance of the girl Mary Virginia, a role nicely played by Colleen Moore. The story closes very abruptly without divulging the outcome of the romance, leaving Slippy the last lap of the picture for himself, in which he hands back his (Continued on next page) f No Advertising Support Accepted!